Advanced English 4: Senior English

“If you can think, speak and write—you are absolutely deadly; nothing can get in
your way.”
—Jordan Peterson

Course Details: Fall 2021-Spring 2022

Ben Wong
Classroom:
Sections:
Email:

Overview
Reading, writing, and articulating oneself are among the means of acquiring knowledge, gaining
recognition (or notoriety), and communicating and persuading others. Simply put, these methods of
expression help one expand their minds to think insightfully and effectively. Psychologist Jordan
Peterson1 said it best: “The best way to teach people critical thinking is to teach them to write.” In this
course, you will hone the skills of expressing yourself as an enfranchised individual through examining
and investigating various discourses and by practicing the applications of academic reading, writing and
communication—ultimately, you will identify from a constellation of intellectual styles your
predilections and identity as a budding scholar.

Though future students of literary studies are appreciated, I want to clarify this is not an "English-major
course." By this, I mean that I will not level the same expectations I would hold students who were
undergoing formal training in literary analysis. Although being a peruser of writing offers prizes of broad
allure and import, I will help you identify methods for reading and writing in manners that are
appropriate to your general education rather than the discipline-specific training of an English major.

Upon successful completion of this course, a passing grade satisfies the final of four English curriculum
requirements required for graduation.

Prerequisites
To ensure the greatest likelihood of success, it is advised students complete any junior-level English
course with an advanced or honors designation and have earned a “C” or better before enrolling in this
course.

1
Jordan B Peterson. (2017). 2017 maps of meaning 06: story and metastory (part 2) [Video]. Retrieved from
https://youtu.be/nsZ8XqHPjI4

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Learning Outcomes

Students should be able to achieve the following learning outcomes by the conclusion of the course if
students complete all the assignments and engage as strong class citizens—I hope that is the case for
you.

 Practice and ultimately master the standard conventions of English and writing through
analysis, composition and revision.
 Examine and understand the concepts, terms and techniques related to the nature of
communication and exploration, including exploring its relationship to schooling and the
theories and practices in literacy.
 Pinpoint and eschew logical fallacies through repetition and exercise.
 Experience reading and writing for various genres, audiences and rhetorical purposes, including
deconstructing, analyzing and evaluating an assortment of texts.
 Investigate the styles and structures of written discourse and various genre conventions to
promote one’s purposes and motivations for writing.
 Analyze and orchestrate acquired knowledge while incorporating one’s own comprehension
and ideas.
 Employ research methods to investigate and evaluate the credibility and accuracy of various
sources (e.g. online articles, scholarly publications, etc.), while utilizing reliable resources.
 Experience the full sequence of the writing process (e.g. brainstorming, drafting, revising,
copyediting, and proofreading).
 Participate in the collaborative and social interactions associated with writing processes (e.g.
workshopping, conferencing, considering the criticism of others, and integrating feedback into
your writing in response to audience needs).
 Develop and extend your critical thinking by questioning your initial perceptions and
considering the viewpoints of others; thus, embarking on extended trains of thought rather
than defending a static position.
 Experiment with formal and structural possibilities to shed light on your writing in manners that
help you re-think and reconsider your composition.
 Understand the processes of writing and learning is not finite and includes a progression of
undertakings.
 Utilize technology to draft, review, refine, address, and present content to diverse audiences.

2
Watterson, B. (1993). The days are just packed: A Calvin and Hobbes collection. Kansas City: Andrews and
McMeel.

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  Participate in a community of learners who have edified your reasoning, language, and literacy
skills and who have helped you become an increasingly educated individual.
 Recognize the advantages of reflecting on one’s progress and understand the role of reflection
in academia.
 Become an informed individual who is cognizant of domestic and international affairs.

Despite these “habits of mind” published in the National Writing Project’s “Framework for Success in
Postsecondary Writing3,” the following qualities prescribed by secondary and postsecondary educators
nationwide are recommended for achievement in the course and remain relevant across all disciplines
throughout a student’s scholarly journey.

 Curiosity: the desire to know more about the world.

