ELA 8 Syllabus
Goals
We strive for all students to become avid readers and confident writers in a nurturing environment that is both interactive and dynamic - a place where students can respectfully share their ideas and their writing. This requires a daily commitment from each of us - having perfect attendance, arriving with all supplies and completed homework assignments, engaging in class discussions, taking risks with assignments to expand our comfort zone, and accepting responsibility for our learning and growth.
Homework PolicyStudents should read 20-30 minutes nightly! Reading daily is essential to building vocabulary and increasing fluency. Those who read 30 minutes daily are exposed to 1.8 million words a year, while those who read 1 minute are day are only exposed to 8000!
Students will track all other homework assignments through their agenda. Homework will be checked and reviewed the day after it is assigned. |
Make Up/Late Work PolicyStudents are responsible for retrieving missed work. Those with an excused absence will have the same number of days to make up the work (i.e. - I missed Monday, I will pick up make up work Tuesday and turn it in first thing Wednesday).
Any assignment given before the student was absent is still due on the original date or when the student returns. Late work will be accepted, however, the student may or may not receive the full credit for the assignment (unless the work is late due to absence). |
Assessing student progressMajor tests and projects will be given throughout the semester, usually one per unit. Classwork is assigned daily (this includes participation!), quizzes are given regularly, and benchmarks are given every 9 weeks to monitor progress.
Students are responsible for tracking homework and other important due dates in their agendas. If no homework is assigned, students should read or study class notes. |