Hauppauge High School

“If I waited for perfection . . . I would never write a

word.”
Margaret Atwood

Instructor: Ms. Dawn Lynch

Weekly and long-term assignments posted at:
www.hauppauge.k12.ny.us
(look for my name under the S-Z listings)

Course Description: This semester-long course focuses on writing in

a variety of genres. The purpose of this class is to encourage students
to cultivate the habits, attitudes and flexibility of a professional writer
in a professional writing community. Students will be expected to enter
final products into professional and/or student contests as well as the
school’s literary magazine, to conference with the instructor,
participate in writer response groups, research and read contemporary
published authors, keep and regularly write in a writer’s notebook, and
experiment with and revise writing routinely.

What is creative writing? Creative writing is the art of crafting a

piece for publication. Notebook writing is just one of the steps in the
creative process. The true art of writing includes not only the process
of journaling or generating, but also phases of reading, mentoring,
experimenting, revising, and editing. All final pieces you will create for
this class will reflect the process of writing. Our goal is to become a
community of writers who experiment, craft, revise and tinker with our
work.

Remember: Write with passion and honesty. All I can ask for is honest
effort and diligence in your work as a writer in this community. Make a
commitment to your work and take pride in what you write and submit
for a grade. Do not worry about your creative skills at the start of the
course; our classroom experiences will be dedicated to improvement

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no matter what your level today.

Supplies:
Writer’s Notebook, Writing utensil, Portfolio (3-ring binder)

Grading:
25% Writers’ Notebook and Daily Assigned Writes
45 % Portfolio or Major Assignments (to be discussed)
30% Final Drafts

Portfolio
Create a binder labeled “Creative Writing Portfolio.” Within that binder
create a section labeled “Rough drafts” and one labeled “Final drafts.”
Keep all your work organized here, saved on your “H” drive at school
and backed up on CDs, flash-drives, etc. You will be responsible for a
portfolio and reflection for the final.

Creative Writing Late Work Policy

Assignments will be posted on my website. If you are absent, you are
responsible for the work. I will not hunt you down and make sure you
do your work.

This policy affords all students a chance to avoid receiving a grade of

zero for an assignment. It is the student’s responsibility to make
arrangements for avoiding a grade of zero.
• All assignments have due dates. It is the student’s responsibility to
know the due dates.
• Late work will be accepted up to one week late. Assignments one day
late will be worth 85% of the points earned; assignments two days late
will be worth 70% of the points earned; assignments three or more
days late will be worth 55% of the points earned.
• Students should not expect teachers to accept late assignments
during the last week of the quarter or semester.

Your responsibilities as my student include the following:

 To treat your fellow classmates and me with respect
 To attend classes regularly
 To be in your seat and prepared to work when the bell rings
 To work from bell to bell
 To be cooperative and not disruptive
 To make up any and all missed work
 To submit original work

My responsibilities as your teacher:

 To enforce Hauppauge High School’s Code of Conduct
 To treat you with respect

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  To provide you with an orderly classroom environment
 To provide the discipline that is necessary to maintain an
environment which is conducive to learning
 To provide motivation
 To teach you the required content
 To do everything within my power to facilitate the learning
process

Reminder: This course is an elective, meaning you elected to take it.

If you feel that this was a mistake, please change your schedule as
soon as possible to accommodate students who would like to have the
opportunity to enroll. Keep in mind that this course is what you make
of it. I am optimistic that, together, we can make this a wonderful
experience that will be beneficial for all of us.

Sincerely;

Ms. Lynch