Course Syllabus

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2026 - 2027Syllabus

Composition 10

2026-2027 Faculty

Ms. Shayna Cuttilan (ssuleymancuttilan@stgeorges.bc.ca)

Ms. Amanda Kennedy (akennedy@stgeorges.bc.ca)

Mr. Wes Paul (wpaul@stgeorges.bc.ca)

Mr. Rick Roberts (rroberts@stgeorges.bc.ca)

Mr Chase Ruttenberg (cruttneberg@stgeorges.bc.ca)

Mr. Mike Stiles (mstiles@stgeorghes.bc.ca)

First Peoples Principles of Learning

The land on which we gather is the unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. We are honoured to live, work, and play on this land together. 

There are many ways to work towards reconciliation. In English classrooms, we make the First Peoples Principles of Learning more visible by

  • centering story and oral tradition as ways of knowing and learning;
  • valuing relationships and community in our discussions, recognizing that learning is deeply relational;
  • giving space and time for reflection, as well as multiple interpretations;
  • acknowledging the influence of land/place in shaping stories, perspectives, and identities;
  • connecting literature to memory, history, and lived experience to understand the ongoing impacts of colonialism;
  • encouraging each other to take personal responsibility for how we engage with texts, voices, and one another;
  • supporting holistic learning by engaging heart, mind, and spirit in our responses to literature.

Course Description

Composition 10 develops writing skills through a focus on voice, structure, and clarity. Students write across genres — including narrative, persuasive, and expository — and learn how to revise for impact and coherence. Mentor texts, writing workshops, and real-world prompts help students sharpen their craft and grow as purposeful communicators. Students will also read and study a collection of poems, short stories, and one play. 

Please note: Grade 10 English Language Arts is composed of two separate courses — Composition 10 (September through January) and English First Peoples Literary Studies (February through June).

Contacting Your Teacher

We love to meet with students! To make the most of any conversations outside of regular class hours, please email your teacher with as much notice as possible, stating clearly what you would like to talk about and when you are available. If you show up at our office door unannounced, you may be asked to return at a later time. Honour these sessions by coming prepared, having done what is expected of you as a student, and by committing to the course of action that’s recommended to you, for improved learning. 

Course Expectations and Support

As students enter the Graduation Years, they should expect to have to read, think, and write independently outside of instructional hours. How much time really depends on individual aptitude in this subject area, as well as how engaged and productive you are during lessons; how much extra quality time it takes for one to achieve the desired results is another consideration. A task which could/should take an hour to complete might, for a variety of reasons, consume your attention longer. Getting something done well is often several steps beyond merely getting something done. 

See St. George’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Guidelines in the Student Code of Conduct. We do not want to read AI-generated work in English. If you have Grammarly or other invasive writing tools installed in your browser, constantly prompting you to settle for words and thoughts which are not your own, please shut them down when doing any coursework. A good question to ask yourself before you submit anything for assessment is “How much of me (my thinking and my current ability) is genuinely represented in this work?” Another one: “Would I be confident in my ability to do this again with pen and paper?” 

AI slop is boring. We are interested in what you can do, grammatical errors and all.

Assessment and Evaluation

The English Department employs a decaying average method of calculation, with the most recent evidence of learning accounting for 50% of that outcome. 

Here are the 2026/27 English Outcomes with weighting specific to Composition 10:

  • Synthesis and Connection [12.5%]  (Reading, Thinking & Reconciliation) Develop  understanding by making meaningful connections among texts, experiences, and perspectives, as well as engaging thoughtfully with Indigenous ways of knowing.
  • Deconstruction and Analysis [12.5%] -  (Theme, Bias & Indigenous Narrative Structures) Examine how texts, language, and structures create meaning, influence audiences, and reflect particular perspectives.
  • Voice, Style, and Rhetoric [18%] (Writing & Speaking) Use language and rhetorical choices purposefully to create meaning and engage audiences.
  • Structural Organization and Design [18%] (Writing & Representation) Organize ideas and designs compositions purposefully to support meaning, audience, and communication.
  • Oral Delivery and Multimodal Presentation [12.5%] - (Speaking & Listening) Communicate ideas effectively through oral, visual, digital, and multimodal forms.
    • Argumentation and Evidence[12.5%] — (Critical Thinking & Inquiry) Develop and support ideas through purposeful reasoning, evidence, and interpretation.
  • Academic Conventions and Citation [14%] Demonstrate integrity and precision through appropriate academic conventions, documentation, and attribution.

Helpful Links

Resources/Materials 

You’ll need to bring your laptop, charged and ready to go, for every lesson — even though we will often NOT be on screens. 

Bring your student notebook which I will give to you.

We will do a lot of annotation, so pens, pencils, and even highlighters should be part of your regular kit. 

Bring the text and readings we are working on at the time. 

Bring a book for Book Club.

 

Course Summary:

Course Summary
Date Details Due