Herbert Slater Middle School English Department Expectations

►  Homework.  ALL SLATER MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE AT LEAST 30 — 45 MINUTES OF ENGLISH

 HOMEWORK EVERYDAY (just like every other core subject): READ YOUR A.R. BOOK. A.R. (Accelerated Reading) is 20% of your English grade. Advanced students should be willing to read AT LEAST 45—60 minutes daily in A.R. book, and need to read at least one novel  off  the  provided  Honors/Classics  A.R.  List  per quarter. This is in addition to any other assignments from your individual teacher. California English Language Arts Standard Reading 2.0 requires middle school students to read at least one million words per year (this translates to about 30 minutes of reading per day). Due to other rigorous standards that require direct instruction, such as multi-paragraph essays, grammar, poetry, punctuation, etc., reading is the one thing you can do at home without teacher supervision. Instead of intensive book reviews and reports, you simply fill out a brief book review sheet and take a basic comprehension test on your A.R. books when you finish reading them.

► Responsibility. You need to come to class prepared each day, and with all required materials (pen, paper, textbook, AR book, homework, etc.).

► Accountability. Students must turn in homework at the beginning of class. Late work (at the discretion of the teacher) may either be not accepted, given ½-credit, or on larger assignments be reduced by one letter grade per day. If you are absent, look on the Home Access Center, or contact the teacher via email or note. Illegible writing will not be accepted. Use blue or black ink only, or typed, and include your heading  (name,  date,  and  period)  on  all submissions.

► Respect. All students will respect themselves, each other, the teacher, the classroom, the textbooks, and personal belongings.

► Participation. Both the district and the state standards include public listening and speaking. If students do not participate, their grades may be lower. If students disrupt the class and cannot employ good listening  skills, a conference may be requested. Frequent absences also affect learning, and especially in Advanced  English, their grades.