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Advanced Placement Literature and Composition 145 Carmel Catholic High School Course Procedures and Guidelines 2007-2008 |
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INSTRUCTOR: Br. Tom Murphy, O. Carm. TEXTS: Beckett, Samuel. Endgame. COURSE DESCRIPTION As described by the College Board, this course will "engage students in the careful reading and critical analysis of imaginative literature." We will read, reflect upon, and analyze novels, poetry, dramatic works, and selected essays of literary criticism. In May each student will take the national Advanced Placement exam in Literature and Composition. Please note: Course material will at times require the consideration of matters related to human sexuality. Be assured that all such discussion will be informed by Catholic theology and moral teaching within the scope of the mission, philosophy, and policies of Carmel Catholic High School. STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES Read all assigned texts (about 50-100 pages on some nights and weekends). Participate as an active speaker and listener in large and small group discussions and classroom activities. Maintain a notebook for all classroom discussions. Contribute regularly to Readings, the online message board. Compose a variable number of short, carefully focused analytical papers per quarter Compose one major literary essay (based on a class text, informed by Roberts) per semester (due in Quarters 2 and 4). Lead the class in a close study of a poem by a selected poet each semester. Present an oral interpretation of at least one poem. Take the Advanced Placement Literature exam. COURSE REQUIREMENTS 1. A spiral notebook which contains notes from and reflections upon all class discussions. It will be available for use on some exams. The notebook must not contain work from any other class. 2. Students will continue and extend class discussion about our texts at an online discussion board. This work accounts for 40% of each quarter grade. Your online responses should be substantial, thought-full, reactions to the reading assignments. They should not be merely summaries of the reading or repetitions of what other students have written. Students who do not have home access to the internet should see me to discuss alternate strategies. See below for evaluation and grading criteria for this online response. 3. Homework assignments are posted at the class website. Students should use their planners to record each day's assignment. Assignments missed due to absence will be due on the school day after the student's return, except in the case of extended absence. Missed assignments not due to absence are not accepted. "Extra credit" work is not given. 4. With only a few exceptions, all submitted work will be typed. Ripped out spiral sheets will never be accepted. All papers presented as final drafts should be in perfect condition. Papers presented as "work in progress" will, of course, show evidence of your labor. 5. This course requires total participation. At times students will need to work alone, and at other times they will be part of a group. Each student is expected to become an active listener and speaker in this class. Regular, active, and informed participation in the roundtable discussions is expected (see Roundtable Discussion Rubric). Failure to do so will effect the quarter grade. 6. All policies that are found in the Parent-Student Handbook are operative in this class. 7. There are no reasons for which a student might be excused from taking the AP exam. GRADING POLICY 1. PAPERS Individual Writing Assignments are scored with a check system. A check means that the work meets my expectations for the assignment. A checkplus goes somewhat beyond my expectations (and shows extra effort on your part). A plus indicates an exceptionally high level of accomplishment on your part. These marks each carry a given point value: minus = 0 points; checkminus = .5 point; check = 1 point; check plus = 1.5 points; plus = 2 points. The check sets the lower end of the B range. For example, if there turn out to be ten such assignments by the quarter's end, the grade scale would probably look like this: In-class essay scores (practice with actual AP prompts) will be graded on a sliding scale that is more lenient in the first quarter than in the second, etc. In this class every A is put into the computer as 96 (A+ as 100), every B is put into the computer as 89, every C is put into the computer as 80, every D is put into the computer as 72, every F is put into the computer as 60. These scores are aligned with the school's established grading scale. Quarter Grades will be generally figured on the following scale. Some variation may be necessary to adjust for specific projects. Students will be advised of any variations at the beginning of each quarter. Semester grades will be figured on the following scale: 2. DISCUSSION BOARD Online Response at Readings will ultimately be graded on quantity (per quarter, at least 45 posts = A (over 60 = A+), at least 35 posts = B, at least 25 posts = C), but entries are evaluated for credit in terms of quality (see Discussion Board Posting Rubric). Credit will be withheld for posts that do not adequately express and explain the student's response, posts that are merely summaries or repetitions. While the discussion board is a relatively more relaxed writing forum, credit also may still be withheld for posts that are seriously inattentive to language mechanics, including spelling. Extra credit may be given for especially substantial or insightful posts. Students who lack a reasonable number of posts at certain times throughout the quarter will receive deficiency reports. The Qualification Rule: A student must have posted 35 credited times by two weeks before the end of each quarter in order to qualify for an A. No student who would achieve an A by posting more than ten times in the two weeks before quarter's end can receive a grade higher than B for this portion of the quarter grade. PLEASE NOTE: Your online response grade will drop one or more grade levels if you do not post significantly (i.e. at least five times) in a given Forum while it is open for posting. 3. PARTICIPATION As noted above, your active participation in class discussion is required. A tally of your discussion contributions is kept and, along with my judgment of their quality, helps to establish the participation grade. Quality of contribution increases with evidence of your specific knowledge about the text under discussion, i.e. it must be clear that you have read the assignment. See the Roundtable Discussion Rubric. CONDUCT POLICY Respect for self and others is the key to all acceptable conduct. Each person has the right to learn. Each person has the right to self-expression, but never at the expense of another's dignity. Cheating occurs when a student presents someone else's work (in any form) as if it were his/her own work. This is a very serious offense against self and others. It is deeply destructive of the kind of trust that is essential for human community. Failure to work from the highest standards of academic integrity will incur the strongest possible consequences. Please Note: If you feel tempted to cheat on any assignment, come talk to me about the problem you are having with the work. Most problems can be solved. No student needs to cheat in order to succeed in this class. |