Downtown Magnets High School

1. Downtown Magnets High School Mr. Brian L. Jacobs MFA ENGLISH 9

2. Who is Mr. Jacobs? • Bachelor Arts in English, MFA Writing/Poetics, MA Feminist Studies, Teaching Certification: English • 23 years teaching English, Art, Philosophy, Religions and Humanities • 18 years teaching college English • Teaches teachers in China • 3 time Fulbright Scholar • NEH Grant Recipient • World Traveler, Poet, Vegan, Yogi!

3. Welcome to Downtown Magnets High School. As a ninth grader, you will experience a humanities (focus on humankind: our development, our culture, our diversity, and our commonality), thematic, writing-based approach to learning, by studying various disciplines within the context of language arts or English.  In this class, we study various world cultures through the disciplines of literature, social institutions, art and beliefs, as they are related by themes.   The ninth grade year begins in the context of critical thinking using a global perspective; you will explore the diversity of cultural expressions and the effects on nature, societies, and the individual. You will be taught the skills necessary to comprehend, critically think, and synthesize the learning into coherent essays written during each unit. We aim to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. We will explore knowledge claims and explore knowledge questions.

4. Exploring! • We will explore language, perception, emotion, reason, imagination, faith, intuition, and memory. You will be: Inquirers, Knowledgeable, Thinkers, Communicators, Principled, Open-minded, Caring, Risk-takers, Balanced and Reflective!

5. Coursework • In exploring critical global issues, we will read novels, short stories, poetry, plays, essays and various primary and secondary non-fiction materials all year.  Our coursework includes interdisciplinary exams, quizzes, objective tests, oral presentations, speeches, class discussions, group work, multi-media productions, art projects, research projects and various writing assignments.

6. Grades • At the end of each unit you will write a in-class essay based on a unit theme as developed through your readings, class notes, and discussions.  In order to help you prepare for this, I will give you the question several days before you write the essay, and we will review for each exam in class as you are not allowed to bring notes or any other outside materials.  We encourage you to take the opportunity to form a study group. You must pass the class to graduate with a C or better. D and F’s truly no longer count in LAUSD. Please do your work!

7. ONCE AGAIN! • You must pass the class to graduate with a C or better. D and F’s truly no longer count in LAUSD. Please do your work!

8. Grading Scale • \I use a basic 100-0% Grading scale where 90-100 = A, 80-89 B Etc. Minor assignments, like daily homework, are generally worth a lower amount of points from major assignments such as portfolios or exams.

9. Participation • I require that you develop your voice not only through writing, but oral participation as well. In order to accomplish this, you must demonstrate engagement by attending classes daily, participating in class, asking questions, making constructive comments, sharing experiences, listening, providing insights, synthesizing and responding respectfully to your peers. Keep in mind that your active engagement will contribute to your final grade.

10. Attendance • We expect excellent attendance in all of your classes. Students’ active involvement in our curriculum is vital to their success. Chronic absences will have a serious impact on your final grades.  Tardiness is unacceptable! We reserve the right to exclude students from special 9th grade activities due to poor attendance and/or behavior in ALL classes (not just mine). • We do not support or condone cutting classes to prepare for my assignments, projects, or exams.

11. Materials • WHAT TO BRING AND NOT TO BRING TO CLASS: • Approved Materials: Everyday you must bring to class, agendas/planners, a pen (red, blue and black for Active Reading), highlighters, lined paper, three-ring binder, colored pencils, colored markers, handouts for the unit given by the teacher, appropriate books, and anything else your teachers may require.  Many of your readings will be in the form of handouts, and you WILL be taking many notes.  To stay organized, you must maintain a structured notebook.  Because we consider your notebook/portfolio to be an important tool for success, I will collect and grade it throughout the year. • Unapproved Materials: Unapproved use of cell phones (including texting), magazines, yearbooks; multi-media players and any other non-essential paraphernalia will be confiscated by your teacher according to school policy. Finishing assignments from other classes during class time will not be tolerated! In other words, do not do my homework in other classes and do not do homework from other classes in here!

12. Expectations You are to be critical thinkers: to raise questions, to share insights, and to discuss.  I want you to actively contribute to class discussions to develop your “voice” and to experiment with new learning challenges. DMHS has an exceptional reputation for having courteous, well-behaved, and enthusiastic students who enjoy learning and ask intelligent questions.  We expect you to continue this tradition in every class and anywhere else on campus. Our magnet is proud of our diverse student population.  We emphasize appreciation of what makes us different as well as what we have in common. Therefore, we do not tolerate any form of harassment, particularly bullying at school or on the Internet.  Although this seems to be a growing problem in the nation, we expect DMHS students to give each other utmost respect. • I have a very strict policy about assignment due dates.  You are responsible for handing in all assignments on time.  Failure to do so will result in assignments not being accepted or being dropped a grade or two depending on circumstances.   Long term assignments or projects for which a due date is given in advance will be penalized according to my discretion.  If you know in advance that you will be absent, the completed assignment must be turned in before the due date.  If you do not know in advance, you must have someone deliver it to me. You are responsible to know your assignments at all times. Please keep a planner for all of your assignments

13. Cheating • Cheating is absolutely unacceptable. Our magnet has a very strict policy against cheating, not only on quizzes and exams, but also copying homework, notebooks, and projects.  Both the student who copies and the one who shares will be considered as cheating. There will be immediate consequences as listed in our Magnet Code of Ethics.

14. Progress Reports • Parents will be notified if a student has a D or Fail on the progress reports.  Any student who fails both semesters of ninth grade will need to repeat ninth grade the following year. This is LAUSD policy! 

