COMMON PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES IN Mrs. Bassett's classes
Mrs. Bassett
September 09, 2006
COMMON PRACTICES:
I have very specific rules governing when assignments must be turned in. I believe that when an assignment is due, it should be done and turned in on time. Therefore, I lack sympathy for those who choose to turn in assignments late. Saturday and Sunday do count as late days. The assignment should be turned in on time; therefore, a late day should not be a bonus by earning three extra days to complete an assignment and only lose 20 points. Students have argued this point with me to no avail. I have no sympathy for students who choose to turn in work late.
Seniors: Work is only accepted on date due. There are no late submission options.
Juniors: These students are expected to turn their work in on time, but are provided with one additional day. One day late will cost the student 20 points off their earned grade. After the second day, no assignment will be accepted.
Sophomores: English II students have the date due, plus two days additional. The day after the date due costs the student 20 points off their earned grade. An additional 20 points is taken off the third day, for a total of 40 points off their earned grade. After the third day, no assignment will be accepted.
Journalism students who fail to turn in work by the deadline fail to have their story in the paper as print dates are non-negotiable. Since I only grade stories that make it into the paper, a missing story is a zero grade. Students do lose points if they fail to meet editor deadlines but still make print.
Creative Writing students have the date due, plus two days additional. The day after the date due costs the student 20 points off their earned grade. An additional 20 points is taken off the third day, for a total of 40 points off their earned grade. After the third day, no assignment will be accepted.
However, hardship circumstances are considered. They are only considered if accompanied by a note from the parent or guardian.
NOTE: Students do have the option of turning in assignments by e-mailing them to me. They have until 11:59 PM the day the assignment is due to still earn unreduced credit. A student may also use this option when the assignment is late but only within the limitations of the procedures already described for late papers. My e-mail address is noted on their syllabus, essay format sheet and on the progress report I send home at the three-week mark. Special note: Hotmail and Yahoo e-mail accounts frequently fail to work. Remind your student to use a reliable e-mail account when e-mailing to me and to e-mail either in MS Word format, RTF format or by using cut and paste to put the assignment into the body of the e-mail. The decision to use an e-mail account that is known to fail is the same as turning the assignment in late or not at all. It is up to the student to confirm that I have received their e-mailed assignment.
CLASS PROCEDURES:
Discussions: Each English class has a Friday discussion each week based on the novel they are reading for the term. Students are required to read the novel assigned at home and bring it to class each day. On Friday we discuss as a class what is happening in the book, questions they have and special images, lines, events they noted in their readings. Each student gets an opportunity to speak and earns discussion points for a weekly grade.
Lexicons: Sophomore students must produce a lexicon of thirty words each term. The words are selected from the novel or literature we are reading. The students have been given a handout for this assignment. The lexicon is typed, alphabetized and numbered and contains the following: The word, its dictionary definition, and the sentence the word was found in (student must also note the source and page number.) See sample below.
qualms: plural of qualm. A feeling of uneasiness about a point of conscience, honor, or propriety. "I did likewise with no qualms" (Lee, 122).
Essays and other longer writing assignments: typed, font size 12, font type Courier or Times New Roman (no oversized or undersized fonts). Double space with 1 inch margins on all sides. Computers are available in my classroom during tutorials and after school. They are also available in the library and computer labs.
