Author: Mr. Kertes

Dear Parents/Guardians (Eng 9, EFP 11, EFP 12):

I am Mr. Kertes and I teach English 9, English First Peoples 11, and English First Peoples 12 this term at CHSS.

At the start of each term I invite families to attend an informal (optional) “meet and greet” or open house in my classroom (room 308 at CHSS).

Please feel free to stop by to ask any questions or to learn more about your child’s upcoming course.Many families use this time to let me know about supports your child needs or questions your child has about the course.

• Who: Families/students in any Mr. Kertes class this term
• What: Informal (drop-in) meet and great (open house)
• Where: Room 308 at CHSS
• When: Wednesday February 5th:
  • 4:00-5:00 PM (drop-in, no need to RSVP) OR
  • 6:30-8:30 PM (drop-in, no need to RSVP)

If you cannot attend but would like to speak with me, please text me at 778-884-5343 and we can set up a time to talk by phone or in person on another day. Text is the best way to reach me. Please let me know if you have any questions or ways I can support your child’s learning at school. Text is usually best or you can send an email. Feel free to do this at anytime during the semester.

Mr. Kertes
English Teacher

778-884-5343
tomkertes@sd52.bc.ca

1. We started the short story “Midnights” (Rowell). We will finish this at the end of the term.
2. We discussed the course theme “power of love” and how this theme will connect to these texts:
   • “Romeo and Juliet” (Shakespeare)
   • “The Great Gatsby” (Fitzgerald)
   • “Measure for Measure” (Shakespeare)
   • “I Have a Dream” (King)
   • “Animal Farm” (Orwell)
3. We discussed “Lover” (Swift) and how the concept of love, romance, friendship, power, joy, grief, freedom connected to the song and to this course.
4. We read the short story “My Temporary Santa” (Levithan). We discussed:
   • Whether the 12 year character’s use of foul language was realistic.
   • Whether the mom and dad were divorced or if the dad had died.
   • How Levithan slowly let more and more of the story out. Why did he do this?
   • Why the main character (Connor’s boyfriend) as so naive.
5. We started the novel “The Great Gatsby” (Fitzgerald). We will listen/read this novel for the first month and will watch parts of the 1974 film and 2013 film versions of the novel. We discussed:
   • How the story was written over a 100 years ago and how this fits into the overall timeline of the texts for this course.
   • The theme of love, greed, freedom, power, and control.
   • Whether the narrator (Nick) is in love with Jay or not, how this is put “in between the lines,” and why the author would write it that way.
6. The first essay will compare “The Great Gatsby” (Fitzgerald) to “Romeo and Juliet” (Shakespeare).
7. We went over the rules. The main ones are:
   • Fake it until you make it
   • Ask for help
   • You belong here – attend and you learn and you will get support (attendance is important because almost all of the work is done during class time, there is almost no homework)
   • Respect others
   • Use the hall pass
   • No devices, no AI, all work is done in-class, all work is done using paper/pencil (not computer or phone)