Class Preparation and Expectations
Classroom Rules:
Be prepared for class (see below for description and materials).
Be respectful of our learning community.
Quality learning time is my top priority (if outside, classroom behavior is still expected). My time and your classmates' time is valuable.
If I must give a warning about behavior, participation points will be lost for that day.
If we must speak after class due to behavior, detention will be given and contact home made.
No eating or gum allowed - unless part of the lesson and/or furnished by the teacher.
I have a sensitivity to fuzzy-textured, acrylic fiber clothing which can impede breathing. Please avoid wearing acrylic clothing in my room. If you do wear acrylic, be prepared to remove items such as hats or coats or to be asked to change into a T-shirt for the duration of our class.
Preparation:
Be on time (in seat when bell rings.
Have class materials with you, including student planner.
Be prepared for the weather (i.e., full participation in what you are wearing, and no whining!).this article
Social Contracts:
My classroom rules are basic because we are governed by a Social Contract - a set of agreements we each have a hand in creating that defines how students want to be treated, will treat each other, treat the teacher, and how we will function in the face of conflict. Social Contracts are posted inside our classroom.
Course Syllabus:
Although you and your student were given a written copy of my syllabus for their grade level when the school year began, you may also find a copy here: 7th Grade Integrated Science Syllabus, 8th Grade Integrated Science Syllabus.
Materials:
Students will need to come to class each day with their AVID binder. It must contain, for my class purposes: 1 composition notebook, Cornell Notes paper (or college-ruled pages students set up this way), tabbed dividers, pencils, blue/black pens, one colored pen (red, green, purple - not yellow or orange or a color hard to see - for correcting), a highlighter, student planner, and any projects or homework assigned. Textbooks will be checked out from the library as needed. 7th & 8th grade will utilize the same textbook series and will be assigned books for each subject area. Time will be given for students to check out books in class - however, if they miss that class period it is their responsibility to follow through by returning or checking out the appropriate book on their own time, before or after school or during lunch.
We will go outside in my classes – not in every class, but in any class, at any time.
We cannot fully engage in learning about life on our planet if we don't get out in it!
Therefore, preparation looks like being dressed in closed-toed shoes (on lab days, as per school policy) and prepared for the weather of the day, every day.
If the way students are dressed prevents full and meaningful participation or leads to complaint or distraction, they will lose participation points for that day.
Participation for class also looks like being prepared with the materials needed for class outlined in your course syllabus, i.e., Science Binder, lab notebook, student planner, pencils and pens. It is also helpful to have a calculator.
Technology:
We utilize technology in our classroom! Students will get to work and play with collaborative documents, graphs, tables, charts, websites, search engines, simulators, presentations, video editors, and more!
Students are required to have a class gmail address, specifically formatted for professional use (firstname.lastname@gmail.com).
Phones and iPods will be utilized, according to classroom use agreements. Devices being used without permission, at inappropriate times or in ways that do not support learning or are against our Acceptable Use Policy will be confiscated according to school policy.
Click here to visit the website for the Cyber-Enabled Learning project in which I have been taking part this past year.
A great paper about Experiential Learning can be found here, if you're interested in more insight into this methodology.
Please read this articleabout our students' familiarity with technology and how to help them use it as tools, not just toys.
Check out this article if you're looking to understand the value in using games, play & gaming in education.
Vandalism:
Students may not realize that doodling on tables or walls, picking at labels on tables or wall displays - these little things add up - over 150 students and 7 periods a day - to vandalism. These tiny things add up to big time and money waste for me. If you choose to disturb my classroom displays, you risk a warning, detention, dropping a full letter citizenship grade, or a referral to Mr. Post or Donaldson, depending on the circumstances.
