Course Syllabus
_____
Office Hours: Posted weekly on the Engage! Page Agendas. Click above.
English 9 ACP
I would like to welcome you and your student to 9th grade! It is wonderful to be a part of the Wellesley High School community and I look forward to getting to know you as the year progresses. I have had the pleasure of teaching 9th grade English for 20+ years, and I understand the learning curve of adjusting to a new school, new teachers, and new expectations. (In many ways we are ALL doing that this year!)
To make this transition from middle school to high school as least-bumpy as possible (‘smooth’ would be a euphemistic adjective), I encourage parental figures to participate in their student’s education by taking an active interest in their development as a student and learner, but to allow them a bit more room to feel their own oats. My class is structured in a way that provides students with the tools for meeting expectations and succeeding in this new environment. I ask that you support your child’s efforts to complete their own work independently. Students who take ownership of their work typically enjoy greater success.**
**Please note that consulting websites such as Spark Notes/ LitCharts etc., which summarize and analyze literature (and undermine the development of students’ critical thinking skills), is considered cheating. Also, use of AI Chatbots/LLMs to produce work that is not one's own is also cheating and I will follow the plagiarism protocol listed in the Student Handbook. Rest assured, we WILL be having discussions about the place of AI in education, and we will, at times, use it as a tool to further our learning.
I ask you also to be aware that homework is assigned nightly; this work is designed to either reinforce/extend the class activity of the day, or prepare students for the next day’s activity. Click on the 'Engage! Page' button above to access daily agendas and homework. I hope that we can work together to reinforce good work/study habits at home so that your student stays current and confident.
A quick word on phones + technological distractions in class: I do my best to design engaging, thought-provoking, intellectually challenging lessons, and I find that when students take an active role in both their learning and their community, the 'cell phone problem' takes care of itself. Because I believe whole-heartedly in Dr. Chisum's goal of creating "a school community where students are present and engaged in a healthy and rigorous learning environment to become better problem solvers, collaborators, communicators, and life-long learners" (2025 Back to School Letter), I hope that you will help me reinforce WHS's efforts to facilitate responsible device-use.
PARENTAL FIGURES:
1. PLEASE CLICK THROUGH TO your student's dedicated ENGAGE! PAGE (determined by section-color) USING THE BUTTON ABOVE &
2. ACKNOWLEDGE (VIA THE STICKY NOTE I SENT HOME WITH YOUR STUDENT) THAT YOU'VE READ THIS LETTER & SEEN THAT RUNNING DOCUMENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME!! WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER!
STUDENTS: In the event that I am unexpectedly absent from school, CHECK your SCHOOL EMAIL for instructions about classwork. In high school, teachers expect you to check your school email nightly.
PLEASE READ BELOW THE NEWSLETTER THAT SERVES AS A SYLLABUS FOR MY CLASS!
IN CASE YOU MISSED THE ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT GUIDE FROM CLASS, HERE IT IS FOR YOU TO PRINT, USE, & BRING TO CLASS.
“When we choose to love, we choose to move against fear, against alienation and separation. The choice to love is a choice to connect, to find ourselves in the other."
– bell hooks, author, professor, activist