Mr. Cooper's Website

Welcome to my home page!

Below you will find the syllabus, questionairres and surveys. To access courses and homework assignments click on courses above.

Course Description: English I is a first-level high school course designed to aid students in developing improved reading, writing, grammar, and vocabulary as well as speaking, listening and reasoning skills. The course provides students with competency in formulating clear sentences, paragraphs and various types of documents. The course also provides a broad overview of different types of literature including the short story, poetry, drama, mythology, the novel and various forms of non-fiction.

The English curriculum at Gage Park is designed as thematic units. During the freshman year Semester 1 will deal with the theme, The Individual and Identity. During the 1^st quarter our guiding question will be, “How do I define myself?” and in Quarter 2, “How do I decide what actions are good and true?”

The 2^nd semester’s theme will be, The Human Identity. The guiding question for 3^rd quarter will be, “How has the human experience changed over time?” The fourth quarter will address the question, “How can we effect worthwhile social change to aid the human condition?”

Required Supplies: Pens, 70-page spiral bound notebook used exclusively for English I, a 2 pocket folder to keep their completed work, a current Chicago Public Library card, and plenty of loose-leaf paper.

Homework assignments: Parents should expect their child to have regular homework from this class. At times the homework is reading only, sometimes it may be a project over the course of two to three days and other times homework may consist of answering questions from the reading they’ve done or completion of essays they have begun in class. Make sure you regularly check in with your child about their homework and ask to review it regularly. If you have any questions about your child’s performance please feel free to call me at the school and leave a message. I will return your call promptly. (773) 535-9230 x308.

Extra Credit and Make-up Work: Occasionally extra credit opportunities will be offered. Only those students who have turned in their work regularly are eligible to work on extra-credit. It is not an opportunity for students who have missed regular homework assignments to make-up their work. Make-up work will be offered twice during the quarter. This will be offered only to students who have missed points during excused absences. A student who cuts class will not have opportunity to make-up any of the work done in class that day. Lack of attendance and failure to do homework are the two leading causes of failure.

Descripcion del Curso: English I es un curso de primer grado de secundaria desinado para ayudar a los estudiantes a crear y mejorar, escritura, punctuacion y vocabulario a si como tambien technicas de hablar, oir y de razonamiento. El curso les brinda a los estudiantes competencia para formular oraciones claras, parrafos y varios tipos de la literatura incluyendo: la historia corta, poecia, drama, mythologia, la novella y varias formas de no-ficcion.

El curriculo de English en Gage Park esta disenado como unidades thematicas. Durante el ano de Freshman(primero), Semesre primero trabajara con el tema El Individual y Identidad. Durante la 1ra quota del ano escolar nuestra pregunta guia sera “Como me defino ami mismo?”, en la 2da quota, “Como yo decido que acciones son buenas y verdaderas?.”

El tema del Segundo semester sera, La Identidad Humana. La pregunta quia para la 3ra quota sera, “Como la Experiencia Humana ha cambiado durante el tiempo?” La cuarta quota llevara la pregunta, “Como nosotros podemos affectar cambio social que valga la pena, para ayudar la condicion humana?”

Utiles Requeridos: plumas, cuaderno espiral de 70 hojas usado exclusivamente para English I , un folder de doble bolsa para tener tareas completas, una tarjeta reciente de una Libreria de Chicago y mucho papel ( hoja suelta).

Tareas: Padres deven expectar que sus hijos tengan tarea regular de esta classe. En tiempo, la tarea sera solamente leer, a veces puede ser un projecto del curso de dos a tres dias, y en otras ocasiones tarea consistira en responder preguntas de la lectura que ellos acabaron de leer, o acabar una escritura que ellos empesaron en classe. Asegurense de chequear con su hijo acerca de sus tareas ,y pedir revisarlas regularmente. Si usted tiene alguna pregunta acerca de trabajo de su hijo, Sientase libre de llamarme a la escuela y dejar un mensaje. Yo regresare la llamada pronto. (773) 535-9280 x 308

Credito-Extra y Oportuniad de Re-Hacer Trabajos. : Ocasionalmente opportunidades de credito-extra seran offrecidas. Solamente esos estudiantes que entregan sus trabajos regularmente son elejibles para hacer credito-extra. No es una opportnidad para que los estudiantes que no entregan sus tareas regularmente la decidan hacer. Opportunidad para re-hacer trabajos no echos sera offrecida solamente dos veces cada quota. Esta sera offrecida solamente a estudiantes que no ayan recibido puntos, durante una falta con excusa. Un estudiante que salta classe no tendra la opportunidad para re-hacer ninguno de los trabajos echos ese dia. Falta de assistencia y reprobar a hacer tareas son las dos causas lideres para reprobar.

Dear Parents of Students in Mr. Cooper’s, Survey of Literature Class,

I’m sure you would agree that teaching is collaboration between the teacher, the student, and the parents or guardians. This letter is just to check-in, now that the year has begun, to let you know a little about myself and find out a little about you and your child. Filling out the attached questionnaire (Page 2) will allow me to get to know your child from your perspective and help me understand them quicker as a student and a person. This letter will also list the class requirements and expectations for the coming year. You and your student will receive a course syllabus next week.

I’ve been teaching at Gage Park for seven years and have my Masters Degree in English from Chicago State University. This year, I am pursuing National Board Certification which is in addition to being certified by the State of Illinois. Toward that end, I am required to videotape several classroom sessions. I would be grateful if you would sign the attached permission form allowing me to videotape classroom activities (Page 3). The videotaping is not about evaluating the students but my quality and effectiveness as a teacher.

I’ve also attached a Volunteer letter (Page 4) asking for your assistance this year in sharing your time, talents and abilities.

