2010 introduction and syllabus

							                                         2010-2011

                                INTRODUCTORY MEMO
                                 World Literature/Honors



TO:            Righetti H.S. Students in Dr. Preston’s Classes

FROM:          Dr. Preston

RE:            YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO BE A HERO


Every culture throughout history has a mythology and, as different as world cultures and
heritages are, they all share one story in common. This story involves a call to adventure.
A young protagonist is captivated by a question or a challenge and leaves safety behind
to explore a new land or idea. Along the way he or she is confronted with obstacles,
helped by a mentor, and confused by issues of learning and faith. Ultimately he or she
becomes knowledgeable and returns home from the journey transformed, as a hero.

Today is the day you begin to become a hero.

This document serves the following three purposes: 1) To introduce myself to you, 2) To
welcome you to my class, and 3) To ensure you understand what it will take to be
successful.

Education has been a big part of my life. After graduating from high school in Los
Angeles I attended UCLA, where I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication
Studies, a Master’s Degree in Teacher Education, and a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in
Educational Policy and Management. I first taught at the Venice Alternative Education
& Work Center in 1992, and at many other schools since. For ten years I taught at the
UCLA Graduate School of Education and in the Business & Management Extension
programs at UCLA. In 1996 I started a management consulting practice and I advised
companies about how to train and lead their employees to achieve challenging goals.
Several years ago I decided to return to teaching full-time. I taught at the fourth largest
high school in the country for two years in Los Angeles, and came to Righetti in the fall
of 2006. I also teach at Chapman University College in Santa Maria.

My class and my approach to teaching are designed for one goal: your success. I believe
that as students we learn best when we are challenged, when we are encouraged, and
when we are given an opportunity to think about complex ideas in a place where we can
concentrate and expand our minds.
    The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to
             excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.
                                  - Vince Lombardi

     We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
                                   - Aristotle


In teaching thousands of students over the years I have learned that there are four
practices that make everyone’s learning easier and more effective. To support the goal of
your success, I ask for your commitment to the following four practices in addition to
Righetti’s general standards of conduct. You can remember these as Preston’s Four P’s:

               Students will be PROMPT
               Students will come to class PREPARED
               Students will be POLITE
               Students will be PRODUCTIVE

Each day you come to class you—the hero—must make choices. I strongly believe that
individuals have the right and the obligation to choose their own paths in life, and that
high school students are old enough to begin making informed choices. Each choice we
make has a consequence. If you are a driver who runs a red light, you risk getting a ticket
or getting hit by another car. I strongly encourage students in my classes to understand
and follow the path to success. Those who do will become more knowledgeable and
experience the pride and satisfaction of a job well done. Those who choose not to will
suffer the usual “horribles”—warnings, poorer grades, less interesting work, and if
necessary conferences with parents/guardians and/or administrators. In my class you will
choose your own path. In fact, I will never “give” you a grade—your scores and
evaluations will be mere reflections of the understanding and skill you demonstrate.

I expect a very successful experience for us and I am excited about being your teacher.
The Righetti students I’ve met so far have been intelligent, friendly people who seem
enthusiastic about learning. I will go over classroom procedures with you verbally so
that you can take your own notes about how to organize yourself for success. In the
meantime, please sign one copy of this document—and ask your parent/guardian to sign
it as well—and return it to me tomorrow. This will be your first graded assignment.
Please keep a copy and in your notebook for easy reference. I will share a copy and a list
of my students with campus administrators so that everyone has the same information
and understands each other’s choices.

Understanding language and literature has never been more exciting or important. Not
only can a story unlock your imagination and take you to different times and places, it
can help you comprehend the world around us right now. Everywhere you turn there are
messages that use language and tools from literature, from television commercials to
politicians to shopping center signs. As you begin to perceive the strategies that people
use in their communication, you will become more skilled and you will look at the world
in a brand new way. This is your opportunity to become the hero in your own education,
and your own life story. Let the journey begin!
                      English 2A/B (H)
              2009-2010 Course Syllabus
Instructor's Name: Dr. Preston
Phone Number: 937-2051 ext. 2608
E-mail address: dpreston@smjuhsd.org

COURSE MATERIALS:
       Literature- Platinum Level (text), selected novels, short stories, poems
         & articles
       1” binder with dividers/white, college-rule paper (used for English
         only!)
       Spiral notebook or composition book
       Black or blue pen
       Colored highlighter (optional)

