English 10B Syllabus

Email: valerie.nafso@farmington.k12.mi.us
Website: http://www.msnafso.weebly.com
Room #: 903
Remind 101: Text @nafsoeng10 to (586) 439-5056
Welcome
Welcome to English 10B! In this class, you will be given the opportunity to explore, write, read, discuss,
research, work together and grow personally.

Objectives
Throughout this trimester we will explore the themes found in the literature; including finding truth through
knowledge, the benefits of an education, overcoming prejudice/bigotry, individualism, coping skills.
Additionally, through writing, re-writing, and peer editing, you will learn the importance of voice and
structure. Skills: reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language.

How will we achieve these objectives?

Much will be expected of you as you continue to grow as a learner in English 10. We will examine a few fulllength novels, numerous short stories and articles, advertisements, speeches, photographs and
newspapers, and much more. We are guided by ACT standards, state benchmarks, and will be piloting
some Common Core units. Units include writing poetry, the literary essay, and independent reading.
Activities in this unit will push you to prove, create, connect, analyze, critique, synthesize, and apply ELA
concepts.

Writing
The essential writings for this class are poems, a literary essay, analytical responses to literature, and
expository writing. We will have at least 2 formal papers and many other informal writings, as well as
impromptu essays. You will do research. You will also keep a writers notebook. Vocabulary will
predominantly originate from our literature and grammar will be a major focus throughout all of our writing
pieces in class.

Visual and Speaking skills

All students will be expected to participate in discussions and present projects or information consistently
during the term. We will learn rules about public speaking and how to evaluate the effectiveness of
speakers and discussions.

Grades
Your grade will be determined by the effort and quality or written assignments (including essays), quizzes,
participation in all activities including class discussions, and the final exam.

Remember your Agenda/Planner

In order to leave the classroom, you must have your planner or a pass. All Farmington Public School
policies apply and must be followed. I have a bathroom pass for the girls restroom and one for the boys
restroom. If someone already has the pass, you will wait until they return before you use the restroom.

1, 2, 3, 4 Quick Assessment
After teaching a certain concept, I may give you an assignment that will help me assess where you are. It
is very important to assess your own learning as well, so I have a general scale that ranges from 1-4. 4 is
Mastery. That means you can do the skill in the goal/learning target with complete confidence and dont
need any extra assistance. 3 is Applying/Proficient. That means you can do the skill in the goal/learning
target with confidence, but havent mastered it just yet. 2 is Developing. That means you can somewhat
do the skill (or part of the skill) in the goal/learning target with little confidence, and need some assistance

from the teacher because you may have some questions. 1 is Beginning. That means you cannot do the
skill in the goal/learning target and need full assistance from the teacher.

Classroom Expectations
1. Aretha Franklin knows what shes talking about. RESPECT one another
ALL THE TIME. This is the #1 rule in my classroom.
I firmly believe in a classroom where everyone feels comfortable participating in a number of ways. In
order to achieve this goal, it is imperative that we all respect one another to create an interactive and
trusting environment. We come equipped with different strengths and opinions, but no one is better
than anyone else. My classroom is a judgment-free zone.

2. An excuse is not a pretty color on you.

Printers are unreliablethat is a fact. To avoid coming to school with the Printer Excuse (which I wont
even bother hearing), do not be a printing procrastinator (try saying that 5 times fast). You should print
the night before an assignment is due, so if your printer breaks, you can either have a friend print or
you can come to school EARLY to print in the media center or in a classroom (from your email or a
USB).

3. Hay is for Horsesso is whining.

I expect that no matter what we do in class, you keep a positive attitude about it, whether it be
assigned homework, a due date, a new activity, moving around, etc. Attitudes (good or bad) are
contagious, so in order to keep this room a positive learning environment, make sure your attitude is
somewhere on the good end of the spectrum.

4. As Scar would tell you, BE PREPAAAAAARED!

Youve been in school for 10+ yearsby now, I think you know you will be in class from Monday
through Friday, so its no surprise that you need your writing utensil, your folder/binder, your books,
and your notebook every single daykeep it all in your backpack so you never forget it.