 Openness: the willingness to consider new ways of being and thinking in the world.
 Engagement: the sense of investment and involvement in learning.
 Creativity: the ability to use novel approaches for generating, investigating, and representing
ideas.
 Persistence: the ability to sustain interest in and attention to short-and long-term projects.
 Responsibility: the ability to own one’s actions, understand consequences for oneself and
others.
 Flexibility: the ability to adapt to situations, expectations, or demands.
 Metacognition: the ability to reflect on one’s own thinking as well as on the individual and
cultural processes used to structure knowledge.

Coursework and Grading

Grading Scale
I calculate final course grades using the following schema:

A B C D Teacher’s F
discretion
90-100% 80-89% 70-79% 60-69% 56-59% 0-55%

3
National Writing Project. (2011). Framework for success in postsecondary writing.
Retrieved from https://lead.nwp.org/knowledgebase/framework-for-success-in-postsecondary-writing/
4
Watterson, B. (1992). Homicidal psycho jungle cat: A Calvin and Hobbes collection. Kansas City: Andrews and
McMeel.

3
Because I exempt some scores from the final grade calculation, most final grades will not be rounded up,
nor will any significant extra credit be offered (so please don’t ask).

Please retain all your assignments until final course grades are posted at the semester’s end should you
wish to appeal any scores.

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Coursework is weighted accordingly:

Category Weight
News Quizzes 11%
Grammar 15%
Quickwrites/Thought Pieces 10%
Writing Projects and Presentations 40%
Workshopping and Peer Critique Assignments 10%
Digital Portfolio and Self-Reflection Essay 4%
Participation and Citizenship 10%
Students will undergo several opportunities to seek and receive feedback from their peers and from the
teacher before submitting the assignment; therefore, students generally cannot resubmit major writing
projects unless extraordinary circumstances (e.g. nuclear war, zombie apocalypse, etc.) transpire.
However, because good writing is always the result of energetic revision, resubmissions for major
writing projects may be negotiated.

Grades are updated weekly, and most assignments will be digitally or physically returned with my
feedback shortly after grades have been posted. Please electronically submit your writing projects in
PDF format, so I may digitally annotate and provide criticism to your essays.

Criteria
Writing is a skill that demands mastery at numerous interrelated levels, and writing proficiency is a
critical component of any grade assigned. Consider both what you are saying and how you say it. Like
always, your “shitty first draft”5 is never the copy you submit for evaluation. Along with the rubrics
provided for major writing projects, all assignments will be assessed using the following guidelines:

 Adherence to the assignment’s expectations and guidelines and familiarity with the intended
audience(s) and/or purpose(s) for writing.
 Responsiveness to alternative lines of thought and sensitivity to the nuances and subtleties of
meaning.
 Specificity and insightfulness of arguments, along with cohesive and coherent relations among
claims, evidence and reasoning.
 Relevance and utilization of cited material(s).
 Apparent fastidiousness throughout the writing process.
 Adherence to standard English and writing conventions.

An assignment grade of “A” indicates little to no imperfections in any category.

An assignment grade of “B” indicates slight shortcomings in some categories or a moderate weakness in
one.
An assignment grade of “C” indicates moderate inadequacies in most categories or considerable
deficiencies in some.
An assignment grade of “D” indicates general ineptitude in most categories, with glaring errors and
significant lapses in quality.
An assignment grade of “F” indicates significant incompetency in all categories; the submission neglects
5
Lamott, A. (1994). Shitty First Drafts. In Bird by bird: Some instructions on writing and life (pp. 30-33). New York:
Pantheon Books.

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the minimum expectations and parameters of the assignment, or the submission infringes upon the
standards of academic integrity.

Refusal to Evaluate Assignment

Submissions that exhibit literal incomprehensibility from a lack of standard English and writing
conventions will not be assessed. Additionally, submissions that do not meet the minimum parameters
and/or expectations of the assignment will not be assessed and will be returned to the student with a
failing grade; a grade reduction will be imposed if the student chooses to resubmit the assignment.

Only once the submission has satisfied the minimum parameters of the assignment will it be evaluated
for the creative and competent accomplishment of the assignment’s expectations.