And now, the class requirements and expectations:

Students will need to use the resources of the Chicago Public Library within the first few weeks of school. Students should have their Chicago Public Library card by September 20th. Homework will be assigned a minimum of three times a week. On occasion these will be “interactive”, meaning the student will need you to participate with them in completing their assignments. Students will write their assignments in their planners which parents can check nightly. You may also want to have your child bring his or her 70-page spiral notebook home nightly so that you can see what they’ve done in class that day (journals, notes, in-class writing assignments, etc).

Class notes, assignments, and announcements can also be found on the Internet.

· Type in: yourhomework.com

· In the upper left corner select students/parents (scroll down to view homework and click)

· Type in course number 39996 (course short-cut box)

· The top of the page is the course description

· The bottom of the page has a box “Assignment Information” (Click on this)

· Read listings of Assignments, due dates, rubrics and other announcements.

· You (or your child) may e-mail me at cdcooper@cps.k12.il.us

I will circulate students’ up-to-date percentages every other week and students will record them in their journals. You are asked to sign your child’s percentage to stay informed their progress.

Students are expected to come to each class with their daily planner (provided by Gage Park), 70-page spiral notebook, paper and pen.

Attendance is crucial! Erratic attendance and failing to do homework are the leading causes of failing grades. You are encouraged to ensure your child is in school daily and checking his or her homework nightly.

I welcome any questions and can be reached by leaving a message at the school office, 535 – 9230 Ext. 308. I will promptly return your call.

Mr. Cooper

Please keep this letter handy for you and your child to refer back to, and your child is to return the questionnaire, release form, and volunteer form by September 14^th to receive homework credit.

Septiembre, 2005

Queridos padres de setudiantes en la clase de Literatura de Mr.Cooper.

Esta carta es para dejarles saber de los requerimientos y expectaciones

de la classe, para el ano escolar que ha empesado.

Todos lo studiantes tienen que tener ya una targeta du su Libreria de Chicago. Tarea sera assignada un minimo de tres veces a la semana. Studiantes escribiran sus tareas y trabajos en sus organizadores los cuales los padres revisaran diariamente. Porfavor asegurence de que su hijo/a lleve un cuaderno spiral de 70 paginas todas las noches, para que usted pueda ver lo que el/ella ha echo en classe, el dia llevado. (Diario, notas, ejercisios de classe, etz.)

Notas de classe, trabajos, y anunciamientos pueden ser encontrados en la internet.

· Escriba en la pantalla: yourhomework.com

· En la esqina de arriba a la izquierda escoja student/parents ( ruede abajo para ver view homework y clique.

· Escriba el numero del curso 39996

· Al principio de la pagina encontrara la descripcion del curso.

· Abajo de la pagina encontrara una caja “Assignment Information” (Clique aqui)

· Aqui usted puede ver y leer la lista de tabajos, las fechas en que estos tienen que ser entregados, y otros anuncios.

· Usted ( o su hijo/a) pueden mandarme un correo elctronico a cdcooper@cps.k12.il.us

Los porcentajes mas recientes de los estudiantes ceran dados cada dos

semanas y escritas en los cuadernos de los estudiantes. Se les pide a

los padres firmar a un lado del porcentaje del estudiante para que yo

sepa que ustedes estan informados y al tanto del progreso de su hijo/a.

Expecto que los estudiantes traigan a la classe todos los dias su

Organizador ( brindado y dado por la escuela Gage Park.), un

cuaderno espiral de 70 hojas, papel y pluma.

Assistensia es crucial! Poca Assistencia y falta de tareas son las causas

que llevan a grados bajos. Padres son entusiasmados para que se

aseguren que sus hijos esten en la ecuela todos lo dias y que revisen

sus tareas diariamente.

Recibo cualquier pregunta, puedo ser ocalizado en l escuela. Porfavor

Llame y deje un mensaje en la officina de la escuela a 535-9230

Ext. 308. Yo le regresare la llamada lo mas pronto possible.

Mr. Cooper

____________________________________________________________

He leido la carta , entiendo la informacion y expectaciones.

____________________ _______________________

Padre Estudiante

Parent/Guardian Questionnaire: Mr. Cooper’s Survey of Literature

I’ll be getting to know your student over the next year. Obviously, you already know a great deal about their needs and skills. Please help me get a head start on providing your child with the best education possible by taking a few moments to answer the following.

Name of Student________________________________

Name of Parent(s)/Guardian(s)_________________________________

Where can you be reached during the day by phone? _________________ Language spoken in the home? _________________ Do you have a computer at home with internet access? ___________

Please share with me which English skills you think your child needs most help with (reading, writing, speaking/listening skills, etc.) ______________________________________

____________________________________________________________________.

Share with me what you experience as your child’s greatest strength(s): ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Tell me something about how your son/daughter learns things that might be helpful for me to know____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________.

What activities does your child participate in outside school? ________

____________________________________________________________________.

Is there anything you wish to share with me about your family? ____________________

____________________________________________________________________.

Please call me at 773-535-9230 ext. 308 if you’d like to discuss these or other questions at a greater length. Charles Cooper

Volunteer Survey: Mr. Cooper’s Survey of Literature

As noted in my letter of introduction, I believe learning is collaboration between parents, teachers, and students. In addition to helping your child with homework, I’ll have interactive homework assignments once a quarter in which I’ll ask you to participate with your child in completing a homework assignment. Please take a moment to decide if you can assist in partnering with me to improve your child’s educational experience in any of the following ways.

Name of Student___________________________________

Name of Parent/Guardian ____________________________

I can assist in the following:

At Home: At School: