Meridian Joint 2 School District: Night & Summer School Programs

For the 2011-2012 academic year I taught English 11 (American Literature) for the Meridian Joint 2 School District Night School and Summer School programs. The class sizes and students' motivations and abilities were as diverse as the material we covered.

To have a better idea of the scope of the course, here is an excerpt from my Letter to parents which is passed out prior to the start of class (attached below in full under LINKS).

Dear parents and guardians,

My name is Matt Doyle and it is with great pleasure that I will be teaching your child’s English 11 course this year! I received my bachelor’s degrees in English and Spanish from the University of Idaho and completed graduate course work in education at Boise State University. In a broad sense, the course will sharpen your students’ analytical thinking and communicative skills through writing and exploring important, historical pieces of American literature.

In this class your child will write critical, personal, and research-based essays. By reading and analyzing pieces of American literature, your child will further develop their concept of “writing well.” Depending on the goals of the assignment, students may at times need to continue their work outside of the classroom. Although I do not expect frequent homework assignments, you should be aware of the possibility and encourage your students to do their best work at home. You will be notified through email or letter if an assignment will require extensive homework.

Students are evaluated in a number of ways. Evaluating written assignments is my primary means of determining your child’s grade each quarter. Written assignments, including drafts and brainstorming activities, will factor into a student’s overall grade. All written work created for this class is collected in a personal “writing portfolio,” which is available for students to take home at the end of the class. Daily participation, such as asking questions and demonstrating respectful behavior, is factored into your child’s evaluation...

For more information about the programs, I invite you to visit the official district program site.