Mr. Smith's Classroom

Marian Central Catholic High School

Hello, welcome to my page!

Welcome back to the 2025 - 2026 school year! I am so fortunate to be in my fifth year of teaching here at Marian. I am looking forward to a fantastic school year full of memories!

I will use Google Classroom as the learning system for all of my classes.
The majority of my assignments will be graded based off of effort and punctuality. If you complete what I ask of you (or go beyond that, of course) on time, you will succeed in my class.
I believe English class should be a student's space to express themselves. There is no such thing as a wrong answer, just wrong intentions. I feel that the classroom environment thrives when everyone feels comfortable and welcome and I try to maintain that environment to the best of my ability.
If you need to get in contact with me, my information can be found at the bottom of the page. Thanks for stopping by :)

About me

The 2025 - 2026 school year will be my fifth year at Marian. I graduated from Knox College in June of 2021 and began working at Marian in August of the same year. Before Knox, I attended Newman Central Catholic High School in Sterling, Illinois. I attended private school all throughout my life. I am a product of Catholic schools and firmly believe that Marian prepares students to achieve tremendous goals down the road.

I am a huge fan of all kinds of sports. My main teams are: Wisconsin Badgers, Bulls, Blackhawks, Vikings, and White Sox. I'm willing to indulge in a conversation about anything happening in sports, but I also understand it's not everyone's cup of tea. I refuse to make sports my personality, and understand when the conversation alienates those who don't spend their free time watching sports.

In my overview above, I included a note about my classroom being comfortable and welcoming to all. Students already go through a lot just being at school most of the day, five days a week. The last thing I want is for them to not look forward to my class. I will ask a lot from my students this year. A deficit mindset of not enjoying a classroom environment will turn students away from the subject, so I try my best to welcome everyone in and make this a positive learning environment.

Finally, I am also the head coach of the Frosh-Soph football team. While I have taught here for five years, I am in my fourth year of coaching and believe that good coaches have to be great teachers. It allows me to develop deeper relationships with a portion of my students and get involved with this school on another level. If you ever feel inclined, please come out and support our football team! It means a lot to the players and you will bear witness to the new culture we are building day after day.

Here's a picture of me awkwardly posing.

Something I like to do throughout the school year is have a white board with a joke or puzzle on.

Here's an example:

The answer can be found somewhere on this page...

Below, you will find the courses I will teach this year and a short description about each one.

When the syllabi for these courses are finalized, they will be linked to each section accordingly.

All of this information can also be found on the individual pages for these classes.

English 2

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American Literature

Welcome to American Literature! American authors use their voices, their insight, and their honesty to capture the human spirit. As we read this literature, you will have the opportunity to respond, research, and share your ideas through writing and speech. Together, I hope we will build a community of thoughtful readers and writers.

This course is designed to provide students with skills necessary for success in future English courses. Students will receive instruction in reading skills, grammar, vocabulary study, writing, literature study with a focus on American literature, and note taking.

This course allows students to view the development of our country and hear American voices through a variety of texts. Both fiction and nonfiction pieces are not only read for comprehension, but analyzed for historical, societal, and literary implications. Persuasive, research, and response assignments expand students’ written communication, which is supported by intensive grammar and vocabulary study.

English 3H

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British Literature

Welcome to British Literature! As we read a variety of literature written through the ages, you will have the opportunity to respond, research, and share your ideas through writing and speech. Together, I hope we will build a community of thoughtful readers, thinkers, and writers. I am excited to share this journey with you. Should you have any questions or concerns, let me know. I am here to help make this year at Marian successful and memorable.

This course presents a survey of British literature organized to develop critical reading and group discussion skills in addition to quote integration, analysis and journaling. In the expository writing phase, skills in writing paragraphs and research techniques are emphasized. Vocabulary study and grammar knowledge are emphasized, as they relate to preparations for the ACT test. The successful completion of both the overall process and final research paper essay holds significant weight in a student passing this course.

Over the course of the next nine months, we will prepare for the ACT, compose an in-depth research essay, and embark on an intensive study of British Literature. From the early literature of the Anglo-Saxon era to the uncertainty-plagued, highly moral people of the Victorian era, the cultures and literary eras of the British Empire are just as varied as the literature each created.

Speech (Comp and Debate Honors)

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Speech

In this course, students will read and analyze texts to support their examination and understanding of the fundamental principles and skills of public speaking. Students will develop communication skills in listening, speech criticism, audience analysis, and writing, and will be required to use these skills in debate, public speaking, rhetoric, and interpretation.

This class is your chance to: develop public speaking skills, step out of your comfort zone, and support others as they accomplish the same things. I hope you enrolled in this class due to a want to improve your skills as a presenter. We will have plenty of opportunities to speak our minds and receive critiques and that can only happen with a healthy, balanced classroom atmosphere!

Mr. Kalen Smith Email: ksmith@marian.com Phone: (815) 338-4220 ext. 241

White board answer: the post office

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