Parent Information Night Medford High School Mr David

Parent Information Night Medford High School Mr. David Ambrose English 10: British Literature Thursday, September 22, 2016

Welcome, parents! Thank you for coming this evening. Goals for tonight: To help you understand the work we will be doing throughout the school year. To explain my expectations for my students. To share information about how you can support learning at home. To answer any questions about the course syllabus. To set some goals for your children.

Meet Aranxta King Two-time Olympian Stanford University

Meet Chris Vaudo Boston College Mountain Climber

Meet Roger Zurawicki Harvard University Software Engineer at Facebook and Google

Meet Susan Trinh Brown University Dancer and Choreographer

Meet Laurore Etienne Music and Video Producer Founder, L-Star Beats

Meet Janell Rocco Founder, Medford Overcoming Addiction

Your children are next! These students sat in these same desks just a few short years ago. Your children are sitting there this year. In future years, I look forward to incorporating your children and their great accomplishments into my presentation!

A Little About Me 35 years old, 13 years teaching at MHS English 10 Honors and English 10 Standard Nexus Support Course Yearbook Proud father to Ben and Charlotte (also students!) UMass Amherst ’ 03, B. A. English and Journalism UMass Amherst ’ 04, M. Ed. Urban Education 2014 Graduation Speaker Accreditation Committee

Curriculum Goals To create a safe and comfortable learning environment for each student. To provide each student the opportunity to express himself/herself in a variety of appropriate and creative ways. To analyze and evaluate literature from various genres and time periods. To foster a love and appreciation for reading, writing, speaking, and listening. To prepare for standardized tests such as the MCAS and PSAT.

School-wide Initiatives Outdoor Education “One of the best days in high school took place yesterday, June 10. We, as a student body, have finally been allowed to use the Middlesex Fells Reservation, a wonderful school and community resource. How often do school headmasters sincerely ask their students if they had fun? It felt like the school administration and teachers were interested in what we wanted to do. ”� Connor Bryan, class of 2016

Class Information Review Syllabus Literature An overview of British literature Standardized Test Preparation PSAT (October 2016) - $15, during the school day MCAS (Spring 2017) – 3 days Reading and Writing Workshop Self-selected reading, nonfictional informational texts Grammar Vocabulary

Grading Policies Every student has the opportunity to succeed. Quarterly grades will be determined by dividing total points earned over total possible points. 5 -30 point assignments: daily homework and classwork, participation 50 point assignments: quizzes, essay rough drafts 100 point assignments: projects, formal essays, tests Digital grade reports are available via i. Pass

MCAS An important focus for sophomore year Graduation requirement John and Abigail Adams Scholarship Weekly preparation on Fridays Weekly vocabulary, grammar, and nonfiction Focus on nonfiction informational texts www. doe. mass. edu “MCAS” “Test Items” MCAS Question of the Day A tip for MCAS success: read, read!

Two-Way Communication Please bookmark the course website. www. misterambrose. com On the website, you will find the following: Current and archived homework assignments An e-mail link Examples of student work Links to help your child with homework Follow me on Twitter - @misterambrose Email me any time you like Weekly Friday email

Wrap Up Writing Contests Parent-Teacher Conferences Following first quarter report cards Does anyone have any questions? Thank you for coming!

Index Cards Your name and your child’s name Have you been receiving e-mails? Is there anything you want me to know so that I may be a better teacher for your child? Is there anything you would like to share about your child’s personality, interests, or previous academic experiences?