These are a few of the more commonly asked questions that I receive during August, the first few weeks of school, and at open house. Check here to see if your question has already been answered!
Q: What supplies do I need for English class this year?
A: I do not require a specific organizational strategy for my students, although I do recommend that everyone identify and use a method that works for them. I recommend a 3-ring binder (1 inch should be plenty) with section dividers for notes, handouts, and work. If you binder does not have pockets, a pocket folder is also a good idea. Most of my handouts are hole-punched but you will need somewhere to keep your homework, drafts of essays, and so on.
Your choice of writing implement is entirely your own, however if you are submitting something to me, it should be in a conventional color (blue or black) of pen or pencil (no marker, Sharpie, highlighter, watercolor, charcoal, eyeliner, blood, etc.). I encourage students to carry a basic pack of Art Tools (markers or colored pencils) and at least one erasable marker (Expo or comparable) to maximize participation in in-class activities.
Q: Do you give extensions?
A: I am always open to negotiating a duedate if you are feeling overwhelmed or have an extenuating circumstance. I become progressively less open to these negotiations as the duedate nears. Visit me during a free period or send an email as early as possible if you feel like you need more time on an assignment.
Q: Can I hand X in late?
A: English department policy dictates that assignments may be handed in up to one week after the due date for partial credit (-10% per day). Late work will not be accepted after one week except in extraordinary circumstances. Communication is an important factor in avoiding a zero for late work: please speak to me or email me if you think you are going to miss a duedate.
Q: What is your classroom technology policy?
A: I have always encouraged students to supplement their learning with any technological aids they find useful, provided those devices do not lend themselves to distraction. For the 2020-2021 school year, this will be even more important. I strongly encourage all of my students to bring a browser-capable device to class every day so they can fully participate in activities with students from the other cohort, as well as to minimize physical paper transactions for all class activities, both in-person and at-home.
It is still my expectation that any device, including smartphones, used in class or during home-streaming of class sessions, be bent toward educational purpose, and ask that students refrain from texting, Snapping, cultivating their online personas, Reading the Comments, playing Minecraft, playing Fortnite, watching streamers play Minecraft, watching streamers play Fortnite, monitoring their pets and/or siblings via nanny cam, tweeting, retweeting, rage-tweeting, subtweeting, viewing or creating TikTok content, participating in the cultural event of Blaseball, curating stock portfolios, managing Etsy storefronts, spending their parents' money on Amazon, or any other non-curricular activities during class time.
Q: I already have my own copy or an ebook edition of the book we're reading. Can I just use that?
A: You can certainly use your own copy of the text, however you may find it difficult to follow along in class discussions as some editions do not have the same pagination (i.e. the class is looking at a quote on page 27, but in your text the quote is on page 31) and it is very difficult to navigate ebooks in this fashion.
Q: When will X be graded?
A: Because so much of English work is writing, it takes time to grade all assignments fairly and provided meaningful feedback. I also rotate my grading between classes when assignments are submitted on the same day, so you may see inconsistent turnaround times. There is, unfortunately, no quick and equitable way to provide useful feedback on 115 writing assignments, and so I thank you for your collective patience.