Humanity and Empathy in the 21st Century

I. COURSE DESCRIPTION

In this course, we will engage in the discussion and exploration of the tendency of humans toward inhumanity, the difference between empathy and sympathy, our hopes for the future, human artistic expression and its role in the path to tolerance, the foundation of human rights and globalization, and our role as citizens of the world.

II. GRADING POLICY

All work for each quarter will be graded and recorded.  Daily journal writing will be collected twice a quarter and will count for one-third of your quarter grade. You will also be evaluated on class participation, homework, quizzes (announced and unannounced) and short and long-form writing assignments. Late papers will lose one full letter grade for every day they are late.  If you are absent from class for an in-school function on the day an assignment is due, you must make arrangements to get the assignment to me on that day.

 

Make-Up Work:  It is your responsibility to find out if you have missed any work and/or notes and to make up any work missed due to legal absences. All make up work must be completed within a week of your return to school.  Any work, tests, or quizzes missed due to cutting will automatically receive a zero                     

III. EXPECTATIONS & EXTRA HELP

You will be treated with dignity and respect and I expect that you, in turn, treat me, your classmates, the classroom, and yourself with respect. You are expected to come to class each day prepared, on time, and ready to participate in your education. If you are having difficulty with any of your coursework, I am available by appointment before and after school as well during my free periods

IV.  SUPPLIES:       A notebook exclusively for this class

                                  A folder for handouts.
 
                                  A blue or black pen

 

V.  EXTRA HELP: I will make any accommodations necessary to meet with anyone that needs extra help.  Talk to me after class, leave a note in my mailbox (in E administration), or e-mail me -  rriegger@smithtown.k12.ny.us

 

   The English Department of the Smithtown Central School District expects the highest conduct from its students.  We encourage all of our students to work hard and to do their own research and writing for homework, special assignments or projects. Any evidence of plagiarism may result in no credit for the assignment.  Assignments are considered to be reflections of an individual’s work unless otherwise instructed by the teacher. If a student is caught using material that he or she did not create themselves, the student may not get credit for the paper, project, etc.

      Exams and other assessments should be considered opportunities for a student to show what he or she has learned over the course of the unit, semester or year.  During any assessment, if the student is caught using any kind of electronic device (including but not limited to cell phones) or has an electronic device out, the student may automatically fail the exam. Therefore, cell phones and other electronic devices should be left at home or in the student’s locker during exams.   In addition, attempting to give or receive assistance in any form during an assessment may result in a failing grade for all parties involved.