2024-2025 ENL Syllabus

Room: 320

Extra Help: Thursdays before & after school

Course Description:  This course aims to prepare students for their path towards a successful and fulfilling life after Babylon. Our primary focus will be on strengthening students’ reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in English. We will also focus on goal orientating, mindfulness, being a member of a community, and becoming free-thinking global citizens.

Mindfulness: This year, we will be focusing on mindfulness in our classroom and in our personal lives.

• What does it mean to be mindful? Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.
• How are we going to practice this? We will perform daily relaxation/mindfulness strategies before class starts. We will also read various books/articles about what it means to be mindful and hold class discussions/writing circles about how mindfulness has impacted our lives.  

Required Materials:

• A mini marble notebook (provided)
• Pen/Pencil/Highlighter
• Your charged 1:1 device

Portfolio: This year, you will be maintaining a writing journal. The course itself will focus a lot on writing. In today’s world, it is important to keep a digital portfolio. In addition to your digital portfolio, we will be keeping a physical portfolio in the classroom. Each quarter, you will be required to include a minimum of five writing assignments. You will be given a quarterly grade based on your portfolio, so it is your responsibility to maintain this throughout the year.

School Involvement: It is understood that many students work after school. However, this year (work, family, and religious observance permitting) students are asked to become involved in at least two (2) school events each quarter. This includes but is not limited to: attending a school sporting event, joining a team or club, attending a play or concert, or volunteering for an event. Students will be asked to keep a log of the events they attend and be ready to elaborate on the events they attended.

Cell Phone Policy: Cell phones are to remain away from the moment you enter the room until you leave. They can stay in your locker, pocket, bag, backpack, etc. If a student takes out their phone without permission, they will be asked to put it the “Cell Phone Hotel” for the rest of the class period. If the problem persists regularly, the teacher will arrange an individualized plan with the student and administrators to remedy the issue.

AI Policy: Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be a useful tool, but does not replace authentic learning and student production. We will explore a number of AI tools together, but it should never be used to produce inauthentic work that students pass off as their own original work. If a student is suspected to be overusing/unethically using AI, they will be requested to demonstrate their understanding and defend their work at the discretion of the teachers/administrators.  

Extra Help Policy: Extra help is offered on Thursdays directly before and after school in room 320. Extra help can also be arranged as needed by appointment.

Absence Policy: Any missed work due to a legal absence is to be made up within two days of a student’s return. The student is expected to attend the next available Extra Help session to clarify expectations. If this presents a conflict, the student must communicate this with the teacher, and together they will work up an accommodation.

Lateness: Even though our classroom is on the 3^rd floor, students are still expected to arrive on time every day. If there is a problem, such as coming from a part of the building that is far away, you can speak to me individually. If lateness becomes habitual, it will have an impact on the Classwork section of your grade.