TEXTS:

1-PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS: a biographical overview, Beowulf, the Monsters and the Critics, Essay on FT literature from the Tolkien Reader, excerpts from The Silmarillion.

2-THE HOBBIT, CHAPTER V

3-THE LORD OF THE RINGS--in three Volumes (You may use the Houghton-Mifflin or Ballantine editions of these texts) & the DVD's of the Trilogy.

4-Supplementary materials will includeTolkien's critical prose, and what Christopher Tolkien has published since his father's death.

5-STUDENT CURRICULUM LINKS--(best web sites for Literature, lus General Guides to research in English Literature and Philosophy--access from the English Dept. main page--SJC site). For Tolkien web sites, see the TABLE OF CONTENTS for this course.

6-For background material and other related course information see this course's Table of Contents . NOTE: You must have a password from Mr. Colvin, Director of technology, in order to use any school computer. Due dates for long-term assignments are also on line following this syllabus.

SCOPE AND COURSE OUTLINE:

The success of the movies, and the many web sites indicates that Tolkien speaks for us, when he wished he were a HOBBIT!! His love for nature, respect for moral values, and keen interest in the power of the written and spoken world make him so necessary for our times. The theory of literature he espoused was Romantic and pragmatic. His love of sub-creation to teach and delight made some believe he was virtually divinely inspired to create the beloved characters that make up the company.

GOALS:

If your future includes any one of the following:

1. finishing high school, going to college and graduating
2. getting a good job that requires skill, intelligence and integrity through the development of critical thinking
3. the ethical management of information technology in our "PC" age
4. leaving the world a better place than it is today...

...then Tolkien Seminar class might help, for surely Tolkien would agree with our goals.

INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGY:

• If you have read the books before, do it again for fun and learning--Tolkien's richness and depth merits multiple examinations,
• We will talk and discuss....I am looking forward to hearing what you think!!! Why you enjoy Tolkien is important....
• Given time constraints, we will devote some class time to reading and/or working on the senior thesis.

EVALUATIONS:

1-A seminar implies an active exchange of ideas in which all present (in the words of Martha Nussbaum) "take charge of their own thought." That means that everyone including all of you AND myself are both teachers and students.

2-We exchange ideas, and part of the process would be for me to learn from you. Everyone is a teacher and learner.

• discussion is paramount--what do you contribute based on the reading assigned?
• the only unintelligent question is the one not asked-Tolkien's mythology rivals the Greeks, and there is a lot to explore...
• SPECIFICS OF EVALUATIONS:

1. tests (essay) are worth 30% of the quarter grade. Usually two are given per quarter.
2. Quizzes (20%) can be announced or unannounced. If open book, you must have the texts in class: sharing is not permitted
3. Class work--attention in class, frequent participation, bringing materials to class is worth 20% of the grade. Please note that attendance is part of this evaluation.
4. The semester examination is worth 20% of the final grade, and seniors with an A average are exempt from this test.
5. Please check POWER SCHOOL frequently as written progress reports are not provided.
6. Due dates span the 1st and 2nd quarters as follows:
   1.Topics open for selection, Sept. 3rd
   2. Topic must be approved by Sept. 13th--first come / first serve--fill out the topic approval sheet.
   3. Thesis paragraph and primary source quotes due on the 17th of September
   4. Revised thesis paragraph, new primary quotes and secondray source quotes are due on the 1st of October
   5. the draft conferences must be scheduled individually and last 10 minutes. They should be completed by the 29th of October.
   6. the final product is due to turnitin on Nov. 3rd.
7. Turnitin.com must be used for the paper and the summer project.

Policies on accommodations and attendance:

1. Students with learning accommodations must so inform the instructor the first week of school.

2. The questions for the additional time may be different.

3. Attendance policy update and grades. St. John's now mandates that any student with more than 8 unexcused absences during an individual class will lose 5 points from the semester average. Coming late after 20 minutes is recorded as an absence.

4. Per instructor requirement: as noted above, excessive lateness can impact the class participation/preparation grade.

POLICIES:

You must check HOMEWORK CENTRAL DAILY BY 4:00 PM as needed for assigned work. Absence is not an excuse for missing work, especially since the research curriculum links and background handouts are now on line. PLEASE BRING BOOKS AND / OR WEB PRINT OUTS TO CLASS AS NEEDED EVERY DAY.

Work submitted late will be accepted with no points off, with points off or not accepted at all, depending on the circumstances. Mr. Cox / Mr. Colvin (for computers) will be consulted.

TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS:

MAKING UP MISSED WORK:

ALL MAKE-UP WORK MUST BE COMPLETED IN ROOM 115 THE MORNING OF THE FIRST DAY BACK TO SCHOOL WITH THE EXCEPTION OF EXTENDED ABSENCES. POINTS MAY BE DEDUCTED FOR NON-COMPLIANCE.

LATENESS and ATTENDANCE:

At the discretion of the Principal, any student who has been absent from a single class for ten (10) or more days during a semester or twenty (20) days of classes for the entire year, without medical verification, may be required to attend summer school before being advanced or being awarded a diploma.

