English I Gifted/Hon. and ENC 1101/1102 (COLLEGE)

Dear Parents,

As a culminating assignment for Romeo and Juliet, your child will participate in a debate/trial project. The central question for this debate/trial is : Who is responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet?

We will have a real trial wherein characters from Shakespeare's play will be on trial defended by your children.  Once your child has picked his/her partner, I will assign the character the group is to defend and whether or not the group is pro or con, i.e defense or prosecution. I do this to avoid an a priori response to the text. I do not want them to pick someone whom they already believe is guilty, this method of action will force your child to have a real transaction with the text.

Every student will serve as a jury member on a case; I, of course, will serve as the judge.

Every year we invite parents to participate in the trials-- I love it-- the kids dig it too. You can participate in three ways:

1. You may serve as a jury member but NOT on your child's case. However, if you want to see your child's case, you may come that day but serve as a jury member on the other case that will be presented that day.
2. You may be a witness  for your child's case (be sure o be well- prepared as the opposing side can and WILL cross examine you.)
3. You may be in the court room just as a citizen.

Parents have ALWAYS been the stars during the trials. I am always blown away by their level of commitment during the trials.

The trials will begin  Monday, May 21st and end Tuesday May 29th.

The times:
Period 1: 7:40am-8:30am
Period 4: 10:34am--11:24am
Period 5: 11:59am-12:49 pm.

As I am assigning roles and days to present-- I will take into considerations (as best I can )your personal schedules so that you may attend if you wish to do so.

Please decide what you would like to do if anything at all and drop me an email with your day(s) of availability.

Hugs and love,
TK

Dear Parents,

I feel like a broken record as not too long ago I posted feedback on their F-451 essays and not much has changed. Please understand that I believe writing is a process but many of your children believe essays can be well-written in one fell swoop. Also, understand that, I gave them four class-periods to write wherein I was available to guide them, however, many of the students made every excuse as to why no draft was available for my critique. My personality is to not “baby” my students – they know my expectations. I have a very simple phrase that I use all the time—“If you give me garbage work, you will get a garbage grade.” Many of my kids stepped up to the plate and made me smile, but too many of my kids turned my smile upside down. Below is a compilation of common mistakes that were found in the essays; this top ten list is from Bookrags and other teacher resources. Once again, I am hopeful that this information will stick.

1.No thesis

1.     Explanation:As simple as it seems, most people often neglect the single most important sentence in the entire essay. A thesis is your basic argument — your "tag line." If you could sum up the debate in your essay in one sentence, this would be it: the thesis.

2.     Fix:While there are always exceptions to the rule, it is advisable to place your thesis statement at the end of your introductory paragraph. It should consist of the general argument and the ways (evidence you plan to use) to prove it.

2.No conclusion

0.     Explanation:People sometimes stop writing an essay before it ends. A summary (or denouement) is always required in essay writing.

1.Fix:Very simple. You do not need to add anything new (although you can) to this paragraph. Just add an extra small paragraph to the end of your paper summarizing what you have just said. Essentially your introductory paragraph more complex.

3.No evidence

1.Explanation:The evidence in essays is with documentation, research, quotations. An essay without evidence proves absolutely nothing and will become pure opinion. Evidence makes fact. Think of yourself as a lawyer and bringing in specific items to prove your point in a court of law.

2.Fix:Go to the library. Look on the internet. You must have at least one piece of evidence (quotation, paraphrased idea) from a book, article, documented source, for each idea you try to prove.

4.Misuse of commas

0.Explanation:People use commas in different ways. They are generally used in series of nouns and to separate to clauses in a sentence. If this confuses you, then seek out a grammar book or ask your professor/teacher for help.

1.Fix:Find a grammar book . Look through your essay purely for commas. If you are looking at your text for nothing more than commas, then you are sure to take out unnecessary commas and put in necessary ones.

5.Plagiarism

0.Explanation:Plagiarism is when you take another person's writing, fact, text, and use it as your own. Unfortunately, some students do this purposely, while others accidentally fall into the trap.

1.Fix:Always, always, always cite your facts! Document any quotation and all facts you use in your essays with either footnotes or internal documentation. Do not make the mistake of forgetting to cite information that you have paraphrased. Always (with me) this is considered plagiarism, too.