Components
Assigned Readings

Among the texts you will read throughout the course may include, but are not limited to the following:

 “How to Mark a Book” by Mortimer J. Adler

 “Footstools and Furniture” and “Reading: How to Stay on Top of It” by Keith Hjortshoj
 “The Maker’s Eye: Revising Your Own Manuscripts” by Donald M. Murray
 “Responding—Really Responding—to Other Students' Writing” by Richard Straub
 “What Do They Know About How We Learn?” by Ken Bain
 “Language and Discourses: Meaning Is in the Game,” “Institutions and Frozen Thought,” and
“Learning by Design: Games as Learning Machines” by James Paul Gee
 “Helping Students Use Textual Sources Persuasively” by Margaret Kantz
 “Hellhole” by Atul Gawande
 “Fatal Distraction: Forgetting a Child in the Backseat of a Car Is a Horrifying Mistake. Is It a
Crime?” by Gene Weingarten
 “An Animal’s Place” by Michael Pollan
 “Body Ritual Among the Nacirema” by Horace Miner
 “Self-Reliance,” “The American Scholar” and Nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson
 “Resistance to Civil Government” by Henry David Thoreau
 “The Way to Wealth” by Benjamin Franklin
 “Popular Mechanics” by Raymond Carver
 “Celia Behind Me” by Isabel Huggan
6
Watterson, B. (1997). Something under the bed is drooling: A Calvin and Hobbes collection. Kansas City: Andrews
and McMeel.

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  “How to Become a Writer” by Lorrie Moore
 Excerpts and selections from:
o Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
o They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing by Gerald Graff and Cathy
Birkenstein
o Thank You for Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About
the Art of Persuasion by Jay Heinrichs
o Method and Madness: The Making of a Story by Alice LaPlante
o A Dash of Style: The Art and Mastery of Punctuation by Noah Lukeman
o The Little Seagull Handbook by Richard Bullock and Francine Weinberg
o A Pocket Style Manual by Diana Hacker and Nancy Sommers

All assigned readings are provided by the teacher in digital and/or print format; you may also find some
assigned texts online.

For students who prefer to peruse and annotate the assigned readings using their devices, I discourage
the use of cellular devices for interacting with the texts. The dimensions of most smartphones are
physically unsuitable for referring to our readings during discussions that often require swift navigation
around sometimes lengthy texts—students who use smartphones to refer to an electronic version of the
text will often find themselves squinting and scrambling to follow the discussion. In short, using
smartphones as digital reading devices will prove to be detrimental for students to exercise strong class
citizenship in discussions.

A word on reading assiduously and attentively: to meet the challenges posed by our readings, you
should actively engage with the texts by circling key words, referencing footnotes, researching
unfamiliar terms, writing questions in the margins, and underlining themes and issues you find
intriguing. As responsive readers, consider yourselves engaging in a discussion with the writer and
reading to formulate your own positions, even as you strive to understand each selection on its own
terms and to place it in relation of our other readings.

Ambitions and Aspirations — Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?7
Students will compose a brief narrative not exceeding 500 words that addresses what they hope to gain
from the course, their educational affiliation with literacy, any pivotal moments in their education, and
how their history may have affected their attitudes toward reading and writing. Your statement of aims
is due by the second week of class.

News Quizzes
As adolescents who are about to enter adulthood and become noticeable members of society, you must
be informed of the events occurring around you. To meet this expectation, I encourage students to read
the front pages8 of The Arizona Republic and The New York Times daily. At the start of most classes,
there will be a brief 3-to-5-minute quiz comprising five to 10 questions assessing your awareness of
current local and foreign events. News quizzes are also used to take attendance, which affects your

7
Oates, J. (1993). Where are you going, where have you been? : Selected early stories. Princeton [N.J.] : New York:
Ontario Review Press ; Distributed by George Braziller.
8
The front pages of newspapers can be accessed using the following link:
https://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages

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participation grade in the course. Quizzes cannot be made up in the case of unexcused absences—
students with excused absences will have their quiz scores exempted for the duration of their
nonattendance. I drop your three lowest quiz scores at the end of each semester.

