Kate+Harkins

Kate Harkins


=A Little Bit About Me = ====My name is Kate Harkins. I teach 9th and 10th grade College Preparatory English and 12th grade Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition at Segerstrom High School, “A Fundamental School” in Santa Ana, California. Additionally, I am a participant in the district’s Writing Committee (the body of teachers that helps to develop the curriculum and common assessments for grades 9-12 district wide), the co-advisor for National Honor Society and Club Couture, and a member of more school committees than I ever remember committing to! This is my fifth year at Segerstrom and my seventh year in the district. ==== ====My school opened five years ago with a very focused purpose and goal: to provide comprehensive, standards-based core curricula grounded on high expectations and accountability for all. Segerstrom's instructional focus is "Read! Write! Learn!" with literacy as a foundation across all disciplines. (Which is very exciting to me as an English teacher!) ==== ====I come from a family of educators (the ladies in the family for the most part); in fact, I was my now mother-in-law’s student teacher when I first started out. My husband and I love spending time with our family—all the in-laws have really bonded, and we are all eagerly awaiting the arrival of the family’s first grandchild. Yes, my husband and I are expecting our first baby, a boy, at the end of April! I’ve got a lot on my plate right now, but with two online classes and an Action Research project to finish up I fully intend to graduate in May! ==== ====In addition to our impending arrival, Ray and I are the parents of a shelter dog, three year-old beagle mix, Kali. In addition to his more than full-time job taking care of me, Ray is the special projects manager for PETA2 (it’s the youth outreach division for the animal rights organization, PETA). He is also in his own band and has a life (traveling, concerts, etc.) many of my students seem to envy! ====

=General Class Information =

English 9 College Preparatory
The aim of ninth-grade English is to assist freshmen students in developing the skills and knowledge outlined in the school’s Expected School-Wide Learning Results and to support the school-wide literacy focus: “Read, Write, Learn.” This goal will be accomplished by providing students with diverse opportunities for academic and personal achievement in the study of literature, writing, and the English language. Students will develop reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills, and an appreciation for literature and writing as sources for lifelong learning and guidance in accordance with the California State Standards for English-Language Arts.

English 10 College Preparatory
The aim of tenth-grade English is to assist sophomore students in developing the skills and knowledge outlined in the school’s Expected School-Wide Learning Results and to support the school-wide literacy focus: “Read, Write, Learn.” This goal will be accomplished by providing students with diverse opportunities for academic and personal achievement in the study of literature, writing, and the English language. Students will develop reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills, and an appreciation for literature and writing as sources for lifelong learning and guidance in accordance with the California State Standards for English-Language Arts. Additionally, sophomores will prepare for the March administration of the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) by reviewing California State Standards grades 7-10 English-Language Arts and test-taking strategies.

AP English Literature and Composition
Advanced Placement Literature and Composition is a two-semester course designed to replicate an entry-level college English course. Students practice college-level writing using the fundamentals of rhetorical theory and follow the curriculum requirements outlined in the //AP English Course Description//. Students enrolled in AP Literature and Composition are expected to make a commitment to a rigorous curriculum of literary analysis and composition. An AP English Literature and Composition course engages students in the careful reading and critical analysis of a variety of texts. Reading in this AP course is both wide and deep, and builds upon the reading done in previous English courses. Students read works from several genres and periods—from the 16th to 21st century—and become familiar with the characteristics of each major literary period. Through the close reading of selected texts, students deepen their understanding of the ways writers use language to provide meaning and enjoyment for their readers. As they read, students consider a work’s overall structure, style, and theme, in addition to analyzing the use of figurative language, imagery, symbolism, and tone. Writing is an integral part of the AP Literature and Composition course and exam. A combination of timed and process-writing assignments focuses on the critical analysis of literature and includes expository, analytical, argumentative, and persuasive essays. Writing assignments increase students’ ability to explain concisely and convincingly what they understand about a literary work and why they interpret it as they do. Writing instruction, therefore, includes attention to developing and organizing ideas, and interpretations, in clear, coherent, and compelling language.

=<span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">What Teaching Should and Should Not Be =

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">I hope my students don't feel that this explains my teaching style. . . <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 0px; overflow: hidden;">media type="youtube" key="w3PhJDxvgJM?version=3" height="390" width="640"

. . . I'd much rather they feel I do this! media type="youtube" key="a7-QIZnCD2Y?version=3" height="390" width="640"

= = = = =<span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Wondering Where Segerstrom HIgh School Is? = media type="googlemap" key="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Segerstrom+High+School,+West+MacArthur+Boulevard,+Santa+Ana,+CA&aq=0&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=29.578161,79.013672&ie=UTF8&hq=Segerstrom+High+School,&hnear=W+MacArthur+Blvd,+Santa+Ana,+California&ll=33.700172,-117.898622&spn=0.006248,0.00912&t=h&z=16&output=embed" width="425" height="350"

=<span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">English 10 CP Calendar = media type="custom" key="9123252"