6.Spelling errors/Typos

0.Explanation:This is pretty self-explanatory. Often, people leave spelling mistakes in their essays (which can be typos, but not necessarily), and lose easy points.

1.Fix:Do not simply use your computer's spell-check feature, as it often overlooks words. Do a read-through of your essay just for spelling.

7.Punctuation problems

0.Explanation:People also encounter punctuation problems often in essays, which includes semi-colon, colon, period, misplaced participles, etc.

1.Fix:Read through your essay solely for punctuation. Make sure you end every sentence with a period, exclamation mark, or question mark in the correct place.

8.Lack of transitional phrases

0.Explanation:When new paragraphs begin, they always need a transition, or a sentence ending the previous idea and leading into the next.

1.Fix:Go through your essay and look at beginning of each paragraph. Read the paragraphs as independent mini-essays. If they make sense alone, they probably have a transition. If not, add just a simple sentence introducing the idea.

9.Lack of structure

0.Explanation:Essays, like buildings, need structure. They need a beginning, middle, and an end. In the middle, they need substance.

1.Fix:Create an outline for your essay. Follow it!

10. Repetition

0.Explanation:When an essay discusses the same idea in every single paragraph, it borders on boredom and repetition. The writer obviously has little to say (and probably has done little work).

1.     Fix:Make sure each paragraph has a different focus. Use your outline to guide you.

 
IF you want your child to recieve TWO  extra credit points on his/her essay please post a comment with your child's first AND last name; please comment on your OR your child's writing process. This offer will expire at 11:59pm on Saturday (3/24/12). I'll comment first:)> 

Your child should be bringing home the following letter to be signed and returned by Friday, March 9th. If your child has misplaced it, please have them download it from handouts. Thank you.

March 1, 2012

 

Dear Parent(s)/Guardians:

 

 We would like to take this opportunity to celebrate our Quantum Leap students who have consistently exercised academic honesty and who conducted themselves in the manner that exemplifies our dynamic Colture. Our students are expected to meet and exceed our academic standard of excellence and many of your children have been instrumental in raising the bar. We applaud those students!!

 

In order to continue to maintain the integrity of our prestigious Quantum Leap program and school, we must also address those students who have chosen to participate in dishonorable acts thereby compromising their academic standings and trustworthiness. To do so, we feel it prudent to reiterate our academic expectations so that all students can be among those who strive to excel by using their own academic strengths and abilities.

 

We define academic dishonesty/cheating as intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise; copying from another student's work of any kind for any reason; intentionally representing the words, ideas, or sequence of ideas of another as one's own without proper credit in any form; intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to help another to commit an act of academic dishonesty.

 

*Consequences for Academic Dishonesty/Cheating:  First offense (depending on the severity):  Parent contact, referral (without administrative consequences), and a zero on assignment(s) in question for all persons involved. Second offense: Official referral, and a zero on assignment(s) in question for all persons involved.

                                                           

We thank you for your continued support!! Please sign below signifying that you have read and understood our expectations and consequences. Please have your child return this signed form to his/her English teacher by Friday, March 9^th.

 

Sincerely,

 

Quantum Leap Team

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

I have read and understood the expectations and consequences for academic dishonesty.

 

_____________/______________________                           _______________________/_______________  Date: _____

Parent name (PRINT)/ and signature                                   Student name (PRINT)/and signature         

 

Greetings Family,

Can you believe it's already the third marking period and only a few months shy of summer vacation?!? Me either.

This semester promises to be one of great challenge. Never fear, parents. I never require my scholars to do anything that I have not prepared them to do. If your child ever complains that, s/he was not prepared or unaware of an assignment or project-- I'm sure by now you can with confidence say, "Yeah Right."

I plan to engage my scholars in two books this nine weeks along with the other scheduled readings. This past summer someone asked me to read Hunger Games, by Collins and though dystopian or utopian genres are not particularly my literary taste-- I figured, what the heck. Though it took me awhile to understand what exactly was going on-- I'm sure this is due to distaste for fantasy/sci-fi-- I eventually found myself flipping through the pages totally engulfed in the book. I literally cried THREE times-- I would reveal the parts that caused  tears to trickle down my cheeks, but I know there would be no way to avoid the contagion of judgment as I know I cried at the parts wherein my students will probably laugh hysterically. Hey, I'm not calling my kids "insensitive,"-- I'm just saying I've never experienced my peer-group guffaw when a person plummets down the stairs landing head first on someone's unfinished lunch. Believe it or not, I am not a fan of this book for content purposes but stylistically and contextually- I think my kids will enjoy this book so I'm going to teach it...o-kay and because I saw that I could draw a parallel between it and Romeo and Juliet (which I will teach 4th quarter-- YAY!)

I also intend to teach the novella, Metamorphosis by Kafka. I think the majority of my kids will HATE this piece but what kind of teacher would I be if I didn't torture my kids just a little. The good news is-- it's less than 60 pages; the bad news is-- it's all "hard" reading. Ms. King is smiling. No worries, I make it fun; believe me, I'd hate myself if I didn't give my kids a chance at making it through it. Though I like the content of this book better than Hunger Games I didn't care for the style. Go figure. Fingers crossed that my kids will be amicable through the reading...but if you see a cloud of smoking gathering at the back of the school-- chances are my kids decided to burn the novella...or me:)>.

We will also get into poetry-- grunt grunt, I know. But I LOVE POETRY and by the time I'm done with your kids-- they'll love it too-- or at least appreciate it more. I mean who can deny the power in the lines, "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?/Thou are more lovely and more temperate." Your kids will learn that this is written in iambic pentameter and how to identify it and mark it. SOOO MUCH FUN! I know you're thinking...."Ok, Ms. King...you've been standing a little too close to the board cleaner." You'll see! Your kids will be eager to teach you and you WILL be eager to learn. That's not a threat just a healthy suggestion:). Get ready!!

Well family, here's to another wonderful quarter. There's hope, yet, my friends. If I haven't piqued your child's interest yet...I'm still hoping!

Hugs,
TK

Please click on "Etutor" under "Parent Handouts" for more information. This is an AWESOME RESOURCE.

Hugs,
TK

Below is a letter constructed by our very on Ms. Arena. The letter is also attached under "Parent Handouts."

Dear Parents and Students,

Mensa is a non-profit organization open to people who score at the 98th percentile or higher on a standardized intelligence test. This international group provides, "intriguing ways to flex your mental muscles" [ www.mensa.org] social nteraction, scholarships for gifted students, but most of all, life-long
friendships.

               
Coral Springs High School is the only school in the United States that offers an on-campus opportunity to take thistest. This is our 4^th annualtest at CSHS. The test will be offered on Thursday Nov.17,2011 between 1pm-2:40pm. A specific room will be announced at a later date. . Membership in Mensa will be a very significant part of your resume in preparation for college admission.. The costs $40 and the check should be made out to American Mensa ,LTD. The check must be attached to this permission slip with a paper clip,(not stapled), and given to your Language Arts teacher by Tuesday, November 8th, an entire week ahead of time to facilitate test preparation.

 It may be possible that your child already qualifies for membership with his/her previous IQ test scores. Go to www.mensa.org and look at the tests & scores that Mensa accepts. If your child qualifies on the basis of a previous test, send an official copy to the National office. No further testing will be necessary. Since I keep a record of Mensastudents/alumni from CSHS, please, email me if your child has received acceptance by Mensa.

 If you would like to know more about Mensa, consult the above web site. Please fill out the section below. Write your signature, and print your name and date. Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. Kindest regards to all.

 

Sincerely,

Valerie Arena

 Valerie Arena

 Mensa Test Coordinator

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

I give my son/daughter [full name, print]__________________________(print)

permission to take the Mensa Admission test on November 17th at Coral Springs High
School. Attached to this permission slip is a $40 check made out to American
Mensa,LTD

 

Signature_______________________________Date___________________

                         
(parent or guardian)

 

Printed Name_______________________

 

 

Dear Parents,

The PCITF  will be held on Thursday, November 10th. The forum will take place in the auditorium of Coconut Creek High School from 7:00pm- 9:00pm. Please see the invitation letter provided for you in "Parent Handouts".

Hugs,
TK

November 14, 2011 - Fort Lauderdale High School
November 29, 2011 - Blanche Ely High School
December 5, 2011 - Coral Glades High School
December 12, 2011 - Hollywood Hills High School
January 4, 2012 - Coconut Creek High School
January 9, 2012 - Flanagan High School
January 17, 2012 - Cypress Bay High School
January 19, 2012 - Dillard High School
All community meetings will begin at 6:30 p.m.
PLEASE COME OUT!!! The actual flyer is attached for you in "Parent Handouts."

