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Parents and Students: Welcome back to all! Hope you had a wonderful Summer. I am sure that you are ready for another exciting school year. My name is Mrs. McTiernan. My philosophy of education is that students should not only gain knowledge, but the desire to be lifelong learners. William Butler Yeats once said, "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." I will do my best to spark students' interest in English and in learning about the world. PLEASE feel free to contact me at anytime for any reason. The best method of contact is my e-mail because I check it frequently during the day and also at night, but you can also use my phone extension at HS West. Thanks so much and I will speak with you soon! |
 I
am a graduate of Siena College. I
earned a masters degree in Curriculum Design and Instructional
Technology from the University of Albany, and a masters degree in
Educational Administration from Massachusetts College of Liberal
Arts. I have been teaching
at Shenendehowa for over seven years now. I am a member of the 9th
Grade Committee - which works hard to give 9th grade students the
best transition
to high school life, and I am an advisor for the HW Club. I teach
both Regular 9 and
Honors 9 English; working
closely with my colleagues on an
interdisciplinary level. I have also been trained as a co-teacher,
which allows me to work even more closely with the special education
program. I am married and have two daughters, a seven year old and
a three year old, and a step-daughter who is twenty. While I
believe that education is a privilege and is very important, I
constantly try to respect that school is not the only thing going on
in your lives. Please let me know if you have more questions about
my educational or personal background. Mrs. McTiernan |
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Summer Reading: I know it's rough to get the students to read over
summer vacation, but it helps them exercise their mind and stay
connected to school for an easier transition. The lists for
Shenendehowa are on the
high school library webpage. While it is only strongly
recommended for all regular 9 students, it is required for Honors
students, and they should read the assignment carefully, as they are
required to read directly from the list of assigned books. |
all of you!
1. Complete an Independent Reading Project (list of projects is located on the resources page), for any book read inside or outside of class. Only one project per novel, and each project can only be chosen once. Please see me with questions.
2. Short Story Analysis. Read a short story appropriate for 9th grade level; stories can be found in anthologies in the library, or online by googling "short stories." Print out or make a copy of the story, complete a short story analysis sheet for the story (link is located at the top of the honors calendar), and submit them both to me.
Extra Credit Options for Second Quarter:
1. Enter the Poetry Out Loud contest - This consists of memorizing
two poems that you will recite on stage in front of competitors and
judges. The Shenendehowa school competition will be held on
Wednesday, December 21st, right after school in the High School East
Little Theater. Please le me know in advance if you are planning to sign
up for it. For the school competition students need to have two
poems memorized. One poem must be a pre-20th century poem and
the other must be a poem that is 25 lines or fewer. (The pre-20th
century may also be fewer than 25 lines.) Students must select from the
list of poems on the Poetry Out Loud website (www.poetryoutloud.org)
One student from the school-level competition will be selected to
represent Shenendehowa at the regional competition. You do not
have to win in order to get the extra credit.
2. Attend the play The Importance of Being Earnest, put on by
the Shenendehowa Drama Club. This play will be running November
17th-19th in the High School West auditorium. Purchase a ticket
for one of the performances (the cost is $10 and the tickets will go on
sale at the beginning of November ). After seeing the play, write
a one-page, typed, double-spaced reaction to the performance (should not
be merely plot summary). Edit, print, attach the ticket stub to
the reaction and submit. Here is a link with good information for
how to write
a proper review.
3. Complete an Independent Reading Project (list of projects is
located on the resources page), for any book read inside or outside of
class. Only one project per novel, and each project can only be
chosen once. Please see me with questions.
4. Short Story Analysis. Read a short story appropriate for
9th grade level; stories can be found in anthologies in the library, or
online by googling "short stories." Print out or make a copy of
the story, complete a short story analysis sheet for the story (link is
located at the top of the honors calendar), and submit them both to me.
