Welcome, Parents and Students!

Steve Feiden 12th Grade

English/Reading

Welcome to 12th grade!Let me introduce you to our classroom.If you have any questions, please raise your

hand and I will be happy to answer anything you want to know. (well, almost anything)

A Little About MeMy background– I grew up in St Joseph Mo.– I attended Mark Twain Elementary, Truman Middle

School, and Central High (Go Indians!) I received my English Education Degree from MWSU

My experience– This is my inaugural year as a teacher– Student teacher at Platte County High School – I have been involved in youth sports for the last 8

years and am excited to turn my passion for teaching and coaching into my profession

My FamilyMy wife Heidi & our two children – Garrett,11 Noelle, 8

We have a dog, Dexter, he’s aHungarian Vizsla (Veezlah)

My Goals This Year• To provide your young adults with

exceptional knowledge of poetry, short stories, novels, and non fiction writing.

• To offer this information in a supportive and fun classroom environment.

• To help my students make new friends, discover new interests, and above all else make LEARNING THE ART OF READING FUN!

First Unit – POETRY!

Authors and Works Robert Frost’s Stopping by Woods on a Snowy

Evening and The Path Not Taken Maya Angelou’s A Brave and Startling Truth and

A Phenomenal Woman Emily Dickinson’s A Bird Came Down and I Have

Never Seen Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven and To My Mother

Second Unit – SHORT STORIES!

Authors and Works

Edgar Allan Poe’s -The Tell-Tale Heart and The Cask of Amontillado

Shirley Jackson’s -The Lottery

Herman Melville’s – Bartleby, the Scrivener

Class RulesOur room is a community and in our

community, we have rules to help us manage our time together.

The 3 B’sBE willing to participate in class discussions and contribute ideasBE prepared, organized, and on time BE respectful of peer perspectives – NO HUNTING!

HomeworkI will assign about 30-45 minutes of

homework nearly every evening. This includes 15-20 minutes of reading and 15-20 minutes of writing/response.

Homework will be due at 9.00 am the following morning.

If students find themselves needing extra time to work on assigned homework, they must notify me so we can work together in making appropriate accommodations.

1000 Points are possible per semester

• Participation = 10% of the overall grade earned• Exams = 30%• Homework (poems, short stories, reflection papers,

etc) = 30%• Quizzes = 15%• Daily Journals = 15%

(as you can see, I value the daily effort far more than the exams)

Grading & Points System

TardinessSchool starts at 8.45 a.m.If students aren’t in the classroom by the

time the second bell rings, they must check in at the office before coming to class.

If students are tardy four times, the school will contact parents/guardians to discuss the incidents.

In my class, I value original thoughts, ideas, interpretations, and opinions. Robust discussion is critical (in my opinion) to the learning process and in developing positions and opening our minds to other points of view that may be far different from our own.

I also believe in peer feedback and the idea that we learn best from practice, (hence the daily journals and homework) and that happens best in an environment free from fear. Whether it be fear of speaking, fear of being laughed at, or just plain afraid to say what we think; we will work hard to reinforce this from the very first day in the door. Remember NO HUNTING! This is a PRESERVE!

My “Style”

I am thrilled to have the opportunity to share some of the greatest literature ever

written with your young adults and I couldn’t be more excited

to get started.

I am looking forward to a GREAT YEAR !!!

THANK YOU!!!

“Your time is valuable, and so are your kids.

Investing a little time in them is critical to their

success!”(Getting them to admit it

is another matter)