Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Christina R. McElwee
404A College Park Plaza Office Hours: Monday - Thursday 10:00 11:00 am Tuesday/Thursday 1:20 2:00 pm Office: 616-234-4393 Email: cmcelwee@grcc.edu Supplies (available in GRCC bookstore)
1. Essential Reading Skills by Kathleen McWhorter 2. Paper, approximately 8x11 3. Three ring binder, one inch or larger 4. Pen, blue or black ink and pencil 5. 1- flash drive 6. Personal calendar 7. Personal stapler or paper clips 8. Highlighters (2-3 different colors) 9. Tab Dividers (5 Tabs or more) 10. Sticky Notes (any size and color)
Class Meetings:
Class will meet for two hours twice weekly in this classroom.
Communication
Students are responsible for all communications sent via Blackboard and to their GRCC email account. GRCC student email can be accessed through http://email.grcc.edu and Blackboard at http://bb.grcc.edu
Attendance:
Attending every class is essential. If you miss more than 3 classes, you have little chance of passing. Arriving late and leaving early is unacceptable. 2
You earn 5 points for each class that you attend. If you are late or leave early, you will not earn points for being in attendance. Faculty absences are posted daily, usually near elevators and building entrance doors and the faculty absence hot line is 234-3923. Make friends; exchange phone numbers; have a classmate that you can call for information when you need it. It is your responsibility to get missed work and assignments if you are absent. Being late to class will cause your homework to be considered late and will not be graded.
Office Hours:
I am available during the office hours stated above. There may be times when I am not in my office, but you can contact me via Blackboard IM. You can download this from Blackboard.
Make-up work:
Students should make arrangements in advance of an absence for making up missed class work whenever possible. Late work will not be accepted.
Laboratory:
The class will work in the computer lab (Cook Hall) during several class periods on a personalized vocabulary and comprehension program (Weaver Reading Program). You will also need to spend time outside of class in order to complete all lessons by the end of the semester. Completion of this work is mandatory to receive a grade for the course.
together and not only accept responsibility for your own learning, but the successful learning of your peers. You will receive a grade for participation. The instructor determines what is and isnt appropriate participation. 3. Utilizing reading and vocabulary strategies effectively. You will be asked to use the strategies presented in the classroom in actual college texts and readings. These strategies should become a part of your natural reading and note-taking process by the end of this class. 4. Doing your own work. Plagiarism is theft of someone elses words. You must do your own work. You may not copy from someone else. If you cheat you may be dropped from this class with no credit and no refund or receive on E. 5. Behaving Respectfully and Professionally It is expected that you will conduct yourself in a respectful and professional manner at all times. Excessive talking, name-calling, and refusal to follow classroom rules is not acceptable. You will be asked to leave and will not return until you have scheduled a meeting with English Department Head. You will also be referred to a retention specialist, counselor, academic support, tutor, or student conduct staff member for any or all of the following reasons:
Excessive absences Poor performance Lacking preparation for course Has not logged on or has not had enough time on task for an online course Inappropriate behavior Missing assignments, exams, or homework Personal crises impacting learning
Plagiarism
When you submit work as your own but that work in any way borrows ideas, organization, wording, or anything else from another source without appropriate acknowledgment of the source, you are guilty of plagiarism. Copying or resubmitting your own work from another assignment is self-plagiarism and not acceptable. Unless an assignment has been given as collaborative homework, all of the work you turn in must be your own. If the work is collaborative, the names of all participants should be on it. Plagiarism of any kind will result in you receiving a zero for the assignment and possible failure of the course.
your phone or texting in class. Please put all electronic devices (including laptops) away before entering the classroom. If you continue to text or answer your phone in class after one warning you will be asked to leave class. If this behavior continues, you will not be allowed to come back to class until you meet with the English department head and the Associate Dean of Arts and Science.
Special Needs:
Please let me know if you have any special educational or health needs. I want to help you be successful in every way that I can.
Grading:
The final grade is based on points for the assignments listed below. Personal achievement will also be measured by comparing pre-and posttest scores on the Nelson-Denny Reading Test. These two tests are mandatory for completion of the course; however, the test scores are not figured into the final course grade. I do not give out WPs or WFs. The grade you earn is the grade you receive.
Percentage grading scale for all work: 93-100= A 77-79= C+ 90-92= A73-76= C 87-89= B+ 70-72= C83-86= B 67-69= D+ 80-82= B63-66= D 60-62= DTentative Assignments: Quizzes (90+ pts) Final Exam (100 pts) Vocabulary Journal (100 pts) Weaver Reading Lab (400 pts) Article Assignment (100+ pts) Homework & Textbook Assignments (200+ pts) Attendance (100 pts) Notebook (100 pts) Participation (100 pts)
Based on your Nelson Denny Assessment results you may be selected to participate in additional tutoring. If so, you will be required to meet with a peer tutor 30 minutes per week outside of class throughout the semester. Your attendance at these scheduled meetings will also factor into your grade. 5
Chapter 4: Building Vocabulary: Using Word Parts Context Clues Chapter 3-4 Test
Week 8 Individual Conferences Visualization Computer Lab Week 9 Quiz (Chapter 5) Chapter 5: Locating Stated Main Ideas Headlines Quiz (Chapter 6) Chapter 6: Identifying Supporting Details & Transitions College Reading 5 Week 10 Chapter 5-6 Test Quiz (Chapter 7) Chapter 7: Understanding Implied Main Ideas Week 11 Chapter 7 Test Introduction to Debate Project Debate Project Work Week 12 Strategy Quiz Debate Presentations Computer Lab Week 13 Introduction to Metacognitive Reflective Letter Introduction to Final Exam Review Project Project Work Nelson Denny Reading Assessment Week 14 Group Presentations Exam Review Nelson Denny Reading Assessment
The instructor reserves the right to change the contents of this syllabus due to unforeseen circumstances. Students will be given notice of relevant changes in class, through a Blackboard Announcement or GRCC email. 7