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English 4 Fall, 2018, Spring 2019

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Mr. Storer room D-1.
Welcome to English 4. Your senior year is very much a transitional year in high school in which you
move from the confines of K-12 into an independent world where you make your own choices, suffer
your own consequences and reap your own rewards. We duplicate some of that in this class. While I still
take responsibility for what I teach and how I teach it, you will be taking responsibility for what you learn
and how you learn it. You’ll be given every good-faith opportunity to succeed-what you do with those
opportunities is your choice…

British Literature is easier to follow in certain ways than other canons, because the island and its people
have such a long history. Brit Lit builds from one era to the next, and the attitudes behind the literature
swing like a pendulum in a predictable fashion. It may also surprise you by not being as boring as you
think. These writers and their subjects were real people trying to live and pursue happiness, sustenance,
entertainment, morality, balance, etc, in a world far less convenient than your own.

Here’s how the class is shaped:

1. You are responsible for much of your own inquiry into British Literature guided by me, but not
always led by me. You will often hold class discussions that I will observe, but in which I will not
participate. Don't let the thought of not being an "expert" keep you from expressing your thoughts-so
much of what you will learn about fairly complex concepts will be things you come up with entirely on
your own.
2. Notes are your responsibility, and most are given aloud. The whiteboard and screen are your friends,
but that’s not the only place you’ll find notes; learn to commit the spoken word to the page. Please bring
necessary texts when requested.
3. I assume I’m dealing with reasonable young adults and teens unless proven otherwise. Don’t prove
otherwise. Courtesy and respect go a long way in my classroom. I will automatically assume that you
deserve my respect, my attention and the best I can offer as a teacher. In return, I expect that you will treat
me with that same courtesy.
4. Cell phones are tools and we all use them. It’s simply not acceptable to text or otherwise using your
phone unless you’re using it for class purposes. Please silence your phone before you come into D-1 and
ignore it entirely during class unless, again, you’re using it for class purposes or you have my express
permission. Most days, you will place your phone in the phone case on the back office door. Failure to
follow this rule may result in a lower or failing grade.
5. Please read and understand the ACHS Plagiarism Policy, and ask before, not after, if you are unsure
about documentation. We will discuss this extensively the opening week of school. Mainly, the point is to
avoid assembling ideas piecemeal from non-intellectual Internet sources, using the “Thesaurus” function
in MS Word to alter an author's work, or any other tricks that create garbled, obvious
plagiarism. Plagiarism, including copying from other students, receives an automatic zero with no
possibility of making up the assignment.
6. Senior year is not, as you may believe, a year for you to lose focus and slough off important work. We
teachers do understand senioritis and we even expect and prepare for some of it--but you must understand
that in order for you to graduate and therefore not have to take this class again, you’ll need to turn in
assignments on time, listen, participate and learn.
7. Some assignments will be turned in via Canvas, the content management system we are using. You'll
be given access to upload all of your work.

Grades
Passing four years of English is imperative to graduation. You are probably aware of this, but it bears
repeating. The easiest way to have real-time, 24-hour access to your grade is to go to the Main Office and
ask for your own student and parentvue password.

I have just last year moved to a point system that is easy to understand and simple to read. Each
assignment is worth a specific number of points—the rubric will be clear on how many points you need to
obtain a particular grade, etc.

Attendance and Make-Up Work

Do not let attendance become a problem, especially if you are of an age to write your own notes. As of
June, you will potentially have all the free time in the world–relax then. Eight unexcused absences or
more can result in either a lower grade or a failing grade. Stay on top of this issue. I understand that you
often have other commitments-but this class is a commitment as well. Please be clear about these things
in advance.
As illness goes, I will work with a documented illness to ensure that it doesn’t interfere with
grades. However, I will not issue make-up work because of truancy or negligence.

Parents and Students:

It is the student's responsibility to see me or another student after an absence to get make-up
work. If you are present when homework is assigned and absent when it is due, it is due upon return.
Students have two days upon their return from an absence to request make-up work. After those two days,
the assignment will not be accepted. Fall Semester curriculum schedule:
Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
-both by unknown authors.
Le Morte d’ Arthur (the death of Arthur)
by Sir Thomas Mallory
Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
American Dream research paper and project

We do a great deal of collaboration, discussion and project work that includes everything from simple
illustrations to formal presentations. We also do a great deal of writing -- since, after all, this is a college
preparatory English class. All essays and formal writing must be word-processed or typed using proper
structure which we will go over in class. My e-mail address is mark.storer@ouhsd.k12.ca.us You may
contact me with questions about class any day and if you do so before 9 pm, I will be sure to get back to
you that day. After 9 pm, I cannot promise a same-day answer. Please only use the e-mail address for
school related questions and help. I don’t want your jokes or photo-bombs or links. Thanks for paying
attention to that.
Recording and video taping of me or my lessons is strictly prohibited, unless I give my written consent.