Grammar
Despite your occupational objectives, almost all professions involve writing. Impeccable writing is
noticeable and conveys a solid impression of professionalism. Along with advancing your overall writing
skills, you will gain “grammatical correctness” by mastering the elements of English grammar,
recognizing and rectifying grammatical errors, and learning to discriminate between commonly misused
words. I will also drop your lowest grammar assignment score. All grammar assignments are due by the
beginning of the subsequent lesson.

Students must achieve an average of 75 percent or higher among all grammar assignments before
proceeding to the major writing assignments in the course.

Quickwrites/Thought Pieces

Like with anything else, practice makes perfection. Writing is a skill that improves with practice, and you
will compose numerous “fastwrites” throughout the course. Typically, you will spend 10-20 minutes
responding to a prompt related to an assigned reading; at times, I will ask you to write with total
abandonment, acting on your impulses and following whatever is on your mind. You are not required to
arrive at specific answers or conclusions to the readings; the goals of these assignments are to have you
explore and experiment with your thoughts and to generate substance to facilitate our discussions. Your
lowest quickwrite assignment score will be dropped. Your responses are due by the beginning of the
discussion of the assigned reading(s).

Writing Projects and Presentations

Students will compose several writing projects throughout the course, such as narratives, inquiry and
research journals, argumentative essays, rhetorical analyses, advanced appeals, analytical papers, and
other lengthier writing assignments. For some writing projects, students will share their assignments
with the class by preparing a brief presentation. Guidelines, rubrics and additional details for each
writing project will be issued and explained in class. The due dates for writing projects and their
subsequent presentations will be scheduled following the introduction of each major writing
assignment.
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Watterson, B. (1993). The days are just packed: A Calvin and Hobbes collection. Kansas City: Andrews and
McMeel.

8
Most writing projects must comply with the style and format established by the American Psychological
Association (APA), which will be taught and reviewed throughout the course, as needed. All writing
projects will undergo the full sequence of the writing process and be workshopped with peers and
discussed with the teacher before submitting the final copy.

Students must complete all major writing assignments to receive a grade for the course.

Trite/”Forbidden” Essay Topics

Students frequently gravitate toward and assert hackneyed platitudes about certain matters. To
promote critical and creative thinking, students are prohibited from writing about the following topics
for research-based essays without the teacher’s approval:

 Abortion
 Assisted suicide
 Capital punishment
 Dietary practices
(e.g. veganism,
vegetarianism, etc.)
 Drug epidemics
 Electoral college
 Existence of a higher
power/divine entity
 Legal drinking or
legal driving age
 Media bias
 Sex education
 Sports team
superiority
 Stem cells or cloning

 Vaccination

Digital Portfolio and Self-Reflection Essay

“We do not learn from experience…we learn from reflecting on experience.”

—John Dewey

At the end of the course, students will participate in a gallery walk by creating digital portfolios to
showcase their assignments to their peers and to viewers worldwide. Additionally, this assignment helps
students establish an electronic framework and a professional online identity for their future academic
or occupational purposes. Students must publish their digital portfolio by the scheduled date of the
gallery walk.

In lieu of a final examination, students will compose a 500- to 1500-word response reflecting on their
statement of aims from the start of the course and on their growth as a reader and writer. Among the
topics that students may choose to reflect on include, but are not limited to, measuring their

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achievements against the course’s learning outcomes, what students have learned from the course,
what students can improve on, what students have yet to learn, how students will continue practicing
the skills attained from the course, or any subsequent steps in the student’s creative development. You
may realize you have unearthed an imaginable passion for reading and writing, or this course may have
aggravated your animosity for reading and writing. Regardless, the depth and quality of your reflection
prevail over your passion (or lack thereof) for the subject. Reflections develop your growth as an
individual, independent of the grade you earned in the course. Your course reflection is due on the last
day of class.