Extra Credit Options for Third Quarter:
1. Complete an Independent Reading Project (list of projects
is located on the resources page), for any book read inside or outside
of class. Only one project per novel, and each project can only be
chosen once. Please see me with questions.
2. Short Story Analysis. Read a short story
appropriate for 9th grade level; stories can be found in anthologies in
the library, or online by googling "short stories." Print out or
make a copy of the story, complete a short story analysis sheet for the
story (link is located at the top of the honors calendar), and submit
them both to me.
3. Attend the musical, put on by the Shenendehowa Drama Club. The
Music Man will run Thursday-Saturday March 15th-17th at 7:30 in the High
School East auditorium. Purchase a ticket for one of the
performances (the cost is $12 and the tickets will go on sale March 1st,
outside the cafeteria). After seeing the musical, write a
one-page, typed, double-spaced reaction to the performance (should not
be merely plot summary). Edit, print, attach the ticket stub to
the reaction and submit. Here is a link with good information for
how to write
a proper review.
4. Enter the Shakespeare recitation contest -
This consists of memorizing a Shakespearean monologue that you will
recite on stage in front of competitors and judges. The
Shenendehowa school competition will be held on Tuesday, February 7th,
right after school in the High School East Little Theater. You must
complete a competition entry form (see me or Ms. Putnam at high school
east) by Monday, February 6th. One student from the school-level
competition will be selected to represent Shenendehowa at the regional
competition. You do not have to win in order to get the extra
credit.
1. Complete an Independent Reading Project (list of projects is located on the resources page), for any book read inside or outside of class. Only one project per novel, and each project can only be chosen once. Please see me with questions.
2. Short Story Analysis. Read a short story appropriate for 9th grade level; stories can be found in anthologies in the library, or online by googling "short stories." Print out or make a copy of the story, complete a short story analysis sheet for the story (link is located at the top of the honors calendar), and submit them both to me.
3. Create a Portfolio for the novel:
In book format you will do the following:
- You will create a cover for the novel. What do you think would make a good cover for this story? You may not copy the original.
- You will have a table of contents, and your pages will be numbered.
- You will put in a photo album. This photo album will include drawings or pictures of the main characters in the novel (make sure to label your photos). As well as the drawings of three scenes in the novel.
- You will choose at least five quotes/passages throughout the novel and respond to them in a creative way – they must be different than the scenes you illustrated, and cannot be from out of the study guide. For example, you may paste in a newspaper article that relates to the quote/passage, draw a picture, write a poem, write the lyrics from a song, cut out images from magazines, write a reader response. You may also write about how the quote/passage reminds you of another piece of literature you have read or of something going on currently in your life or in the world (you will have to explain! Be specific!)
4. Community Service: One of the lessons Atticus Finch tries to teach
his children is that you will never completely understand what someone
else is going through until you have walked in their shoes. This is an
important lesson for all, not just the characters in this novel. You may
pick what kind of community service that you do, though you need to get
it approved by me first. If you need help thinking of ideas, see me. For
every 2 hours of community service you perform you will receive one
extra credit point. Your service must be verified by a supervisor (I
will give you a sheet when you see me for approval). If you are doing
community service for another class, church, etc., I will count only
half of those hours (or, you can look at it as receiving 1 pt for every
four of those hours you do).
5. Celebrating Harper Lee and Shakespeare's Birthday: (Not an honors
option) Bring in food for Harper Lee’s birthday (cupcakes, cake, etc.)
for points added to your point total.
6. Attend library book club discussions. These are held two
Thursdays a month, listen to announcements or see posting in the room
for dates.
Monday, June 6th, Listening Test
Tuesday, June 7th, Essay- Day 1(Students
start essay)
Wednesday, June 8th, Essay- Day 2 (Students complete essay)
Thursday, June 9th, Multiple -Choice- Part 1
Friday, June 10th, Multiple-Choice- Part 2
Monday, June 13th, Make-Up day