Mrs. Navratil

Office:  116 (back English office)

Classroom:  251

Email:  cnavrat@lps.org

Welcome to Composition. I look forward to working with you this semester as you strive to become better writers and communicators. In this class we will focus on narrative, expository, and persuasive essays. Our goal is to improve your overall writing abilities through an understanding of the writing process and the development of effective writing. For some of you, this class may help you to pass the Writing Graduation Demonstration Exam.

You will be responsible for much of the learning in this class. The course activities are intended to challenge you to go beyond the lesson and to be creative.

Course Description

Composition is a course designed to give you an opportunity to grow as a writer. I hope you can find a reason to make writing matter to you. We don’t all start at the same place – and that is okay. Our collective goal is to help you improve your writing skills

Effective writing requires students not only to know and understand what constitutes good writing but also to apply that knowledge by writing often and in many forms. We will do a variety of writing practice including quick writes at the beginning of each period, short writing practice activities, summaries, and essays.

My Expectations

• Respect yourself, others, and the classroom.  Be courteous by thinking before speaking or acting.  Take pride in yourself, your work, and your efforts. 
• Put trash in the appropriate receptacles. 
• No food or drinks are to be brought into the classroom (except water in a bottle).
• Be here every day and be on time.  Most students who experience difficulty with this class have attendance issues. (Northeast Attendance Policy and Tardy will be enforced.)     
• Don’t get ready to leave class until Mrs. Navratil dismisses you.
• Raise your hand when you want to speak.
• Do not get out of your seat during class without permission.
• Be responsible.  Come to class prepared with your planner, student I.D., binder book, loose-leaf paper, blue or black ink pen, pencil, handouts, and assignments. 
• Hand assignments in on time.
• Be ready to learn and to respect the learning environment of others.  Be in your seat when the bell rings.  Please limit comments to whatever is appropriate to class. 
• Raise your hand when you have something to add to class. 
• Actively participate in every class activity. 
• Do not distract others by talking to people around you while the class is in session.
• Keep track of your progress in class.  Do not throw away anything!  I will give you grade reports periodically.  You may need to have your paper to dispute a grade.  Grades are on line and updated each Friday.
• Ask questions. 
• Listen carefully when directions are given class.  However, if you are unclear about an assignment, others probably are also.  Please ask if you need something to be clarified.

Expect to have homework every night.

By completing homework, we are able to learn and practice more material. Homework is important. I will not give assignments just to keep you busy.

Materials Needed for Class

In order to be organized and ready to learn, please bring with you to class each day the following items:

• 3-ring binder
• dividers labeled Quick Writes, Vocabulary, Conventions, Narrative Writing, Expository Writing, and Persuasive Writing.
• Blue or black ink pen and pencil
• Loose leaf notebook paper
• It would also be beneficial for you to have a memory stick (though not required). This would enable you to save your work at school and easily finish your essay at home.

What You Can Expect

First of all, you can expect to do a lot of writing. The best way to become a better writer is to write, write, write! You can also expect to respond to others’ writing. You will do a lot of peer reading in this class in an attempt to learn from others and to improve your own writing.

You will read a novel you choose, study language convections, and vocabulary. You will learn to recognize quality writing and how to make improvements to your essays.

Working on Writing Conventions – One of the Six Traits of Writing

Most of the work on conventions will be done through worksheets that will be assigned as homework. This work will help to improve your writing and is important to successfully reaching your goals in this class.

Make-Up Work

Whenever you are gone – for whatever reason – expect to makeup some daily class work. Ideally this should be done ahead of time, especially for student activities you know about in advance. You get two days for every day you miss to make up your work. For example, if you miss a Monday, you have until Wednesday to make up your missed work. Always check the folders on the Make-Up Work board.  Assignments will also be posted on my website.  Some worksheets will also be available there.  Most importantly, speak with Mrs. Navratil at the end of the period about your absence.

Late Work

Students who are most successful in Composition are the ones with the ability to meet deadlines. The amount of time you have to finish any given writing assignment in class should be more than adequate. In order for our peer reading activities to be beneficial to everyone, we are depending on everyone to have their work done on time. You can help make this class meaningful to you and to your classmates by meeting due dates. The English Department grading policy states that the student’s grading record will be open until the end of the grading period or the end of the unit of study. Mrs. Navratil will announce dates.  Students who are late turning in satisfactory work will receive the lowest passing grade (or higher) for the assignment. Realize, however, that some assignments are must be completed on time in order for students to gain the intended value in the learning process.  For this reason, assignments that will be used in class on a given day as part of that day’s lesson WILL NOT be accepted late.  These assignments include, but are not limited to, responses to literature, planning for essays, and rough drafts needed for peer evaluation.  The teacher will announce these deadlines clearly.  Ask if you have questions.

Grading

Northeast Grading Scale (in percentages):    

90-100 = A 

86-89 = B+

80-85 = B

76-79 = C+

70-75 = C

66-69 = D+

60-65 = D

below 60 = F  

Portfolio

This year you will be compiling your work into a working portfolio that will be kept in the classroom. At the end of the semester, you will choose samples of your work that you will polish and submit as part of your best work portfolio. These portfolios will comprise a major portion of your grade. However, other activities that help you improve your writing will also be part of your grade. The following chart shows how your grade will be determined.