Participation and Citizenship

“Speak your latent conviction…Else tomorrow a stranger will say with masterly good
sense precisely what we have thought and felt all the time, and we shall be forced to
take with shame our own opinion from another.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Self-Reliance”

Being an active and committed member of the classroom is essential for creating a productive
community of learners. Like a republic that depends on the diligent and dynamic engagement of its
populace, our discussions depend on students who come prepared to participate in an informed
discussion. Most discussions involve exchanging perceptions among the members of the class, and
students are expected to complete the readings and/or assignments by the date of discussion and
exercise the involvement expected of adults—whether it may be making additional notes and/or
annotations, drawing connections, synthesizing knowledge, etc. If I ask you a question that concerns
simply "what happened" in a text—for instance, some element of plot that everyone should know after
they've read the text, even if they've read it badly—and you cannot respond, I will interpret your
incapacity as a clear advertisement that you have neglected the assigned reading and are not to be
taken seriously. Knowing literally "what happened" in the text is only the beginning, because much of
the reading we'll undertake will demand much more. The key to success in this class will lie in your
refusal to become frustrated when faced with difficult concepts—instead, become challenged.

Note that participating is not simply flapping one’s gums—participating involves frequently commenting
and responding to others’ comments, sharing your insights derived from having engaged in a process of
careful, close reading. “Idle talk,” or the kind of remarks indicating careless engagement with the texts
does not propel a discussion, and hence does not qualify as participation.

You may inquire about your participation grade at any point throughout the course, and I will disclose
your participation grades mid-semester.

If I determine not enough students are arriving prepared to sustain fruitful and productive conversations
about the course materials, I reserve the right to tweak the grading formula for this course to include
reading quizzes. I prefer conversing with students who have completed the assigned readings, and I find
it frustrating and pointless to deal with people who are only pretending. Therefore, if l begin to suspect
I'm doing too much of the latter, I'll leverage reading quizzes to persuade the fakers either to change
their ways or withdraw.

If you find it daunting to discuss what you have read in a welcoming and supportive context such as this
class, or if you fail to recognize this is about as welcoming and supportive as circumstances will be in this

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world—beyond the domains of environments which you are comfortable with—then with respect I
caution you of difficult days ahead.

Workshopping and Conferencing

“In a writer there must always be two people – the writer and the critic.”
—Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace

Many believe writing is a solitary act—this is a sentiment of dialetheism. When we’re writing, we’re
focused on our work, transcribing our thoughts onto the page. Afterward, we need others to provide
feedback on what we’ve written. For writing projects, you will collaborate with your classmates
throughout the entire sequence of the writing process—from brainstorming to drafting to proofreading.
While workshopping with your peers, you will provide and receive constructive criticism on your ideas,
proposals and drafts to develop, revise and refine your writing. Reviewing, critiquing and revising your
writing (and the work of your classmates) strengthens your development as a writer—while also
increasing your implicit and explicit comprehension of the assignment’s requirements.

An integral element of workshopping is your receptiveness to the suggestions, criticism, and bitter truth
from your reviewers. Your success in this class is contingent upon your abilities to facilitate a community
that welcomes conflicting opinions and upholds an atmosphere that encourages the intellectual and
academic development of your peers. Please be mindful of how you convey feedback to other students
and respect the ideas and perspectives of others, regardless of your agreement with their viewpoints.
When engaging with the writings of your peers, volunteer creatively and contribute to the advancement
of their drafts in an active and thoughtful manner; providing intriguing and insightful feedback manifests
your engagement and participation in class, while also developing the learning of your classmates.
Effective feedback is valuable in productive workshop sessions—insults or abusive language are not. The
feedback you receive may be correct, or you may believe it is littered with inaccuracies—regardless, it’s
something to consider.

Additionally, for each major writing assignment, students will meet with the teacher for individual
conferences where the student and teacher will discuss the current state of the draft and any
subsequent steps for creative development before submitting the final copy.

Commitment

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Watterson, B. (1996). It's a magical world: A Calvin and Hobbes collection. Kansas City: Andrews and McMeel.

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I take this subject seriously, and I expect the same from you. All components of the course are
consistent with the expectations and demands of an advanced, honors-level English course. To fulfill the
course objectives, students must work diligently both in- and outside of class. I will not play “mom” and
hunt each student down to ensure he or she is studying diligently and/or trying their best; rather, I will
record the fruits of your efforts, which is your course grade. Stay the course, ask questions, and take
your best shot—or, blow off assignments at your own peril. If it is my sense that you are unprepared for
class, I will request to meet with you regarding your continued advancement in the course.

