Hi everyone and welcome back!

First and foremost, and I mean this SINCERELY, I’m here to help you get the most that you can out of English this year. We are in this together, so let’s work together.

Steps Towards Our Successes:

1. Keep your eyes on your school district Gmail account. This is the mainstay of information on class and changes in just about everything.

2. After turning in assignments on the Google Classroom, please look to see if I made comments on them. Sometimes I will ask you to clarify things. Or I may make suggestions in order for you to get a higher grade. Or I might be praising your efforts. Just please check.

3. Email me at karwal@bhasd.org whenever you need anything. This is my primary mailbox, and my primary responsibility is to help you have success with school. I don’t want to miss your communication.

4. Don't assume a few things:

• Don’t assume you won’t do well even if you have had struggles in English before now. My job is to help explain it to you.

• Don’t assume an assignment is for busy work. I do not want my time or your time wasted. Often the information and/or experience of a smaller assignment helps the larger ones make more sense.

• Don’t assume I (or any of your teachers) won’t understand if you are struggling. We want to help. We can’t read your mind. Tell us if something is in the way of your learning.

• Don’t assume I want to hear the sound of my voice all day. I LOVE discussions.

5. Homework has a purpose. Think about it this way… If you decide you want a driver’s license, the state of PA will not just hand you one even though you have been riding around in cars since before you can remember. The state will require you to practice so you can master the art of driving. After you have completed your practicing, your skills behind the wheel will be assessed. If you have practiced, you will most likely get the license. Homework is practicing. It isn’t enough to sit in class without trying, without thinking. If you already knew all you needed to know by the end of this year, you wouldn’t be here. Homework helps.

6. MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR SUCCESS - Approach the material with as open a mind as you can. This class isn’t just about English. It is more importantly about thinking, ideas and being able to explain your ideas and thoughts.