      Students are required to bring the materials listed on this syllabus
      everyday to class. Textbooks must be covered. Textbook and materials
      checks will occur during the week. These checks will be reflected in the
      student's homework grades.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
      This course prepares students for the English 3 Advanced Placement
      Language and Composition course and for college-level instruction in
      general. The curriculum includes the English Language Arts Content
      Standards for California in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening.
      Students should expect daily homework. Students will be keeping a
      journal, expanding their vocabularies, reading literature, taking notes on
      lectures, writing papers, presenting to the class and participating in
      groups. There will be multiple assessments during each six-week grading
      period. A comprehensive final will be administered at the end of each
      semester. In addition to our study of world literature, students will also
      explore goal-setting and career opportunities.
GRADING POLICIES:
      Homework assignments, in-class assignments, projects, quizzes, exams,
      and class participation will be the basis for the final grade. Each six-week
      grade will be calculated independently of the others. For the twelve-week
      progress report, the first six-week grade and the second six-week grades
      will be averaged together. For the final semester grade, all of the three
      six-week grades will be averaged. Grades are calculated using both letter
    grades and test scores. Prior to each progress report students will have
    individual grade conferences in which they will participate in evaluating
    their performance and set goals for the future. Extra credit opportunities
    will be announced periodically in class.
CHEATING POLICY:
    Any type of cheating, either on tests/quizzes or plagiarism in papers, is unacceptable.
    ANY cheating will result in a grade of F for the entire semester.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
    All daily work, homework, quizzes, tests, and standards assignments
    should be maintained in the binder and organized according to type of
    assignment. Any graded work that is not returned to the student will be
    kept in a portfolio in class, maintained by the teacher. Notes and
    information in the binder will be used throughout the semester and will be
    tested on the final exam.
HOMEWORK & DAILY ASSIGNMENTS
    Homework assignments will be posted on the board in class and discussed
    with students.
    Daily assignments: Each day students will begin class by writing in their
    journals on a topic posted on the board. Students must have a spiral
    notebook or composition book for this purpose. In addition, students are
    required to choose outside reading novels, which they must bring to class
    each day. Students are encouraged to spend a minimum of 30 minutes
    each night reading.


CLASSROOM GUIDELINES/RULES:
     Respect the ideas and feelings of others. Respect is shown through
      the use of appropriate language, positive attitude, and use of good
      manners. Come to class on time and be prepared with all the required
      materials. Listen attentively and follow the teacher's directions the
      first time.
     Keep our classroom free of food, gum, garbage and unsanctioned
      graffiti.
     Do not disrupt the learning process by speaking at inappropriate times,
      eating, playing, fighting, putting on make-up, getting up during a
      lesson, etc.
     Assignments are not accepted late. If a student cannot turn in an
      assignment due to an excused absence, the assignment is due upon
      return. It is the student’s responsibility to get make-up work before
      or after class - NOT during instructional time.
     If a student is absent the day prior to a posted test (as opposed to a
      pop quiz), the student is expected to take the test as scheduled. If a
      student is absent on the day of a quiz or posted test, that student will
      be expected to take the test or quiz immediately upon return to class.
     Cell phones and other electronic devices are prohibited in class. Cell
      phone use will be considered cheating. If a cell phone is brought out
      during class for any reason it will be confiscated and returned at the
      discretion of the teacher. If a student violates the policy a second
      time, the cell phone will not be returned until a conference can be
      arranged with a parent and an assistant principal.
SCHOOL RULES:
    Attendance/Tardy Policy - A student is tardy if he/she is not in his/her
    desk when the tardy bell BEGINS. If a student is walking into class as the
    bell rings, he/she is tardy. Please refer to the Parent Handbook for
    consequences and the school attendance policy.
    Major Discipline - Please refer to the 2009-2010 Parent handbook.
STANDARDS
    This course incorporates the California State Content Standards in
    English/Language Arts, which may be found online at the California
    Department of Education website – www.cde.gov/ci/reading.html
    Standards assignments are graded on a pass/fail basis. The skills and
    knowledge demonstrated in the final product are the only criteria for
    proficiency. Student effort is NOT part of the assessment criteria. This
    puts a great deal of responsibility on the individual student to take time to
    learn and study course materials.
I have read Dr. Preston’s “YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO BE A HERO” memo and the
course syllabus. I hereby understand and agree to the terms of both the memo and the
syllabus. I understand grading policies, the role of standards, and student
responsibilities for this course; I further understand and agree to school and classroom
policies and I accept full responsibility for the consequences of my actions. I hereby
commit to the four practices: I will be Prompt, Prepared, Polite and Productive, and I
will be successful in Dr. Preston’s class.


________________________________________________________________________
Date        Student Name                  Student Signature




________________________________________________________________________
Date        Parent/Guardian Name                Parent/Guardian Signature




      I have discussed this class with someone important to me.

      I have not discussed this class with someone important to me.