Late or Unidentifiable Submissions

In most instances, late submissions will not be acknowledged, nor will assignments submitted with
insufficient identifying information be assessed; students who submit a nameless assignment should not
expect a grade for their submission. All assignments that are expected to be critiqued and reviewed by
others must be completed and available for feedback by the scheduled date. Remember, we all live
hectic lives and have our own responsibilities; therefore, your peers are not obligated to evaluate your
writing if it is shared after the scheduled date of the workshop. Students who submit their drafts after
their scheduled conference date must schedule another appointment with the teacher if they still wish
to seek feedback.

As you prepare to become reliable and responsible individuals about to enter the realm of adulthood
and its occupational settings, you will understand the importance of deadlines—and the expectation to
abide by them. Having said that, I understand there may be extenuating circumstances when humankind
becomes defenseless against the complexities of life and its unexpected nature. During these
unforeseen hardships, I am willing to negotiate due dates with students on a case-by-case basis; please
speak to me about agreeing upon an individual deadline modification, if necessary.

Seeking Support
Unfortunately, I am not psychic, nor do I have a crystal ball. As the adage goes, the squeaky wheel gets
the grease. Despite checking for understanding periodically throughout the class, some
misunderstandings may go unnoticed. As a budding scholar, you should understand that to clarify your
misunderstandings, part of the responsibility lies with you and your diligence to inform the teacher of
any misapprehensions you are facing.

If you ever feel overwhelmed or would like to speak with me for any reason, please reach out. Although
I cannot write papers on your behalf, I can assist with any stage of the writing process—not to mention,
offer suggestions on coping with academic stress in a constructive manner.

Electronic Communication
Should you have a question, you are encouraged to contact me via electronic means if in-person
communication is not possible. You can anticipate a response within 24 hours, provided that you contact
me during the regular academic week. Please identify yourself by your full name and the class you are
enrolled in, and convey all the information relevant to your inquiry in a coherent manner and with a
professional tone. I seek to prepare students for the conventional style of communication expected in
business and professional environments; therefore, I value decorum and proper etiquette in electronic
means of communication. My vernacular is immeasurably antiquated, and I have a PBS mind in an MTV
world; thus, please avoid speaking in slang or using unconventional dialect in your queries, most of

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which I cannot comprehend and will likely disregard. I receive numerous messages throughout the
semester, and email etiquette ensures everything functions swimmingly.

Electronics Use Policy

Per school and district protocol, students must stow away all electronic devices not being utilized for
academic purposes while class is in session. As emerging adults, I expect you to exercise sensible and
sound judgment regarding the use and possession of electronic devices in the classroom. Among these
expectations include, but are not limited to, muting the device’s ringer/notification sounds, refraining
from inappropriately and/or insolently occupying yourself with your device(s), discontinuing any
noneducational utilization of electronics when class is in session, and forbearing the completion of
assignments for another class. However, in urgent cases such as family crises, I request you inform me of
the circumstances before attending to your affairs outside of the classroom.

Should you experience a lapse of judgment, I will inform you of your negligence as a courtesy. You are
free to remain disengaged provided that your disregard does not hamper the learning of your peers, but
bear in mind that continued disengagement will result in forfeiture of all participation points for the day
with no further warnings—in disruptive cases, I may ask you to surrender the said device(s) for the
duration of the class. Keeping with the truth of this, students who gripe to me about the effect of lost
participation points on their grade and have made little effort to redress their actions will find myself
disinclined to adopt the student’s sense of emergency.

Academic Integrity

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To breed positive work ethic among all students, all submissions will be subjected to the highest
expectations of academic integrity. Infringing upon these standards, whether intentionally or
inadvertently, is not tolerated, and the severity of the repercussion(s) will be dispersed according to the
value of the assignment. Penalties include, but are not limited to, denial or revocation of partial or all
credit for the assignment(s), disciplinary action by the administration, or failure of the course. While it is
unpleasant to raise this issue before a group of people who have as yet given me no cause to do so,
please understand that I stand prepared to execute this policy. That said, I hope this will not concern any
members of our class.

