ADVANCED PLACEMENT ENGLISH
LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION
This is an accelerated course for advanced students in English. The purpose of the class is to provide gifted students with a chance of studying English at a challenging rate and possibly earning college credit upon completion of the course next spring. Because this is an accelerated course, you will be doing a large amount of reading as well as a large amount of writing.
1. You will be writing one or two compositions a week. Many of the assignments will be based on a reading assignment. You will also keep an Observation Notebook for the year. Each week you will be given a question, statement or assignment to respond to. Make your response a minimum of one page and a maximum of two pages. Your response essay can vary—they can be a personal essay where you focus on yourself or you can focus your response in a more general manner. These ten point responses can be hand written or typed.
2. Students need a 1 ½ “ binder with 4 divisions = Information to keep, Observation Notebooks,
essays, and AP MC. You will be getting numerous handouts that you should retain. Organization will be an important element.
3. All compositions or observations should be typed, double-spaced or written in pen on only one side of the paper. Your heading for each assignment will appear in the upper-left hand corner as follows:
Name
Class/Hour
Date
Daily in-class work may be done on both sides of the paper in pencil, though ink is preferred.
4. We will be studying American literature and non-fiction this year. The intent is to expose you to as many American authors and as many styles of non-fiction as possible and to practice interpretive literature skills. We will be looking at all time periods and many different genres.
5. The school grading policy is followed. Grades will be based on class work, homework, tests, quizzes, and projects. NO LATE WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED. This is a weighted course. An F is not weighted. If the course is dropped at any time during the year, the weight will also be dropped. Not taking the AP exam will also result in a drop in the weighted grade.
6. There will be a final similar to an AP exam at the end of the first semester. There will not be a final exam second semester. You will be taking the Language and Composition test in May. This test requires a broad reading background, on-the-spot interpretive skills, as well as drawing upon a large body of non-fiction pieces.
7. After the AP exam, class will continue as usual until the end of the school year.
8. In order to obtain college credit for this course, you MUST achieve at a college level. Your writing skills and vocabulary should be at the same level of a successful college freshman. Your end goal is to get a 4 or a 5 on the AP exam. This is one of the most difficult AP tests given. Only a small percentage is scored at 4 or 5.
9. Even though this is a difficult test, with hard work and sincere dedication on your part to improve your skills, you should be successful.
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CLASSROOM POLICIES
1. RESPECT YOURSELF
-be on time
-bring everything that you need for that day
-have completed homework
-be responsible for make up work
-if you know you are going to miss class, get assignments and turn
them in before you leave
-follow all oral and written instructions
-be a good listener
-be the best student you can be
2. RESPECT OTHERS
-treat everyone with courtesy
-respect all substitutes and guest speakers
-do your own work
3. RESPECT PROPERTY
-put any trash in the proper receptables
-treat all furniture with care
-leave windows and shades alone unless otherwise directed
-leave all equipment alone
GRADING POLICIES
1. School grading policy is followed
2. Have all work ready to hand in when it is called for.
3. A late pass (2 per nine-weeks) may be used to turn an assignment in 1 day late for full
credit. Any unused passes may be turned in at the end of the nine-weeks for extra
credit.
4. Adjustments will be made for absences. (If you have a pre-arranged absence, take
care of your assignments before you leave.)
5. Nine-weeks’ grades will be rounded unless there are incomplete assignments.
6. Cheating will result in a zero and a call home to parents. Cheating is copying anyone
else’s work, including homework, and claiming it is your own.
7. If you leave school before you come to my class, please stop by and try to get the
assignment.
Assignments are on the board and on the web for a week at a time.
I am available before and after school and during homeroom.
I can be emailed at jschlickman@blmcchs.org.
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Sophomore Homeroom
Mrs. Flynn, Mrs. McEldowney, Mrs. Nolan, Mrs. Schlickman
Welcome to Sophomore Homeroom. This is a half hour in your busy day that you can put to good use. We are aware that the majority of you do not have a formal study hall during the day, so this is an opportunity for you to study and complete assignments.
1. Please be in your seat when the bell rings. Bring enough work to keep you busy during this time.
2. No restroom or locker passes will be given during homeroom.
3. If you need to see a teacher, Father Henehan, or the counselors, make sure you come to homeroom with a pass before the bell rings.
4. If you wish to use the library, see Mrs. Cox before 5th hour to sign up. Report directly to the library at the beginning of homeroom. If you wish to study with a partner, you are encouraged to obtain a pass to the library for this purpose prior to your homeroom.
5. Once the bell has rung, if you need to consult with another teacher, you may use my phone to call and either ask a question or seek permission to visit the teacher’s room.
6. As with regular classes, no food or liquid of any kind will be permitted.
If for some reason you should have an occasion to visit another room, please ask the homeroom teacher if you address the class or ask a question of a classmate.
Please keep in mind that this is my room, and I would appreciate your help in keeping the desks/tables orderly and the floor picked up.
It is important that the atmosphere in homeroom be conducive to studying. You will be heading to lunch soon, so please use this time wisely and permit others to do the same.