Thompson's AP English

Materials Required for Class

Students are required to have the following and bring them to class daily:

• District issued chromebook and charger. 

• A notebook — students will be required to take handwritten notes. Note checks may be entered as homework grades. 

• A folder or binder to keep papers and handouts organized.

• Black or Blue pens for writing

• Highlighters (3 colors)

Bridging the Digital - Analog Divide

Due to the increase in the number of students opting to use AI to generate writing assignments or to take notes or summarize readings for them, many colleges and universities including UC Berkeley and DVC have returned to handwritten "bluebook" exams for mid-terms and finals. This expectation for on-demand handwritten essays can put students who have grown up in a fully digital learning environment at an extreme disadvantage. This is just one of the many reasons why students will be required to turn in both handwritten and digital assignments. 

When we write, we are working through the thinking process. Writing is the act of thinking made visible upon the page. When students turn to AI text generators, they circumvent the learning process; they forgo the opportunity to work through what they think and instead, allow something else to do their "thinking" for them. While there may be useful applications of AI in some circumstances, in my class students are NOT allowed to use AI text generators -- including, but not limited to, Google Gemini, Chat GPT and similar services, or Grammarly.  Any writing that contains evidence of copy/paste plagiarism or includes AI generated text will receive a score of zero and a referral to administration for academic dishonesty.

Additionally, many research studies have shown that students who take handwritten notes process the information differently in the brain-- resulting in greater memory recall. Taking handwritten notes is another skill students need to learn that will benefit them later on in their academic journey. Below are some articles for further reading if you are interested.

Handwriting Leads to Widespread Brain Connectivity (Foundations in Psychology) 

The Pen is Mightier than the Keyboard (Psychological Science)