Recent News
Web Resources for English:
Department staff will insert links here to web pages that are useful to students More…
Books Worth Reading:
We hope to provide an updated list of books we are reading/have read that we think others, students and parents, will enjoy More…
Resources
Here you will find links to specific resources of interest to students and parents.
First and foremost is our English department policy document:
Department of
English
Policies
for 2008-2009
Hampton High School Department
of English is committed to the promotion and instruction of literacy,
both
within our classes and the school community as a whole. As high school
teachers
of English, we assume that students no longer require substantial
external
rewards to motivate them for success; we expect that they see the
reward in the
work itself and find personal satisfaction in having done their best.
Inasmuch
as high school is the final stage in a young person’s
preparation
for the “real
world,” we believe it is essential that students take
responsibility for
themselves and the following policies were developed with that in mind. It
is our experience that there is seldom any
reward in university, community college or the workplace for the job
half-done
or well-attempted.
That is not to say
that a solid work ethic is discounted; rather it is considered an
expected
necessity.
The following policies are
offered so that both students and parents in conjunction with teachers
will not
have to face the unexpected.
When
expectations are clearly stated and understood, the possibility of
success is
that much greater.
Students in academic
level English classes (112, 122) will regularly have as much as one
hour of
homework nightly, sometimes more. Students
in general level courses (113, 123) can expect between one half to one
hour of
homework nightly, and students in grades 9 and 10 will also average one
half to
one hour of work nightly.
Homework in
English is not just an assignment to be completed. On
those nights where there is no specific
assignment given, students should be reviewing and/or reading.
When students are absent,
it is their
responsibility to catch
up on missed notes and homework. This applies in all cases but
especially for
those absent as a result of suspension.
Following an absence, the
student, upon arrival in the
classroom, should
inquire after any handouts that may have been distributed.
Homework will be checked
periodically, at random.
Students can
expect to lose marks for incomplete homework assignments.
We do not require perfection
but we want to
see an honest attempt.
It is suggested that each
student find a classmate who can apprise the student of what has been
missed on
the day of an absence.
Assignments: All
policies on assignments are based on the
belief that the pride taken in one’s work is
best demonstrated by an attention to due dates and to the physical
presentation
of assignments.
Assignments other than
homework and in-class presentations are due by 3:30 PM on the due date.
They
should be given to the teacher personally, not left on the desk or
given to a
secretary in the office.
At all grade levels
assignments passed in one day late will receive a 20% deduction; two
days late,
a further 10%. Assignments passed in more than two days late will be
deemed
unacceptable and receive a zero. (This
policy is based on the understanding that ample time is always given
for the
completion of assignments.
Particularly
where major assignments are concerned, students should use their time
wisely
and avoid trying to start and finish the night before an assignment is
due).
All
assignments must be
presented either typed or in your very best handwriting (in pen, not
pencil).
Assignments with strike-outs and strike-overs are unacceptable. Such
assignments will be returned as will any
that are deemed unpresentable because of the physical condition of the
paper.
Students will be expected to
rewrite
and submit the assignment with a deduction being made for lateness as a
result.
Plagiarism is
intellectual theft and cannot be tolerated. Students are taught at all
grade
levels (9-12) what constitutes plagiarism and how it can be avoided.
Any
plagiarized assignment passed in for evaluation will receive a zero.
Oral assignments or
presentations are governed by the same expectations as written
Computer
problems are not a legitimate excuse for an assignment
being
incomplete on its due date.
Tests:
All policies on testing are
based on the
belief that students are involved in an ongoing learning process and
are,
therefore, always up to date.
As a
general principle students should be prepared for evaluation and
assessment at
any time.
This is intended to encourage
diligence and responsibility on a day to day basis and to further the
goals
already mentioned for homework.
When students are absent
on the day of a major test, they are expected to write a make-up the
day they
return. At all grade levels, if students do not provide legitimate and
verifiable excuses,
they will
receive a mark of zero.
If students are absent
for two or more days consecutively, they should, immediately upon their
return to
school, see the teacher to arrange a time for a make-up test.
Extra help:
Course requirements: In
every course offered there are certain
requirements that students must meet in order to be successful. In
addition to the curriculum-specific
expectations in all
courses, both
students and parents need to be aware of the developmental nature
of the writing component in English
courses.
Successful completion of the
following tasks should be viewed as essential for the pursuit of
post-secondary
studies.
Grade 9:
The
completion of a number of short response compositions; they will also
be introduced to
the five paragraph
essay and the MLA format
Grade 10:
The completion of two major essays using the MLA format.
English 112:>The
completion of four essays using proper MLA essay format.
English 122:The
completion of two research papers.
(These
are minimum
requirements, and they do not represent the number of writing
assignments
expected of students at these grade levels. Grade 11 English is now a
full-year
course, and, in most classes, students will be expected to write four
or more
essays.)
All
of the above policies
are based upon our perception that diligence and personal
responsibility are
essential qualities for success not only in school but in life as well.
We in
the English Department want to work with students so that they might
become
better writers, readers, speakers and thinkers. In order for real
progress to
occur we must work cooperatively in accordance with certain clearly
established
principles. The time we have in high school is short. Let us use it
wisely.
