Ms.Owens’s Classroom Expectations, Rules, Procedures and Consequences

 

The expectations, rules, procedures and consequences of my classroom are intended to keep the classroom environment safe, orderly, and productive.  Please respect the rules so that we can maximize learning time together.  The rules are not hard to follow, nor are any of them “out of the   ordinary.”  They are simply expected behaviors for high school students in this classroom.  If you have any questions about any of these rules, or why they are in place, you have the right to find out – please ask me as soon as possible.  There should never be a rule that does not have a purpose! 

Thank you for your cooperation! 

CLASS EXPECTATIONS

 

1.      Respect yourself, the teacher & others

·         Show respect for the teacher, yourself and others at all times.

·         Respect others’ property.  Avoid touching or writing on anything that does not belong to you (including desks, textbooks, teacher’s belongings, walls, chalkboard, etc.). Don’t expect that others will clean-up your messes. Please pick-up after yourself. 

·         Respect yourself and the rest of us by using appropriate language and wearing appropriate clothing.

·         Be a kind person.

 

2.      Put forth your best effort at all times

·         Always do your own best work.

·         Put learning ahead of getting good grades. 

·         Put quality ahead of just getting it done.

 

3.      Be prepared for class each day

·         Come prepared with all materials necessary:

§         An organized class binder containing all necessary materials and handouts

§         Looseleaf paper, pens (blue or black), and pencils

§         A red or purple pen for grading in class or underlining important elements in note taking

§         Highlighters for emphasizing important text

§         A planner to help keep you organized – the most successful students are organized.

 

4.      Follow directions when given

·         When directions are given, do your best to follow them the first time.  If you are confused or have questions, ask.  I would rather have you stop class to clarify than be off task while everyone else is working.

 

5.      Pay attention, participate and ask questions

·         Engage in what is going on in the classroom.  If you have a question, ask it!  Otherwise, I might not know until the test that you did not understand something.  There are no stupid questions, and chances are, if you are wondering about it, someone else in the class is to.  Be proactive about your learning and don’t be afraid to ask for help.  If you feel most comfortable waiting until after class, that is okay, too, but do keep communication open between us.

 

6.      Preserve a positive learning environment

·         Student actions that interfere with teaching or learning in the classroom will NOT be tolerated. 

·         Use class time to learn history/government.  Please do not spend your time grooming, sleeping, talking, writing notes, playing cards, listening to you Ipod, text-messaging friends, or doing work for other classes.

·         Minimize classroom interruptions by arriving to class on time and not leaving the classroom during the hour.

 

7.      Take responsibility for your actions

·         If you are confronted about a rule infraction, own up to it.  Don’t deny it, lie about it, or blame someone else.

·         Take responsibility for missed assignments.

·         All handbook rules will be enforced.  Please read your handbook.  Students that choose to break these rules, choose to have points taken away from their learning readiness grade, and face the possibility of additional consequences.

 

CLASS RULES

 

1.      Turn off cell phones & electronic devices

·         Electronic devices (CD players, Ipods, handheld games, mini-TVs or personal DVD players, cell phones, pagers, etc.) are NOT permitted in my classroom.

·         Cell Phones should be turned off and invisible during the class period.If I see or hear your phone it will be taken away and given to an administrator. Refusal to turn over the cell phone will be treated as insubordinate behavior.

 

2.      No food or drink, except water

·         You may drink bottled of water in the classroom. If a spill occurs, please clean it up immediately and inform the teacher.

·         No other food or beverage is permitted without a doctor’s note.

 

3.      Arrive to class on time & ready to learn

·         When the bell rings, you need to be sitting in your assigned seat. 

·         You should immediately begin on the warm up activity or journal entry.

·         Be “physically” and “mentally” present in the classroom

 

4.      Never line up at the door before dismissal

·         Please remain in your seat until I have dismissed you.  Never line up at the door before dismissal.  Remember, I dismiss you, not the bell.

 

5.      Do not cheat, plagiarize, or copy work

·         Cheating is completely unacceptable.  If I see you cheating on any assignment… even for another class… I will give you a zero and report the incident to the other teacher as well as your assistant principal and parents. 

·         Plagiarism (copying work from another source without giving proper credit) is completely unacceptable.  If you plagiarize on any assignment you will earn a “0” on that assignment with no opportunity to re-do the work for credit. 

 

6.      Use polite and appropriate language

·         Offensive, derogatory, and profane terms are not tolerated.  In order to have a safe classroom environment where all students feel comfortable, no put downs, swear words, or slang words with demeaning connotations will be accepted. Remember, if you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say it at all!

 

7.      Do your best work & turn it in on time

·         Remember that the work that you turn-in is a reflection of your effort on the assignment.  Think about the following expectations when you are preparing an assignment that I will review:

§         Write your full name and hour on all assignments.

§         All work must be neatly done and legible in order to receive credit. If you print, capitalize properly (do not write using all capital letters).

§         Never turn any assignments in with the “fringes” from spiral notebooks on the paper or you will earn a “0” for that assignment. 

 

CLASS PROCEDURES

 

1.      Turn in homework to the proper bin

·         Homework is due at the beginning of the hour when you come to class.  I will not accept work completed once class begins. Turn in your homework to your hour bin.  Turn absent/late work into the absent/late work bin.  I reserve the right to not accept late work without a coupon, but you should turn it in anyway.

 

2.      Complete absent form for study buddy

·         If your study buddy is absent, get a study buddy form to fill out.  Please sign it and get my signature before the end of class.  Compile any worksheets given out that day with your study buddy form and put it in the “Absent Work Pick Up Bin” for your hour.  Do not take the work home with you to give your buddy in class the next day.

 

3.      Sign the tardy book & put pass in box

·         If you are tardy, I follow the tardy policy outlined in your student handbook. 

·         You are expected to sign in if you arrive to class after the bell has rung and sign out if you leave class before the end of the hour.  Be sure to note on the sign in sheet whether you have a pass.  If you do, leave it in the tardy pass box.

·         Excessive tardies will affect your learning readiness grade and have other consequences, such as detentions, etc

 

4.      Pick up after yourself before you leave

·         Take all of your belongings, pick up any scrap papers around you, and put your desk back in line before you leave each day.

 

5.     Get missed work from absent bin, talk to your study buddy, then ask the teacher

·         Attendance is essential for optimal learning.  Being on time and present and class physically and mentally will be part of your overall grade.  You may not be excused form my class by another teacher without first seeking my permission.

·         If you are absent, it is your responsibility to obtain any missed classwork.  Begin by looking for missed handouts in the ABSENT bin pertaining to your class hour.  Then ask another student (your study buddy) what you missed.  Follow-up with the teacher if necessary. 

·         Make arrangements to take quizzes and tests immediately.  It is your responsibility to make these arrangements, I will not and cannot track you down.  If you do not make-up quizzes in a timely manner (before graded quizzes are returned to the students who were present), you will earn a “zero” on the quiz or test. 

CLASS CONSEQUENCES

 

1.      Verbal warning

 

2.      Call home

 

3.      Detention

 

4.      Referral to assistant principal

* Serious offenses can, at the teacher’s discretion, result in more severe consequences regardless of previous steps taken.  Any infraction of the rules may affect your learning readiness grade.  It can also be cause for further action at the teacher’s discretion.