5. Only my grandpa visits the bathroom 10 times an hour.

You are human and sometimes nature callsjust be reasonable about your bathroom visits. If you need
to go, there is one pass for the boys bathroom and one pass for the girls bathroom. If they are taken,
wait until the person comes back and then you may go out the side door without disrupting. Try to limit
it to emergencies only since people leaving and coming back all of the time is extremely disruptive. I
dont permit bathroom visits during lectures/notes/lessons unless it is an emergency.

6. Leave my classroom better than you found it.

I kind of like my room a lot, and I spend more time in it than at my real homeso please keep it clean
and respect our space (no gum under chairs and tables, no garbage left behind, no writing on
furniture, etc.).

7. Early is on time and on time is late.

As a responsible adult in any career path, you will be judged on your promptnesspeople see tardiness
as a testament to your character; they will perceive you as lazy and full of excuses. Youre not too cool
to be earlythe sooner you figure that out, the more successful you will be in my class and in your
future.

8. Follow Directions
Everything I ask you to do in this class is for the purpose of learning and growing as a writer and
person. If you are ever confused about the purpose, Ill be happy to explain it to you. You are expected

to follow any direction I give in class (taking notes, putting your phone away, doing an activity, warmups, exit conversations, etc.).

Ms. Nafsos Policies

Homework Policy
I do not give out homework to ruin your life. And I do NOT give busy work. Each assignment has a purpose
and that is to assess your understanding of the lesson I just taught that day. I actually use your homework
to ASSESS your understanding; therefore, it is important to put your honest effort in them so that I can see
where youre at. If you dont understand the concepts, your homework will reflect that and I will be able to
see it and help you. Your grade will reflect your effort.

Late Work Policy

You are expected to have your homework with you IN CLASS on the day it is due. When I have you turn
your homework in, you will turn it into the blue bin on the student supply table (Turn-In Bin). If you do not
turn in homework on the day it is due in class, you will turn it in to the black Late Bin on the student
supply table and it will stay there until I can get to it (your late work is not my priority). Your late work will
not receive feedbackjust the grade it deserves.

Tardy Policy
I will be implementing the NFHS tardy policy. Students are to be in class and prepared to learn at the sound
of the bell, as instruction will begin promptly. Note: Every tardy will be logged in Zangle Notes.
1st tardy Conversation with me.
2nd tardy Call home.
3rd tardy 30-Minute detention with me. Further tardies or failure to serve the detention will result in a
referral to the office.
4th tardy Meet with Assistant Principal, who will contact parent.
Subsequent tardies will involve escalating consequences and interventions from administration.

Cheating Policy
I would want to earn enough of your respect that you wouldnt want to cheat in my class, but ideally, I
want you to have enough respect for yourself and for learning that you wouldnt do it at all. Cheating is
anything including copying homework, letting someone copy your homework, plagiarism, having notes
visible during quizzes or tests, etc. There is literally no point in cheating because it does not give either of
us an accurate representation of your understanding (remember that I use assignments to assess your
understanding so cheating will hide your struggles). Plus, it is not worth losing respect and possibly getting
suspended. For any kind of cheating, I will follow the steps on the English Department Cheating Policy.

Absence Policy
VIEW THE WEBSITE ON THE DAY(S) YOU ARE ABSENT BEFORE COMING TO CLASS!!! There, you
will be able to see what we did, what you missed, and any notes/worksheets that were given out. If you are
absent on the day an assignment is due, you will be expected to turn it into me when class begins on the
day you return, otherwise it goes in the late bin. If you are absent on the day I assign something, you will
have one day to make up work for each day you are absent (only for excused absences). If you do not
abide by that schedule, I will have you put your assignment in the late bin. If you have an unexcused
absence, your work that was due that day will go in the late bin. I have blue mailboxes on the student
supply table where I put handouts from each day. Check the mailbox slot for the day you were absent for
any hard copies of handouts. Please respect this policy and take responsibility of your absences. You
should never have to contact me when you are absent unless you have a question about something we did
that day after viewing the website. If you are absent on the day of a quiz, I do not administer make-up
quizzes unless you have an excused absence. If your absence is excused, you must contact me to come in
before or after school to make it up, otherwise it will remain a 0. You only have as many days as you were
absent to make up a quiz.