At this juncture in your education, I presume you are familiar with what actions constitute plagiarism.
Briefly, plagiarism occurs when you assume the ownership of another creator’s ideas, phrases, clauses,

11
Watterson, B. (1996). There's treasure everywhere: A Calvin and Hobbes collection. Kansas City: Andrews &
McMeel.

13
quotes, prose, etc. without proper attribution. I will demonstrate and review techniques for assessing
and avoiding plagiarism multiple times throughout the semester.

Note that reuse of an assignment, at any stage in your education, is classified as self-plagiarism and
bears the repercussions associated with academic dishonesty. If you are ever confused about what
constitutes plagiarism or academic dishonesty, please do not hesitate to request for clarification.

Classroom Conduct
Behavior
Having lived as a member of humankind for numerous years, I trust you have attained the social and
interpersonal knowledge necessary for coexisting with other members of humanity. Classrooms are
communities for learning, and courteous behavior ensures that classrooms function as reverent and
productive learning environments. Hence, it is imperative you respect all members of the classroom, pay
heed to and partake in all classroom proceedings, forgo irrelevant interruptions to your peers and the
teacher, and shun negative or discriminatory language that marginalizes members of the classroom. By
no means is this list an exhaustive series of desired behaviors; however, it depicts some of the
dispositions that help promote positive classroom environments.

Learning best occurs in welcoming atmospheres, and all students are entitled to schooling that is
equitable and unhampered by the unfavorable dispositions of others. Apart from losing participation
points whenever you engage in behavior(s) that subordinates the learning of your peers, students who
endanger the education of others by prioritizing their egocentric desires above the academic aims of the
classroom must meet with the teacher and/or administrative staff, at which time consequences and the
best course of action will be determined. Depending on the severity of the violation, the student may be
administratively withdrawn from the class.

The writing classroom is where thoughts are traded and perspectives are shared. Recognize that
members of the class may occasionally disagree with their peers. In fact, I may disagree with some of
your remarks, and because I take you seriously, I will also explain why I disagree. It is important you
understand—and it has become clear to me that for some reason this forewarning must be explicitly
communicated to individuals who are about to enter adulthood—that these conflicts will occur in life.
That is, well-informed people often do disagree, and it is productive and right that they discuss those
disagreements. The worst thing you can do, in terms of your intellectual development, is to decide that
when someone disagrees with you, what they are really doing is calling you stupid, or making you feel,
by contradicting you, somehow diminished. We want to encourage and support one another in our
discussions, and part of that process requires arguing in the best sense—challenging one another as we
refine our reasoning and craft its articulation, while remaining grateful for the opportunity.

Punctuality and News Quizzes

Given the demands of English classes, attendance and punctuality are required for success in the course.
To minimize disruptions, students should arrive to class prepared and ready to learn by the designated
time. When class begins, students are expected to be attentive and have all the materials needed for
class accessible. I administer news quizzes or 5-minute papers promptly at the beginning of each class;
therefore, absences or late arrivals will affect your grade. Students who are not signed into the testing
session by the time the quiz begins will be considered tardy unless technical difficulties arise. I use the
list of respondents as a method of taking attendance; students who are tardy or absent from class

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automatically forfeit their quiz score for the day unless they provide a convincing explanation for being
excused. Otherwise, students with extended absences or students who habitually disrupt their peers by
arriving considerably late to class without reasonable justification will be contacted by the teacher to
determine the best course of action.

I hold myself to the same expectation I have for you to be punctual and timely. In the unlikely event I
arrive late to class, I will classify your score for the daily news quiz as extra credit to bolster your overall
news quiz grade.

If you anticipate being absent from class, please inform me beforehand so I may supply you with
coursework to prevent you from falling behind. Note that your final course grade will not exceed the
percentage of total classes attended (e.g. a student with 5% of unexcused absences will not receive a
grade higher than 95%). I encourage you to attend class whenever possible and recognize that students
who accrue more than 10 unexcused absences or are absent for more than 10 percent of each semester
risk failing the course for nonattendance.

