Syllabus

Welcome to the 2018-2019 school year! This will be my second year teaching at D’Evelyn; last year, I taught 9th grade literature and composition and 12th grade classic literature. I also served (and still do) as the faculty sponsor for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes club. Prior to D’Evelyn, I was a 10th and 12th grade English teacher and the head baseball coach at Ralston Valley Senior High School. I did, however, student-teach at D’Evelyn in the fall semester of 2015. I fell in love with the school and its philosophy in that semester, so in a way I’m a jaguar finally returning home. I graduated from Regis University with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Neuroscience in 2012, and a Master’s degree in Secondary Education in 2015. As an undergraduate, I worked in the university writing center as the scientific writing and APA guru. I hold licenses to teach both Secondary English and Science. Although much of my education is science-oriented, I have an incredible passion for reading and writing. To date, I’ve written and self-published three novels. My goals as an English teacher are to help my students become more sophisticated readers, more polished writers, and more critical thinkers. Thank you and I look forward to a great semester!

Course Description

During the senior year, students will continue to study both fiction and drama, but will not be focused on a “national literature” approach. Instead, the selected works are classics from Dickens, Hugo, Turgenev, Steinbeck, Shakespeare, Ibsen, and Miller. Students will also be working with nonfiction, giving emphasis to the essay. Students will analyze, interpret and evaluate the literature through Socratic Seminar, and analytical compositions. Students will review various essay formats and are introduced to logical argumentation.

Required Texts:

Fall Semester

Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

Othello by William Shakespeare

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

King Lear by William Shakespeare

Spring Semester

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

Wild Duck by Henrik Ibsen

Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller

Fathers & Sons by Ivan Turgenev

School-issued textbooks should be covered and students are responsible for the care of these books during the school year.

Course Goals/Objectives

Our English program stresses the foundational aspects of language and its application as represented in great literature of the ages. Each student, upon graduation, will have studied literature, grammar, vocabulary, and composition as the foundation of linguistic knowledge. That knowledge will be cemented and augmented by spoken and written exercises, providing the practice so essential to developing the skill of effective communication. Courses will be taught in a carefully-planned sequence, building upon previous knowledge so students will gain greater understanding of recurring historical themes.”

Course Requirements:


Grading Scale:

Throughout the course of the semester, points are earned as outlined above. Grades are cumulative on a semester basis. Consistent preparation and participation are critical to achieving success in American Government. Letter grades are given according to the D’Evelyn grading scale:

Progress report grades will be posted to Infinite Campus three times per semester in six week intervals (first six weeks, second six weeks, and end of semester grades). Grades can be viewed at anytime via the Parent Portal. Instructions for accessing my grade book via Parent Portal can be found on the D’Evelyn web page.

Website:

https://sites.google.com/a/jeffcoschools.us/steve-falconi/home

The course website gives students and parents access to the course calendar, agenda slideshow, lecture PowerPoints, and discussion questions from home. The website will also be utilized as the location of important web-based/electronic forms, hyperlinks, and resources (ie. the Electronic Syllabus Acknowledgement). The website is updated daily, so students who are absent or plan on being absent may, and are expected to, access the day’s lesson and respective activities.

Make-up Work:

Make-up work will be accepted for students with excused absences only. Make-up work for daily classwork and homework assignments is due on the day the student returns to class. If a student misses a test/quiz day, he/she is responsible for making up the test/quiz during 7th hour of the day he/she returns. If a student misses a day on which an essay is due, he/she still must turn the assignment in by the due date on Turnitin.com and Schoology. I do NOT accept late work for minor in-class assignments and homework. Major writing assignments will be deducted 15% for each day they are late.

Class Expectations:

    • Be respectful & responsible
    • Be productive
    • Be accountable for your actions & your work
    • Be proactive
    • Be prepared
    • Leave your electronic devices in your lockers

Cheating and Plagiarism:

General Rule of Thumb: Don’t Do It

Cheating and plagiarism are very serious violations of the academic program at D’Evelyn Jr./Sr. High School. D’Evelyn holds high academic expectations for all students and academic integrity is an extremely important aspect of those expectations. Any student caught cheating on a quiz, test, homework, or any classroom assignment, or is found guilty of plagiarism (to pass off the ideas or works of another as one’s own without crediting the source) or giving work to others will receive a grade of “zero” on that assignment or paper. Consequences for cheating/plagiarism will range from a detention to suspension in addition to a zero on the assignment. Major written assignments will be submitted using the website “Turnitin.com.”

Extra Help/Tutoring:

D’Evelyn is committed to whole-group instruction. However, there are times when a student will need additional time and instruction to gain understanding on a particular topic. 7th Hour is an excellent opportunity for students to receive extra help with challenging topics, reading selections, and term paper assignments. I am also available to meet with students before school, during lunch, and after school. Students may also contact me via email with specific questions outside of the school day. Peer Tutoring is also available during 7th hour, but it is recommended that students seek the help & support of teachers directly first.

Parent-Teacher and Student-Teacher Communication

All daily agenda slides, announcements, and calendar updates are available on my teacher website. Also, writing assignment due dates will be posted in Schoology.

The best means of direct communication with me is through email at sfalconi@jeffco.k12.co.us. I also encourage students to come speak with me directly if they need assistance. If emailing me, please give me 24 hours to respond. That being said, it would be unwise to email me at 11:00pm on the night before a major essay is due.

Parents - while I try to maintain a very open and clear pathway of communication, I request that your students attempt to resolve any conflict or confusion with me prior to you contacting me. These are great opportunities for your students to practice conflict resolution in a controlled environment and I encourage them to embrace those opportunities.