Glendale High School Course Syllabus & Classroom Guidelines Teacher: Ms. Clark, Room B20 Department: Elective KEY CONCEPTS OF THE COURSE Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) is a program that prepares students for fouryear college eligibility and enables them to successfully complete the college’s course of study and earn a degree of higher learning. The key concepts of AVID to introduce students to the a-g requirements for admission to California’s public universities, to teach study skills, especially in note-taking, to develop higher level thinking skills for problem-solving, and to help students succeed in all of their academic classes. GENERAL PLAN OF 11th GRADE AVID The course will be divided into two sections: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, students will learn and perfect such skills as: Study skills Oral presentation Critical Questioning Note-taking Writing College and Career Planning Vocabulary enhancement Critical thinking Tuesday and Thursday, students will meet in small group tutorials that will be facilitated by a college and/or advanced high school student. Students will come to class with higher-level thinking questions written down related to their academic classes. COURSE REQUIREMENTS All students must complete the following: Pass a weekly binder check to ensure note-taking and participation in academic classes Come to class on time with all school supplies ready to write Come to tutorials with questions written down, ready to work Have a grade of B- or better in all academic classes (if not, mandatory tutoring will be assigned) No assigned work can be made up by Extra Credit School year: 2008 – 09 Course: AVID 5-6 (Junior Year)
WEBSITE One of the ideas I am most proud of is my classroom website. At www.msclark.net you will find many useful links for this class, including Tutorial Sheets (you’ll need to print out two every week— this can be done outside of class time in Ms. Clark’s classroom), important educational links, and your grades. Grades are updated approximately every two weeks and are password protected. The students make up the password and parents are given that password. The grades are broken down into categories, and each assignment is posted. TEACHER AVAILABILITY 1. By email: I am available at all times at sclark@gusd.net 2. By phone: my extension at school (818/242-3161) is 1420. I am generally at school by 7:40 and am usually here until at least 4:30. My prep period is period 4, normally from 11:29 – 12:27. 3. In person: by appointment, before or after school or during my prep period.
TEXTBOOK AND SUPPLEMENTARY TEXTS TO BE USED There are no assigned textbooks in AVID 5-6. Many handouts will be given out, which students will be expected to keep in their binders. Much of the junior year is focused on preparing for college entrance examinations (i.e. the SAT, ACT, etc.). We may, as a class, decide to purchase review books to go through together. Purchasing problems can always be worked out. ATTENDANCE EXPECTATIONS Poor grades are often accompanied by poor attendance: absences, tardies and truancies must have certain consequences. The following guidelines are in accordance with school board policy: 1. Parents must excuse an absence within 3 days; after that, the absence is a truancy. 2. Make-up work will be allowed only for excused absences due to illness, NOT truancies. 3. A student is tardy if not sitting and working in his/her seat when the bell rings. After 30 minutes, a student is truant. Consequences for tardiness will follow guidelines: 1st tardy: warning. 2nd: phone home. 3rd: Trash pickup or detention if P/U not done. 4th: ATS (Saturday 8-10 AM) or suspension, plus a ―U‖ in citizenship. BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS Students are expected to be polite, tolerant, and respectful of others. Infringement of this rule will have the following consequences: teacher conference, parent conference, and/or administrative referral. Students are strongly warned against cheating in any form. Cheating is defined as putting student’s name on work not his/her own, including, but not limited to, copying on tests, quizzes or homework, taking information from the internet or other electronic sources without attribution, buying or obtaining essays previously written, and any other generally understood activities associated with cheating. Note that plagiarism is defined as the use of the words, facts, ideas, or opinions of someone else without a specific acknowledgment of their source. To fail to indicate that you use such sources and/or to fail to identify them constitutes plagiarism. The result will be a zero on the test or assignment, a parent conference, notation in permanent school file, and any other action deemed appropriate by teacher and administrator. Students are expected to refrain from inappropriate language. No hats, makeup supplies in view, no food or drink (except bottled water). Electronic devices that are not turned off will be taken and turned in to an administrator.
ASSESSMENTS Student work will be assessed in the areas of Weekly binder check, including tutorials Various writing assignments Speaking and group presentations
60 % 30 % 10 %
The above percentages are approximate. As mentioned above, grades are posted online approximately every two weeks at www.msclark.net. Contact Ms. Clark if you need a password for access.
GRADING RUBRIC A grade of A: The student has done enough work to acquire between 90% and 100% of the total points for the course. Essentially, the student has demonstrated consistently sophisticated understanding of the key concepts of the course. A-level work indicates real achievement in reading comprehension, writing skills, and oral discussion skills. The work is clear, precise, and well reasoned. A grade of B: The student has done enough work to acquire between 80% and 89% of the total points for the course. Essentially, the student has demonstrated above average understanding of the key concepts of the course. The student has more strengths than weaknesses in reading comprehension, writing skills, and oral discussion skills. Some weaknesses in these areas still remain. A grade of C: The student has done enough work to acquire between 70% and 79% of the total points for the course. Essentially, the student has demonstrated a satisfactory level of understanding of the key concepts of the course. Reading comprehension and writing skills may be inconsistent, and discussion may be limited to the literal and concrete levels of understanding. A grade of D: The student has done enough work to acquire between 60% and 69% of the total points for the course. Essentially, the student has demonstrated only a minimal understanding of the key concepts of the course. Writing, in particular, is often skimpy, and shows little thought or reflection. A grade of F: The student has not done enough work to acquire 60% of the total points for the course. Essentially, the student has done little or no work, and failed most exams. The student has mastered few, if any, of the key concepts of the course.
Please fill out and sign the next page.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * PARENT SIGNATURE AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RECEIPT OF THIS DOCUMENT PLEASE SIGN BELOW AND RETURN TO MS. CLARK _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ __ __ _ _ _ _ ___ I have read and discussed this Course Syllabus and Classroom Guideline for Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID) 5-6, including: 1. Where and when I can contact Ms. Clark if I have a question or problem. 2. I am responsible for excusing my student’s absences and I understand that make-up tests and work will be allowed only for excused absences due to illness. 3. It is important for the teacher to have my phone numbers at home and work, and my cell phone number. 4. There are severe consequences for cheating or copying someone else’s work. Signature ________________________________ Date ______________________
Parent/Guardian
Signature ________________________________ Date ______________________
Student
Parent’s Home Phone: Parent’s Work Phone: Parent’s Cell Phone: Parent’s E-mail:
Date__________________________________