2015-2016 Course Contract: ENGLISH ~ MRS. MAO Lincoln High School, Room F1

Contact Me

1. By email (preferred): teacher.mrs.mao@gmail.com 2. By phone: 408-535-6300 ext. 64430 3. Receive text reminders: Text “@mrsmao” to 81010 to sign up.

Course Description This course will be focused on using language to communicate, based on the Common Core State Standards. It will be focused on interpreting various types of written and oral material and expression by written and oral means. Class Materials Students must have in class everyday:

1. A 1 or 1.5” 3-ring binder with 5 dividers, to be left in the classroom (with all class notes and papers inside!)

2. A take-home folder for homework (with your homework inside!) 3. 2 pencils or pens (black or blue ink only) 4. A highlighter 5. A book of interest for silent reading that (a) has words and (b) tells a story

Class Expectations In order to contribute to a positive learning environment, students are expected to:

1. Be Prompt: Be in your seat, quiet, and ready for class by the bell. 2. Be Prepared: Have all materials in class every day. 3. Be Polite: Keep all insults and foul language out of the classroom. Listen

quietly when the teacher or another student is talking. 4. Be Productive: Participate actively in class. Ask questions. Work hard.

Follow directions the first time. Remain in your assigned seat unless the teacher gives permission to leave it.

5. Be Proud: Do your best at everything. Keep the classroom clean and safe for everyone.

Standard Consequences: If you choose not to meet my expectations, there will be a standard consequence:

• Verbal warning • Lose 1st participation point • Lose 2nd participation point • Lunch Detention for the next day • Referral to office

àSevere behavior will lead to severe consequences. If the teacher determines these consequences are inappropriate for the behavior, appropriate actions will be taken. àFailure to relinquish an item when asked (e.g. phone, food, iPod) will result in automatic lunch detention or referral. àCheating on an assignment will earn a zero for everyone involved.

Grading Participation Logs: 6 points daily (25 points per week; about 40% of total grade)

1. Be in your seat and quiet by the bell. 2. Read silently for 10 min. and write a Reading Thought on your Log. Add up

pages read at the end of the week. 3. Copy down tonight’s homework.* 4. Turn in last night’s homework completed. 5. (2 pts) Be on task during class—work hard, do your best, and follow the rules.

*There is no homework on Friday. Instead, students must have their parent sign their homework log on Thursday night and turn it in on Friday. Classwork/Homework: (about 30 points per week; about 40% of total grade)

• Homework is assigned nightly and is key to your success in this class. • Homework is due the next day unless I tell you otherwise. If homework is

turned in late, it will receive a score of 80% its original score. Ex: If you turn in an assignment late and score 9 out of 10 points, you will receive credit for 80% of 9 points, or 7.2 out of 10.

• All classwork and homework must be completed in pencil or blue or black ink. Work submitted in any other color ink will not receive credit.

Quizzes: 5 points per learning objective (~30 objectives total)

• Mini-quizzes will be every Friday on recent learning objectives. • Each objective will be worth 5 points. • You can score from 1-4 on each objective each week. • Scoring a “4” twice on the same objective means the objective will get signed

off and you will get a score of “5” in the gradebook. • You may retake any objective as often as necessary—come in during Advisory,

lunch, after school, etc. if it is no longer on the weekly quizzes. Binder Checks: 10 points (2-3 students randomly chosen each week) Binders should contain ALL WORK from the whole semester, organized as follows:

• On Top: Goal, This week’s Participation Log, Cheat Sheet, Green Sheet • Section 1: Notes/Vocab – All vocabulary and class notes • Section 2: Quizzes/Tests – Quiz Log on top, followed by all quizzes/tests • Section 3: Unit 1/3 –All homework from Unit 1 (Unit 3 second semester) • Section 4: Unit 2/4 – All homework from Unit 2 (Unit 4 second semester) • Section 5: Participation Logs – All graded participation logs

Written Projects and Presentations: 50-100 points each (~3 per semester) Unit Tests: ~30 points each (~2 per semester). Unit tests cover all unit reading objectives & vocabulary. Final Exam: ~100 points (1 per semester). Test covers all semester objectives & vocabulary.

Classroom Policies Attendance: You must be in class in order to succeed.

• If you are not in your seat when the tardy bell rings, you will be marked tardy. • If you are tardy, you cannot receive full participation points for the day. • If you are absent, you cannot earn any participation points for the day unless

you make them up when you return by making up everything that was missed. • You have one day for each absent day to turn in make-up work for full credit.

Make up work is your responsibility. Be sure to ask for it when you return. Oops!: You get 1 Oops! pass per grading period (3 per semester).

• Oops! passes may be used for… o Going to the bathroom, o Going to the drinking fountain o Going to your locker o Not being marked tardy o Excusing 1 missing regular nightly HW assignment.

• If you need extra Oops! passes, they can be earned by: o Winning a prize from the Opportunity Basket o Earning 100% Participation for 2 weeks in a row

• If using an Oops! pass to leave the room: o You must have permission from the teacher. Raise your hand to ask. o Restroom/water breaks must be taken 30 min. after brunch or lunch. o Restroom/water breaks must be taken during independent work time,

not whole-class instruction time. o If you are found wandering around school you will be given trash duty.

Get Reminders! I use a free app called Remind to send out homework reminders (and other school information) to help keep you informed. There are 3 ways you can sign up for updates:

Text Message Reminders:

Email Reminders:

Get the App!

Checking Grades & Assignments Online

Website: https://ic.sjusd.org/campus/portal/sanjose.jsp

Username: Student ID# Password: Initials & Birthdate

Example: JD010395

To View Current Grades: 1) Click Grades 2) Click the title of a class

Example:

To View Missing HW: 1) Click Reports 2) Click Missing Assignments

Mobile App: Download “Infinite Campus”

District ID: HXVRDD Username: Student ID# Password: Initials & Birthdate

Example: JD010395

Parent/Guardian Survey Mrs. Mao ~ English/Reading Thank you for taking a few minutes to complete this survey. The more information I have, the better we can work together to help your student succeed. Please use the back if you need more space.

Student Name:

Parent/Guardian Name(s): Email

Address:

Relationship to student (parent, aunt…) Home

Phone:

Language(s) spoken: Work Phone(s):

Best way to reach me: [ ] Email [ ] Work [ ] Home [ ] Cell Cell

Phone (s):

Best time to reach me: 1. What do you feel are your student’s

strengths? What can s/he do well? (Feel free to brag!)

2. What do you feel are your student’s weaknesses? What will s/he need help with?

3. What do you feel motivates your student?

4. What do you feel helps your student when s/he is having difficulty?

5. What are your goals for your student?

6. What is your student’s study environment at home? (when s/he does homework, where, how much noise or distractions there are, etc.)

7. What do you wish teachers knew about your student? What should I know that will help me be the best teacher for your student?

I certify that I have received, read, and understood the course expectations for English and/or Reading with Mrs. Mao. I agree to hold my student responsible for completing course assignments on time and to work with Mrs. Mao to achieve a successful year for my student. Parent/Guardian Signature: ___________________________ Date: ________________ Student Signature: _________________________________ Date: _________________