To each one of you,
First, I know it can be a hassle for you just getting to school every day. If you are thinking, "I GOT to go to school," change one letter and it changes to "I GET to go to school!" There are many people in the world who never have the opportunities you have. I hope you grab every opportunity you can. I am glad YOU are here each day. You are unique and very special. You have so much to offer the world and we are here to try and help you find some of the ways you might want to go. It is so worth it! Your education belongs to YOU and no one can take it away from you. Grab all you can!
Second, YOU are the MOST IMPORTANT people in the building! YOU are the reason we are all here. You're not the most powerful, but the most important. There is a chain of command that we all are tied to. Certainly, there will be times when you don't like it, but that is reality.
Third: I will always like you, even though I may dislike what you do. Tanglewood is a public place, so there may be certain things permitted in your home that may not be appropriate here. What people do in their own home is their choice. Our focus is to provide each of you with a set of tools that will help you succeed in places other than your home. Certain rules are in effect for the good of all, and to help us all work together in an efficient manner. This is not the only place that has rules. The expectation is for you to behave in a way that will allow all others in the class (including yourself) to learn, and the teacher to teach. In my opinion, this is the only rule really necessary in a classroom.
Students who behave in a way that compromises safety, interferes with their own learning, the learning of others, or the teacher’s ability to teach will be given alternate assignments away from the group.
Fourth: GTT involves labs. Labs are learning situations that allow you to experience, experiment, practice, and demonstrate certain skills. Labs involve drawing, designing, engineering, computing, researching, measuring, utilizing tools and materials, and building. Some labs do increase the potential for personal injury. Personal injury is a reality for certain activities and is the consequence for certain actions. I give very few warnings concerning behavior in the labs. If you require a warning* about something, expect a consequence as well. Some behaviors can cause a loss of lab privileges. Some of these responsibilities include following general safety rules & regulations and respecting those having to work around you.
Your level of participation in the GTT labs is determined by your actions.
Fifth: Our mission as middle school teachers is to prepare you for success in high school, and hopefully, have some fun along the way. We want each of you to be successful in high school. We want you to be productive citizens. You need to believe that continuing your education after high school at the college level is a very real option, whether at a community college, technical school, or university.
Frequently Asked Questions...and some answers:
Q: What does a high school diploma do for you? A: A high school diploma opens doors of opportunity for you. There are no guarantees, but many will be opened to you just for having it. It will give you choices!
Q: What does a college degree do for you? A: It opens more doors of opportunity for you. Again, there are no guarantees, but more doors will be opened to you just because you have a degree.
Finally, I want you to know that you can come to any of us if you ever need help with a problem. It's important that you know how to contact your teachers and administrators directly when you are not at school. Do you, and your parents, know how to do this?
My school number is 355-4517. You can call that number anytime night or day.
I wish you have a fantastic year!
Mr. Gardner