Welcome to my class!

This website is a resource for both my students and their families. It is designed to:
  • Be your digital course outline 
  • Help you improve your study habits, research skills and academic writing.

Please use MICROSOFT TEAMS for:
  • Checking for updates and deadlines
  • Handing in assignments
  • Accessing your playlist and digital course materials

The Vancouver School Board provides a free Microsoft Office 365 account for all students. Instructions for logging in to your free Office 365 account can be found here:​
Once you have your Office 365 account set up, download these apps on to your device(s), so you can easily complete assignments:
  • Teams
  • Word
  • PowerPoint
  • OneNote
  • OneDrive

Student Responsibilities

  • Keep the lines of communication open. I am here to help you succeed, but I can't help you with a problem that I don't know about.
  • Arrive on time with all your materials and be ready to learn when the bell rings.
  • Keep track of your own materials, assignments and important dates.
  • Do your OWN WORK in YOUR OWN WORDS. When you Google information or do other research to help you with homework, CITE YOUR SOURCES.
  • Manage your time wisely so that you can stay on pace and reduce your stress.
  • Work to develop and display a growth mindset throughout the year.
  • Be cooperative and respectful in both online and offline environments to help make our class a positive learning space.
  •  Use technology responsibly, so you can stay focused and avoid distractions.
  • Use technology ethically, so the work you submit reflects your thinking and understanding. Work that is AI-generated or cut-and-paste from websites will not be accepted. 

Classroom Policies:

Standards-Based Grading:

I do not use traditional letter grades or percentages to evaluate assignments. Instead I will assess your work based on how well it demonstrates your understanding of the course standards. The standards are different for English and Social Studies courses, but the proficiency scale that I will use to assess your work is the same.
  • The focus is on providing feedback to help you identify your strengths and show you how to improve.
  • You will  have a chance to practice your skills and receive feedback before completing your assignments, so you can be more successful.
  • Your course mark reflects what you are currently capable of doing. Earlier mistakes and struggles are not factored into your final mark.
  • You can learning more about Standards-Based Grading here.

Submitting Assignments:

Assignments are due by 3:30pm on the due date.
  • Turn in hard copies to the hand in bin on my desk. Turn in electronic copies on Teams.
  • Please do not submit assignments to me in any other way as they may get lost or misplaced.
  • Please use Office 365 apps to complete your assignments to make sure I am able to access them.
  • If you will be unable to complete an assignment for any reason, tell me immediately, so we can solve the problem, and you can complete the assignment successfully.

Late Work:

I do not take off late marks, but late work will only be accepted for one week after the assignment deadline.
  • This weeklong window gives you the flexibility to work around your schedule and deal with any issues that may come up while still allowing me to give everyone timely feedback on their work.
  • If you need an extension beyond one week, please request an alternate due date.

SOME IMPORTANT ADVICE:
  • Stay on pace, so you don't have to miss the deadline. 
  • If you are having difficulty, ask for help right away, so you can still get your work done on time.
  • You will have multiple chances to demonstrate course skills, so missing one assignment won't seriously impact your overall mark. Just make sure you don't fall so far behind that you can't catch up.

Blended Learning:

Blended learning is the combination of online and offline learning activities. We will use technology to help:
  • Create more time for me to provide more support and feedback to you during class time.
  • You have more control over the time, place, path and pace of your learning.
  • You catch up more easily if you have to miss class.
  • Make sure you still learn what you need to learn even if I have to be away, and there is a TOC teaching the class. 

Cell Phones:

You will be allowed to use your phone for learning activities, but not for any other reason.

Tips for avoiding digital distractions:
  • Charge your phone at the back of the room or keep it in your backpack when it is not needed for a learning activity.
  • Program your phone to automatically go into "Do Not Disturb" or "Focus" mode during school hours.
  • Put your phone on "Do Not Disturb" or "Airplane" during class time.

Use of A.I. Tools

All work submitted for assessment in this course should be your own. Work that is largely A.I.-generated will not be accepted. The use of A.I. tools is permitted so long as you are using them as learning tools, not cheating tools. Any time you are using A.I. to do most of the thinking or writing for you, you are using it inappropriately. 

​Acceptable use of A.I. includes:
  • Using AI as a study aid. E.g. Looking up definitions, providing examples of Socials concepts, asking for review questions
  • Using AI for initial brainstorming.
  • Proofreading or seeking general feedback on your writing. E.g. Asking the AI to correct your punctuation
  • Asking for help with the wording of SMALL sections of text ONLY. E.g. using it as a thesaurus, asking how to say a certain phrase in more professional/academic language
  • Properly citing your use of AI whenever you hand in your assignments