AAPE (Awesome AP English): February 2013

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

To be or not to be...A tragedy?

You have three assignments for tonight; here they are:

1. Read (or reread) the Achebe bio from the Norton Anthology that I gave you before we read Things Fall Apart. (Yes, it's lengthy. Read it.) Make notes on important facts or concepts.
2. Read (or reread) the Conrad bio from the Norton Anthology that I gave you before you started Heart of Darkness. Make notes on important facts or concepts.
3. Reread the tragedy handout from Hamlet; as you do, make notes on if and how Things Fall Apart is a tragedy. Instead of focusing on the broader facets of tragedy, see if you can connect the novel to some of the more specific pieces.

We will continue our discussion tomorrow! Let me know if you have any questions.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Things Fall Apart...Now Put it Together

We spent the entire class period explicating W.B. Yeats' "The Second Coming," the poem from which Achebe took the title Things Fall Apart.

So, why would Achebe use this line as the title to his novel?

This question needs to be answered in one sentence. That's right: craft one sentence that really gets to the heart of this question. (I'll warn you right now: stay away from anything topical.) Every word of this sentence should be chosen carefully.

Then spend at least twenty, but no more than tweny-five, minutes providing supporting reasons for your answer. These can be listed in phrases and bullets, but they need to consist of both specific textual details and analysis. (For example, "Okonkwo" is not a specific detail, neither is "Okonkwo's temper.") Go back through the text if you have to to find specific, focused details, and then make sure to provide little bits of analysis connecting them to your sentence.

This is due at the beginning of class tomorrow. If you have any questions, please let me know.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Stoppard Homework

Question #1: Check out the first page of the play--everything up until Ros speaks. Stoppard is developing "character notes" for his duo. Do these exist throughout the entire play? Consider Ros and Guil's behavior in acts II and III: do their characters shift and change at all? Give examples.

Question #2: The Player. What's his purpose? Why is he important to this play? Give examples.

APE Syllabus 2012-13

Course Overview:

This course, designed for students of “superior ability and achievement,” provides the student with analytical experience, both oral and written, equivalent to two years of college English. A secondary purpose of the course is to prepare students for the National Advanced Placement Examination in English Literature and Composition. Because the course requires a significant amount of independent reading and writing, a high degree of maturity and self-discipline is required. The homework and reading load is significant. Here’s the deal, though: This class is AWESOME, and both the kids and myself gain SO much from it throughout the year. The time and hard work it takes—on both of our parts—is worth it! : )

Grading Policy:

1. The final semester grade is based upon the total number of points earned for the semester out of the total number of points possible.

2. Once points are totaled together, the final semester grade will be based on the following percentages (converted to a five-point scale):

A = 90 – 100%

B = 80 – 89.9%

C = 70 – 79.9%

D = 60 – 69.9%

F = 59.9% and below

Late Work and Absences:

All homework is expected to completed and turned in on time. All late work will be penalized 10% per day late (weekends and days we do not have school are included). Some clearly marked assignments will involve a large one-time penalty if turned in late.

Students will be able to make up assignments they missed while they were absent. Per the BEHS Student Handbook, for each day of absence, you will be granted one day of make-up time. However, if you are absent on the day an assignment is due, I will expect you to turn it in immediately upon your return to our classroom.

Behavior:

All students must show respect for other people, their ideas, and for property at all times. Disrespect of others will not be tolerated.

Attendance:

The class discussion is integral to this course, and cannot be recreated. If you are unavoidably absent, as happens to a student in a college-level course, you are responsible for finding out what work you missed and getting notes; contact me or arrange an appointment if you have questions.

Participation:

This is a vital part of any class, and particularly this one, which is primarily discussion-based. You will earn class participation points each week, the total of which is determined by your voluntary participation in class discussion, your cooperative attitude toward your colleagues and your work, and the consistent level of your preparation for class.

Intellectual Honesty:

Plagiarism is a serious offense and the English Department (especially Mrs. Dyer) does not take it lightly. On the college level, plagiarism has been grounds for dismissal from the institution. In this class, it will result in a zero for that assignment and a significant dent in the perpetrator’s reputation; personal integrity is inconsistent with plagiarism.

Plagiarism takes many forms: copying work from a friend, lifting quotations from a critic without giving credit, closely paraphrasing an authority without acknowledgment. But this issue of intellectual honesty is broader than these fairly narrow examples. THE PURPOSE OF THIS CLASS—and of all literature classes—THE PAPERS YOU WRITE, THE WORKS YOU READ, ANDTHE DISCUSSIONS IN WHICH YOU PARTAKE IS TO PROVIDE YOU WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE DIRECTLY AND PERSONALLY WITH THE IDEAS OF SOME OF OUR GREATEST WRITERS IN HOPES THAT THEY WILL STIMULATE YOUR OWN THOUGHTS AND UNDERSTANDINGS AS YOU CONNECT THE PAST WITH THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE. Failing to do the assigned reading, copying a paper from another year, using Spark Notes or Cliff’s Notes as a substitute for reading the original all sabotage this purpose and are therefore utterly unacceptable.

Admittedly, some of the works that we read are extremely difficult to follow. If you read closely and are still confused, there’s no harm in looking up a summary in order to clarify what you read. Stay away from the analysis sections of these sites, though; reading that defeats the purpose for taking the class.

Teacher Support:

I have high expectations of my students, both academically and behaviorally. However, an important part of my job is to provide you the support and encouragement you need to be successful. Please accept my sincere invitation to see me out of class or contact me to discuss any questions or concerns you may have. I am available:

o during lunch Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday

o after school until 3:00 Monday-Friday

o by text (460-1704) or email (christine.dyer@k12northstar.org) anytime (well, actually, until about 9:00pm with the texts…)

This is a VERY challenging class, and there will be times when you feel like you are drowning...there will also be times where you are SUPER excited about what you’ve discovered. I am here for you when either or both of these occasions occur—and anything in between. Ultimately, your success in this class depends on your ability to own of your education. You know what you do and don’t know— and you know what you need. Ask, ask, ask…

Parents/Guardians: Please email or call me to let me know that you have read over this syllabus, and please let me know if you have any questions. I can also email you a copy of the syllabus—just let me know if you’d like one.

AAPE (Awesome AP English)