Food/Drink Policy

Snacks/Drinks are allowed so long as there is absolutely no evidence ANYWHERE. If any food/drink/garbage
is left in my room, I will have to ban eating/drinking in class for everyone. You dont want to be that person.

Electronics Policy
There will be times where I will allow phones; however, there are no phones out during lectures, class
discussions, group work, or activities. Part of being an adult is knowing when you should and shouldnt be
using your electronics. For any questions or to review the consequences, refer to the NFHS Personal
Electronic Device Policy.

Classroom Procedures
At the Beginning of Class:
1.
2.
3.

4.

Get to your seat when the bell rings.

Get out your materials for ENGLISH CLASS ONLY and put them on your desk (including homework that is due that
day). If you were absent the day before, check the mailboxes for handouts.
You will have a warm-up each day. As soon as the bell rings, you need to get your warm-up sheet out, copy down
the goal, and work on the warm-up for that day (every warm-up is to help you with a concept or to get you ready
for something we are doing that day).
a. On every other Friday, when you complete the warm-up, turn in your warm-up sheet to the blue turn-in
bin on the student supply table for points.
b. While you work on the warm-up each day, I will be taking attendance and checking in homework.
When you finish your warm-up, you can read a book or sit quietly until we go over the warm-up.

At the End of Class:

1.
2.

We will always do a wrap-up session, whether it is an informal assessment (1-4 scale, fist to five, thumbs, etc.) or
an exit conversation to make sure youve achieved the goal for that day.
There is absolutely NO PACKING UP until I have made my final announcement; once I have made my final
announcement, if there is extra time, you may chat with a friend, but you need to be in a seat until the bell rings
(there will be no lining up by the door).

Classroom Protocols
Classwork Protocol
Keep talking at a minimum unless you are discussing the work with a classmate or working in partners/groups; stay on
task (no working on other work); use your time wisely; no use of electronic devices until work is finished.

Discussion Protocol
Be actively engaged (listening attentively, ask questions, build off a classmate, jot down notes, add insight); Respect one
another (no interrupting or talking over one another, be appropriate); Stay on topic (try not to go off on rants or
tangents); have appropriate materials out on desk.

Silent Reading Protocol

Complete silence; no head down or working on other work; engage with a text (sticky notes, annotating, etc.) for the
allotted time.

Peer Editing Protocol

Give constructive feedback; not what youre doing wrong but what can you do to make it better; give honest
feedback.

Group Work Protocol

Do your part; share your strengths; be actively engaged; stay on task; work well with others in any work environment,
you will most likely have to work well with people who are completely different from you, so keep an open mind and
respect them.

Classroom Need-To-Knows
Weebly
I use Weebly for my classroom site. It will be updated daily with the daily agenda (for absent students or involved parents
who want to know whats going on in class), class announcements, a calendar of important dates, and resources.

Announcement Board
The white board on the side of my classroom is open to students to write any announcement or post any flyers (NOT
during class time) that has to do with any school event. Content MUST be appropriate, otherwise students will not write on
it anymore.

Student Activities Calendar

If you want to know about any activity going on at NFHS, take a look at the very colorful event calendar in the front of the
room.

Student Supply Table

In the front of my room, there is a table of supplies (pens, pencils, highlighters, post-it notes, stapler, tape, lined paper),
an absent mailbox (where extra handouts will go), a blue/green turn-in bin (where homework will be turned in), and a
black late bin (where late work will be turned in). Students are welcome to use supplies, but I ask that they be put back
because the supply table will not be restocked.

Stage and Offices

In my classroom, there is a stage and two offices. The work space and shelving located on the stage is for Student Senate
only. Without my permission, students should not go on the stage, nor touch any of the materials on stage. Students are
also not permitted to enter either office on each side of the stage, as that is my storage space for Student Senate.