The
principal reason for studying British Literature in a suburban, American high
school is to understand our historical and literary roots which have plainly
and subtly created who and what we are today. I think you'll be surprised at
just how direct those influences can be, from our basic governmental and
societal structures to our basic beliefs regarding religion, philosophy, and
just plain old adventure. Underlying this principal reason, we will also find
multicultural influences and understandings -- and you thought Brit Lit was
just a bunch of Anglo-Saxons writing for themselves -- historical contexts, and
literary evolution. This is an exciting class which will help you understand
yourself, no matter what your personal heritage, as well as the forces that
helped create a country eventually known as
COURSE
MATERIALS
The
required materials for this course are:
your textbook
a place for your
stuff – notebook or notebook section should be fine
white,
smooth-edged paper
pencils and
blue/black pens
if a separate
journal is desired, a spiral notebook
possible purchase
of Hamlet
Website & Contact: www.maitespace.com – Words and Wit –
British Literature
Nine Weeks'
Grades (subject to revision as needs dictate)
Your nine
weeks' grade is determined by a combination of the following areas:
60% Mastery Work: papers, projects,
tests
40% Developmental Work: drafts,
peer reading, exercises, quizzes, class participation, etc.
·
Late
Mastery Work graded at a penalty of 10% reduction per day late with a lowest
score of 50% after five days. If the
teacher finishes grading a Mastery Work before you submit yours, you cannot
receive any credit for it. Other work is graded at 50% off for one day late, no
credit after that.
·
Late
or make up work due to any type of excused absence has no late penalty if you
turn it in within the same number of days as your excused absence.
·
Late
work due to unexcused absence is graded as regular late work.
·
If
you miss work due to cutting class, I will not accept it -- if it's due when
you cut, you get a zero; if it's assigned when you cut, you can't make it up.
·
If
you are absent, there is a procedure for getting assignments and notes. First,
with this website, you should probably already know what we did. Second, ask a
classmate. Then, if all this still leaves you with questions, see me before
school. Do not take up class time with such requests.
·
One
extension per nine weeks is allowed with prior consent. Do not ask me the day something
is due for an extension.
·
I will not accept cyberscuses for
late work. A cyberscuse is the claim that something
-- anything -- went wrong with your computer so you can't turn in your work. If
your printer breaks, bring your work in on disk and print it here or write it
out by hand. Save often and in at least two places in case of a crash (I have 3
backups of everything I have on computer!); better yet, print each page as you
finish it in case everything crashes.
STANDARDS FOR WRITTEN WORK: All final copies are to be in MLA style.