School late policies have been revised:

• Students tardy to class regardless of the reason must report to the office first for a date and time stamped admission slip which will either be marked excused (if you have a note or a valid reason) or not excused resulting in tardy detention to be served the next day.

• In this class, when the door is closed when the bell rings, you are late if not in the room.
  

GRADING:

The SJC scale is used for all grades, and please check POWER SCHOOL frequently as written progress reports are not provided.

School policies on late work and extra credit (from the student handbook):

Since following directions and timely effort are traits to be encouraged in education, teachers are asked to refrain from giving "extra-credit" assignment as a means of a student attempting to override past penalties for inadequate work. Any extra-credit offered is to be educational in nature, (i.e. visiting an exhibit) and offered to the entire class.

Teachers are to attach a penalty to all work submitted late that is not related to the excused absence of the student. (Students may offer circumstances in mitigation).

ACADEMIC ETHICS and LEADERSHIP EXPECTATIONS from the Student Handbook:

The relationship between the teacher and the student must be characterized by the highest level of integrity' when a teacher gives a student an assignment-homework, pupil project, presentation, lab, etc.-or when he/she gives a quiz or exam, that teacher is building the framework for the student's learning Please note the following guidelines and follow them in your work at St. John’s.

The Academic Ethical Guidelines states:

1. A student will not use or give to another any notes, materials, other sources of information, or other assistance for a class, including but not limited to a quiz, test, paper, project, oral presentation or power-point presentation, which have not been approved by the teacher. All work is expected to be completed individually, rather than through a collaborative process, unless explicitly prescribed otherwise by the teacher.

2. A student's homework and in-class work fulfill the intention of the instructor in a specific class:

A. Individual assignments must be represented by individual work.
B. Group assignments must be represented by group work. In no case is direct copying allowed.

3. A student must represent his/her work honestly. That is, any and all work submitted by a student certifies that the student himself/herself did the work In other words, if a student assignment is about a book, it is presumed that he read the book; if the assignment is about an event he/she attended; it is presumed he/she attended said event; if the assignment is a translation of a work from a foreign language into English, or vice versa, it is presumed that the student performed the translation his/herself without the use of any other aids. A violation of this certification will result in the imposition of an academic penalty and may result in further disciplinary action at the discretion of the Assistant principal. The examples provided above are only illustrative and other situations, as determined by the Faculty or the Administration, may give rise to a violation of this section.

4. A student will not plagiarize in any form. Plagiarism presents the work or ideas of another as one's own. This includes:

A. Direct copying of another person's (living or dead) work
B. Using any amount of another person's material or ideas without proper documentation.
C. Paraphrasing another person's original material without proper documentation.

Any infringement or violation of the norms stated above will affect both the student's status in the relevant class and his/her status as a St. John's student. In all cases of cheating or the appearance of cheating, the teacher will give the student a significant academic punishment for the violation and will notify the parent(s). All incidents of academic dishonesty will be kept on file in the Student Affairs Office In the case of a student's second offense, the student will face probable dismissal. In all cases.

The Principal has and reserves the right to dismiss a student for academic deceit when he considers the circumstances warrant that action- contested cases of cheating will always be referred to the student Affairs office who will thoroughly investigate the instance, consult the student's disciplinary and academic history, confer with faculty persons in the subject area as needed and render a judgment.

Principles of an Active Leader:

The basic principle of our school's philosophy is that every student must actively engage in the educational process consequently, we expect each student to realize that the primary responsibility for learning rests squarely on his/her own shoulders. Parents, teachers, and friends may guide and direct the learning process, but real achievement in the academic endeavor is not possible if student is nor actively involved.

Each student is expected to be on time for each class and not to miss class except in the case of illness, school sponsored event or another serious reason. Each teacher expects that a student will come to class fully prepared, ready, willing, and able to participate in the lessons of the day. Learning deserves an environment of respect and freedom from distraction; furthermore, each student, is expected to assist in maintaining order by refraining from disruptive conduct.

If a student is absent, he/she is expected to check Homework central and/or contact his/her classmates for each day's assignment and make arrangements for securing appropriate books. In the case of a prolonged absence, a student's parents should contact the Student Affairs Office for assistance. In such cases, it is also prudent for students or their parents to contact teachers by e-mail in order to secure missed assignments and materials. Parents should feel free to contact teachers whenever they have a question or concern about their son/daughter's progress in a particular class.

As noted in the Syllabus, outside assignments, especially the term paper, are requirements for passing the class, regardless of competence in other areas. Such implies two ideas:

1) that the work is submitted

2) that what is submitted meets the standards specified in class for content, and St. John's College High School, revised edition (on line)

Specifics for completing the work including how to use the SJC INTERNET link and other data basis will be provided.

DUE DATES: The most significant problem encountered in the past has been time management. Late papers and requests for extensions usually center on three areas:

1. not turning in preliminary material

2. underestimating the amount of time needed to complete work--LATENESS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE.

3. blaming the computer (Mr. Colvin's judgment will prevail.)

TO FIND DUE DATES FOR WEEKLY READING / WRITING ASSIGNMENTS, CONSULT 'HOMEWORK CENTRAL' ON THE SJC PAGE: CLICK HERE.