Using Composition as a Means of Meeting the WGDE

If you are taking the class to meet the WGDE, you should receive papers that explain the process.  There is also a paper for you to sign and one for your parents/guardians to sign.  Please be sure to return those papers as you cannot use this class to pass the WGDE without them. Then, throughout the semester you will have numerous opportunities to write narrative and expository pieces that will demonstrate your proficiency in these areas. It is your responsibility to designate any piece that you want to have considered for your WGDE portfolio before it is graded. Any work used for the WGDE must be written independently (no help, no feedback from anyone) and must achieve a minimum score of 4 on the WGDE rubrics. If you’re feeling apprehensive about this, feel free to speak with me individually. If you need to pass the WGDE I’ll get more information to you in the next couple days.

Computer Lab

You will spend a considerable amount of time in the computer lab for the completion of writing assignments. I will notify you of this time well in advance. Plan accordingly. If you are slow at keyboarding, you will want to find additional computer lab time to complete your assignment. A computer is available in my room if you need additional time to complete your assignment outside of class. Check my schedule that is posted outside the door, and then ask for a pass to come in before or after school.  Another option is to purchase a flash drive (or check one out from the media center) and finish your essay at home. Students will be expected to sign a computer expectations sheet giving details about behaviors in the computer lab.

Homework

Expect to have a homework assignment every day. Sometimes you will be asked to read on your personal reading book and to summarize what you have read. Most of the work on conventions will be done through worksheets that will be assigned as homework. This work will help to improve your writing and is important to reaching your goals in this class. Homework is due at the beginning of the period on the day it is due.

Choice Reading

We will have silent reading time on Fridays (and other days as announced). This is a required, structured, and graded activity. To participate, you must bring with you the book you chose to read.  This book should be one that is of interest to you and has been approved by Mrs. Navratil. Magazines, newspapers, textbooks, driver’s education manuals, pamphlets, etc., do not count. If you are unsure whether or not your book selection is suitable, please ask me. A graded book activity assignment will be due at the end of each nine-week grading period. We will go to the media center only at the beginning of each nine-week period. Other than these two times, you will not be allowed to use class time to go to the media center. If you don’t bring something to read on reading days, you will lose points. If you fail to bring your book to class on more than two occasions, your parents/guardians will be contacted.

Tardies

Don’t be tardy. If you are not in the classroom when I walk through the door, you are tardy. You should be at your seat and ready to start writing your quick write when the bell rings. Failure to do so will result in coming in after school to make up time.

Cell Phones

Ringing cell phones are not only annoying, but it is against Northeast policy to have cell phones or pagers in the classroom. If you bring your cell phone into the classroom, be prepared to have it taken away and given to the administration. I will confiscate any phone that I see or hear. You will have to get it back from the administration. If you refuse to give up your cell phone, I will contact security and have you escorted to the office.

Passes

Take care of your "obligations" during passing periods.  If you ask to leave the room once class has begun, you must use a “Pass Request Form.”  Read and follow the instructions printed on these pass requests.  Remember you have only four (4) pass requests for the entire semester.  Duplicate passes will not be handed out.  Keep track of them and use them wisely.  You must also have your Northeast student planner and I.D. with you to serve as a pass (per Northeast policy).  Unused passes can be turned in for extra credit at the end of the semester.

Plagiarism

To plagiarize means to steal (that’s right steal) someone’s ideas without giving them proper credit.  This is intellectual dishonesty at its worst; it is the academic equivalent of common thievery.  The Internet has made plagiarism easier to do; it has also made it easier to detect.  If you are caught plagiarizing, the Northeast Plagiarism Policy will be followed.  You have a conference with your teacher; your parent/guardian will be called; your teacher will write a referral to the administration; you will have a conference with an administrator; you will be asked to do the work over.  (F.Y.I.:  Many colleges permanently expel students for plagiarism.)

Second offense plagiarism will result in the student writing an expository essay after school with the teacher about why plagiarism is not a good practice.

Cheating

Cheating can take many forms, but I consider copying someone else’s answers (on a worksheet, etc.)  a form of cheating.  I also consider looking at someone else’s paper on a test or quiz to be cheating.

There are other ways to cheat, and I am certain that you all know what they are.  Cheating will not be tolerated in this class.  Severe consequences will be given for cheating.  For beginners, you will receive a “0” on the assignment and your parents will be contacted.  Other consequences may also be used.

Vocabulary

Each week we will study five (5) new vocabulary words taken from a book designed to help prepare you for the SAT/ACT. You will be divided into groups to make this activity easier. After we study ten (10) new words – every two weeks – you will have a quiz over those words. Your vocabulary worksheets will be checked weekly.

My Involvement

I hope you will view my involvement in class not just as an evaluator but as a leader and facilitator.  I am here to help and guide you in any way I can; however, remember the work is yours.  You will need to make the final decisions regarding what does and does not represent you as a reader, writer, and scholar.

NOTE:  This year I will keep close track on completion of assignments.  Students who do not complete two or more assignments during a given week will be required to come in after school to work on the missing assignments.  A phone call will be made to the student’s home to inform the parent of this situation.