Welcome to English I
Mr. Greaves | @BGreavesCHHS | brian.greaves@gcisd.net
A Little Bit About Me
- This is my 8th year of teaching, and my fourth year at Colleyville Heritage.
- I love to read (Obviously). My favorite genres are Dystopian, Science Fiction, Horror, and Comedy.
- I graduated from Colleyville Heritage in 2003, and graduated from TCU in 2007.
- I am a die hard TCU football, Philadelphia Eagles, and Texas Rangers fan.
- My favorite band is the Barenaked Ladies, and I've seen them in concert 6 times.
- I was run over by a lawnmower when I was 2.
- This is not really a picture of me. It's Jonah Hill. But the resemblance is uncanny, am I right?
My expectations of you
This is a rigorous course which will prepare you for the challenges of college level courses later in your high school career. Your ultimate goal is to take one of the AP English courses during your Junior and Senior year. That being said, we will read...A LOT. And we will write...A LOT.
To be successful in this class, I expect you to: 1) Be accountable; 2) Have a strong work ethic; 3) Communicate often with me and each other; and 4) Be curious with a desire to learn.
A little bit about the curriculum
- Building on your knowledge of literary elements in traditional literary genres, you will study the relationship between narrative voice and style, while also analyzing literary and stylistic elements in film and literature.
- You will build your speaking and listening skills through performance and oral interpretation of literature.
- Research will play an important role as you evaluate social, cultural, and historical influences on texts.
- You will develop persuasive writing skills by using rhetorical appeals.
- And of course, you will learn to love to read!
Class Participation
This class will be built around group discussion and teamwork. Your full involvement in the course is essential for your individual success as well as the effectiveness of the class environment. By taking ownership in your own learning and in supporting your peers in their education, a greater grasp of the course objectives will be achieved.
Your participation includes:
- Being prepared each day with all required materials
- Prompt arrival to class meetings
- Focused attention during lecture and instructions
- Active and focused involvement in class discussions, pair and group work
- Aiding in the creation of a conducive learning environment.
Every day, you will need:
- Charged Computer
- Spiral or Composition Notebook
- Pen or Pencil
- Independent Reading Book
Click the icons below for class codes
Google Classroom
Remind
Grading Scale
- 60% - Summative (Tests, Projects, Essays)
- 40% - Formative (Daily Grades and Quizzes)
Late Work Policy
To turn in late work, you must thoroughly complete the “Late Work Document” on the front bulletin board.
I will not accept the late work without this completed document.
Corrections and Retakes
Students who earn below a 70 on tests will be allowed to retake or correct for half their points back. This does not include final semester exams. To retake or make corrections, you must come see me during my tutoring times.
All retakes or corrections must be completed no later than 1 week before the end of the grading period.
When Absent:
You will have 1 extra day to complete the assignment for every day that you were absent.
When absent, find the work you missed in Google Classroom. If work was on paper, you can find it in the purple bin on the front table.
Or you could ask a buddy what you missed!
Electronic Policy
If I see headphones in your ears or you are on your phone for non-educational reasons, I will give you one warning to put it away.
If you are on it again after receiving a warning, it goes into “Cell Phone Jail” for 5 class periods.
Don't worry...you won't miss any texts or Snaps. I will include "Electronic Breaks" throughout class where you can check/reply to your notifications.
Tutoring Times
Before School: 8:00-8:30
After School: By appointment only.
Email Etiquette
- Proper Subject Line
- A Professional Salutation/Greeting
- Grammatically correct message, with no spelling or punctuation errors.
- A professional closing.
If you send an email that doesn't have the above criteria, I will likely ask you to send me another email with the above criteria.
Academic Dishonesty
Cheating in any form is unacceptable. It demonstrates a lack of character and breaks down the trust between a teacher and student. Cheating includes any of the following:
Copying homework
Copying from someone during a quiz or test
Discussing the questions on a quiz or test with students during passing period
Plagiarism – the theft of an author’s words or ideas without giving him/her credit.
Helping someone else cheat
Consequences for Academic Dishonesty may include a Disciplinary Referral or a zero earned for the assignment.