Hugs,
TK

Hi Parents,

Below is the announcement that your children should have read; I also would like for you to read it.  For your convenience, I loaded the new syllabus in "Parent handouts". If you would like to view the assignments, please click on "handouts" the link for students and all assignments are posted.  I am looking forward to the challenges of this nine weeks and hoping you will take the time to stay abreast to what is going on in my class on a daily basis. After reading the "announcement," below, please write a blog expressing your thoughts on my intentions this year and also comment on your expectations of your child.  Your child will receive 1 extra credit point on his/her first assignment. This blog will close at 11:59pm Sunday, November 6th.  PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, put your child's first and last name so that I know who your child is as some parents have different last names. I look forward to hearing from you.

ANNOUNCEMENT:

31 October 2011

Salvete Scholars,

(Side Bar: I will be out of class on Monday, but I will be ON CAMPUS....so
beware.....)

You have officially begun a new nine weeks! This means you have the chance to
shoot for that "A" you might have wanted but didn't quite make last nine
weeks; this also means you have a chance to reinvent yourself. In life,
Scholars, you often only get one chance at a first impression, but in my class
you get unlimited chances to prove yourself to me...as I will NEVER believe
that you've shown me the BEST of yourself. Reach higher...reach
deeper....always....and I will be doing the same!

We're doing big things academically this nine weeks. As promised, I am slowing
things down a bit. This is to give you a chance to absorb what you are
learning. Remember in Fahrenheit 451- Bradbury suggests three things that must
happen in order for learning to happen : (1) Quality of material (2) Leisure
time to digest the material and (3). the right to carry out actions based on
what we learn from the interaction of the first two. (pg. 85).

I bet you thought you'd NEVER see F-451 again, right? Well, GUESS
WHAT...you're going to see it and EVERYTHING I teach spiraling in and out of
lessons throughout the year. My class is strategically designed to ensure that
NOTHING is ever forgotten.

This nine weeks, I spent more time carefully selecting texts that will help
raise the rigor in my class as well as complement the latest state initiative
of Common Core State Standards (CCSS).  I know that you are unfamiliar with
CCSS, but these are the standards for instruction that each teacher in ever
subject area must use to drive instruction by 2014-2015. These standards will
help students in Florida be better prepared to compete academically with
students in California, Virginia....ANYWHERE. The goal of CCSS is to produce a
common line of academia that transcends race, ethnicity, and socio-economic
status.

While, these standards will not be implemented fully until 2014. We are
Scholars and therefore, we will start phasing these standards into our
curriculum now so that as always we are ahead of the game. I like to explain
CCSS like this....no matter where you go, there are always different rules for
the same game. In my family, we play Spades. We take this game very
seriously--if you cannot play spades-- we question whether or not you're
really "family." My family in Florida play Spades (deuces high);however, my
family in Carolina play Spades (Aces high). So wherever we are-- we have to
play by Florida's rules or by Carolina's rules. The issue? If I've played
deuces high my entire life and have perfected my craft-- the moment I'm in
Carolina-- I become handicapped-- regardless of the fact that in Florida I am
the BEST spades player around! CCSS is designed to ensure that we all play by
the SAME RULES to annul academic handicaps. Understand Scholars? Now let's
take off our handicaps and put on our thinking caps.

On your new syllabus you will see CCSS along side your Next Generation
Sunshine State standards. I don't expect you to understand; I expect you to
work hard for me and the understanding will come about naturally...I hope.

There are fewer "graded" assignments this nine weeks but you'll find that if
you are not doing the "ungraded" assignments the "graded" assignments will
much harder to complete according to my academic standards. Having fewer
assignments will also give me a chance to look more critically at your work.
Remember, I am not interested in quantity-- I'm interested in quality.

(If you want to start this semester off with extra credit, please have your
parent(s) read the  "NEW NINE WEEKS" blog and post a comment!)

All assignments are posted as always.

I'm so excited about this nine weeks!!

Let's have another great week.

If you have any questions, please ask.




Salve (SINGULAR),
Ms. King, M.S. ED, NBCT, PH.D Candidate