15. Code of Ethics • You have chosen to be part of a learning community that is committed to achieving the highest level of academic, individual, and collective excellence, which can only be achieved in an environment that requires intellectual honesty and personal integrity; maintains trust and respect; and cultivates responsible citizenship. These values are essential to the performance of students and teachers and are expected of all members of the DMHS community.

16. Responsibilities • It is the responsibility of each student to behave in a manner consistent with the above statement. Any behavior that may negatively affect a positive learning environment on or off campus is unacceptable. This is a PEACE ZONE! • Examples of unacceptable student behavior include but are not limited to: • any conduct that violates a person’s dignity or creates an intimidating, degrading or hostile environment including inappropriate fighting, play fighting, or touching; • bullying behaviors which demean, intimidate or humiliate people either as individuals or as a groups; • inappropriate communication (verbal, non-verbal, or written/in person or online), including racial/cultural slurs, degrading terms regarding sex, or sexual orientation, disparaging comments; • damaging school property, including littering or stealing; • Truancy • academic dishonesty, including copying from another student, even just one answer; pasting from the Internet, even just one sentence; writing the answers on your hand, even just a date; changing grades, even to a plus or minus; turning in another student’s photograph, and the many other ways that undermine the integrity of your work; • and any other conduct that violates, school, state, or federal policies/laws.

17. Consequences • Consequences for inappropriate behavior are designed to help students understand how their behavior has affected themselves, others, and the community as a whole. The consequences for behavior vary based on the discretion of the teacher. I expect parents to support the disciplinary process by encouraging good citizenship, which includes respecting the consequences of actions that violate this Code of Ethics. Depending on the severity of the offense, consequences for violating the this Code of Ethics can result in parent conferencing, loss of school privileges, detention, suspension, expulsion from the Magnet, and even arrest. Other issues to note are: • all students involved in an incident, regardless of the role, can face the same penalty; • academic dishonesty, in particular, in any form, whether on a class exam or homework assignment, will result in a “Fail” for the exam or assignment AND is subject to the following consequences: a grade drop in the class or on the final semester grade, contacting parents/guardians, the loss of the privilege of having teachers and counselors write college recommendations for you, a notation of the incident on your permanent record, and/or suspension or expulsion from the Magnet program (which means you return to your home school); • and cheating on a midterm or final exam can result in a semester grade no higher than “D” on the 20-week semester report card.

18. Classroom Management • DMHS prides itself on its amazingly cooperative students. You are expected to have proper behavior at all times and act like life long learners in a respectful manner. You should speak even if your voice shakes, but you should never be inconsiderate to any faculty, staff nor student. If you are there will be range of consequences from phone calls home, visits to the dean, removal from class, parent conferences and U’s on your report card, which could prevent you from having a clean academic record, which could affect your college entrance. You will need to follow all instructions of all of your teachers. We will be moving a lot in my class so management of the room is vital to learning and you are expected to cooperate so ALL students have the opportunity to learn and grow. If I need your attention you will hear me say, “High Five” loudly. This requires you to stop and listen immediately whether it be for instruction, clean up or emergency. Thank you for your cooperation!

19. Objectives • This course will focus on two major elements of academic development: • LITERATURE • Deeper appreciation of language and literature • Broader understanding of the humanities • Expanded cultural literacy • Variety of reading skills: vocabulary, syntax, audience, and purpose • WRITING • Use the writing process to improve expository, persuasive, analytical, creative, and research writing skills • Grammar/Mechanics of writing

20. Assignments/Activities • Assignments in this class are varied, and include, but are not limited to, the following: Essay writing, Unit Portfolios, Creative Projects (Individual/Group), Note taking, Research (notecards, outline, essay), Active Reading/Literary Circles, Mindwrites, Seminars, Power Point/Lecture, In-class Discussion, Speeches, Presentations & Various Quizzes

21. Themes • FALL: CRITICAL THINKING IN THE MIDST OF DOMINATION • How you know what you know? What is the Art of Literature? Four World Framework. Your beliefs; RAW Model and the Waves of Imperialism; Colonialism; reading the play Les Blancs and creating your own play; South Africa; reading The Bench; Amandla! Mandela; Protest Songs; watching various films  • SPRING: CONTROL Versus FREEDOM & INDIVIDUALITY Versus CONFORMITY • Folk Society; Karl Marx; Propaganda; Reading Animal Farm; Philosophies of China (Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism; Reading Tao of Pooh and Red Azalea; Ai Wei Wei and media literacy; Tai Chi Practice; watching various films

22. http://www.downtownmagnets.org • All students have a planner to write assignments down. All assignments will be on the board and online.

23. DONATIONS! • BOOKS DONATION FORMS: Making a Difference One Gift at a Time: Every gift of a book made to DMHS is vitally important to the continued success of the program. Giving supports our efforts to maintain a rigorous program that challenges our students and our teachers and allows them to grow and develop. With financial pressures continuing to plague California, and monetary support from the school district continuing to decline, it is incumbent on us as parents, guardians, friends, alumni and fans of DMHS to step up in any way possible to keep this program going and growing. You will need to find several books on your own. These books can be found: in the library (city, county school), online through purchase or rental, or on digital devices (free or otherwise). If you can help, I would like to gather a class set of 40 books donated to the school. If you choose to buy your own copy (highly encouraged so you can write in your books) it would be lovely if you can buy an extra copy to donate to our class for generations to come and for the students not able to make such purchases. There are a multitude of amazing websites that offer some of these books for a few bucks. Do your due diligence and research to find the best price! Please see the list below and please donate today. You can donate by bringing the book or giving a suggested $20+ donation towards a book that I will purchase for the class.

24. Book Donations PLEASE! Les Blancs by Lorraine Hansberry (Sem 1) Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff  Animal Farm by George Orwell  Red Azalea by Anchee Min

25. Questions?THANK YOU FOR COMING!THE END!