Food, Beverages and Cleanliness

Psychologist Abraham Maslow asserts one’s physiological needs must be met to ensure effective
learning. Referencing Maslow’s research12, you may enjoy food and beverages in the classroom if you
quietly consume your sustenance and do not disrupt your peers. To preserve the olfactory well-being of
the members of the classroom, foods that emit a repulsive or pungent smell are not permitted
(ultimately, I will have the last word on this matter). Students who litter the classroom with crumbs or
scraps will have their classroom meal privilege revoked unless they can demonstrate their ability to
consume comestibles in a hygienic and organized manner. Furthermore, students are expected to
restore the classroom to its original condition of cleanliness before being dismissed from class; I am
indisposed toward decluttering the messes created by your carelessness.

Entering and Exiting the Classroom

Should the need emerge, you are welcome to visit the lavatories or other amenities during class if your
departure does not disrupt any ongoing activities. I possess no authority over dictating whether you are
permitted or forbidden to attend to your bodily matters, and I do not require you to seek my permission
for attending to these matters. However, I ask you to document your entry and exit times for security
purposes and to account for student activity. The only exception to this procedure is during
examinations—please resolve your bodily needs before the examination begins and recognize that
leaving the room after testing has commenced may jeopardize the validity of your exam.

Note that leaving the classroom at your discretion is a liberty granted under the assumption you are
mature enough to exercise sound and sensible judgment, and I will speak to students who depart for
extended periods of time or students who frequently depart during class. Should I suspect you are
abusing this freedom, I reserve the right to repeal your privilege to exit the classroom at your
prerogative.

12
For an overview about Abraham Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs,” please refer to the following resource:
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-4136760

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Accommodations
Students who require certain accommodations are expected to promptly inform the teacher and the
school’s resource coordinator of such needs to ensure any adequate amenities are provided. Depending
on the request, students may be required to provide documentation justifying their requirement for
accommodation(s) and the type(s) of accommodation(s) appropriate.

Mandated Reporting
As a teacher, I am obligated to report all knowledge of potentially incriminating and/or injurious actions.
If you do not wish to subject your assignments to the possibility of disclosure to others, I suggest you do
not write about delicate or illicit matters.

Potentially Offensive Content

Literature encompasses the complete extent of the human experience and human expression;
therefore, little is considered “forbidden” regarding the examination and exploration of language.
Nevertheless, some students may interpret certain texts as offensive. Rest assured that I do not strive to
offend my students. In communication, there are no “good” or “bad” words—rather, there are only
effectual and ineffectual applications of words. If you are hypersensitive to potentially offensive content,
I request you get over it for the duration of this course, or please consider enrolling in another class.

Emergency Procedures
Promptly follow all directions and procedures in an emergency or during a disaster drill. Drills are not to
be taken lightly, as the rehearsal of the procedures can determine your fate in a case of crisis. Students
who do not participate or cooperate in emergency drills will be confronted by the teacher and/or
administrators to investigate the reason for noncompliance.

In an actual emergency, if students do not comply with the procedures and heed the directions of
teachers and administrators, their disregard for the rules constitutes their acceptance of the risks of
injury or loss of life with the emergency.

Intellectual Property
Students are prohibited from uploading, sharing, retailing or distributing this course’s content, including
the work of other students, without approval by the teacher or the author of the assignment.

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Acknowledgment
Please sign and return this page to your teacher.

X X
Student's signature Parent's signature

The syllabus serves as a course contract between the teacher and the student. All efforts are made to
ensure there are as few modifications as possible; however, should any revisions occur, I will inform
students of any amendment(s). By signing and remaining enrolled in the class, your signature and
continued attendance constitute your acceptance of this syllabus and compliance with its policies.

Student’s email address: ______________________________________________

Parent’s email address: _______________________________________________

Telephone number in cases of urgency: __________________________________

I wish you a thriving and memorable semester! If you have any questions, please write your inquiries in
the space below.

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