As Aeschylus, an Ancient Greek playwright says, "Time, as it grows old, teaches all things." This is very true. This page is and will always be changing as time goes on. What works for one group of students might not work for all groups of students.
As Aeschylus, an Ancient Greek playwright says, "Time, as it grows old, teaches all things." This is very true. This page is and will always be changing as time goes on. What works for one group of students might not work for all groups of students.
My classroom will always have three basic rules:
Be respectful (to yourself, your peers, your teacher, your supplies both borrowed and owned, your space, and your environment)
Do your work in class (More often than not, if you finish your work in class, you will not have to complete it outside of class)
HAVE FUN!!!!!! (Having the opportunity to have free, public education is an amazing privilege that you have; take advantage of it)
Each class will have one additional rule of their choosing, and they as a group, will develop that rule on the first day of classes. To test out the classes' communication skills, I will have them debate what they think the rule specific to their class should be. This helps to teach them good debate and compromise. That also will give them more pride in what they produce rather than just randomly producing a list; they as a class decided that rule.
As the year progresses, if more rules need to be added, they will be.
When it comes to late work, I have a rather non-typical policy. Students should be open with their loved ones at home about school and their work. A student is able to turn in an assignment one day late with a parent/guardian note with a signature. Beyond that date even with a signature or without a signature the grading system that will be used is listed below:
One Day Late= highest grade of a 90%
Two Days Late= highest grade of an 80%
Three Days Late= highest grade of a 70%
Four Days Late= highest grade of a 60%
Five to Ten Days Late= highest grade of a 50%
Late work will not be accepted beyond two school weeks (10 days)
As a teacher who had a difficult student experience with life situations, I am willing to make reasonable extensions for student assignments (in exception of any mid-term or final) ONLY if the student reaches out before the assignment is due.
I strive for everyone to feel comfortable in the classroom and for it to provide prime ability to learn for all. Because of this, my classroom, if space permits, will have an arched seating pattern pointing towards the front center of the room. This provides everyone a direct eyeshot of the board and the instructor. With this layout in mind, the corners will be free for space in which (again if space permits) will hold a comfortable reading chair or two; these provide areas of flexible seating for students who find typical classroom desks/chairs not ideal for their learning. I am also open to other ideas for flexible seating as long as it is for the better education of the student and does not become a distraction to the other students involved.
When it comes to technology, I believe in one simple saying: "Use it, but do not abuse it." In this age of technology, we are able to learn almost anything with one click of a button, and we should use it. There are, however, some limitations that should be in place. When using technology for research, it must be given proper credit. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an amazing tool that can and should be used to assist, but it should not replace students' work. Technology is a tool to assist not to replace. To help prevent this, all preparation work for written assignments will be done in class on paper, to show student thought and organization. I encourage the use of technology when it will benefit the student's learning, including but not limited to audio books or e-books. If you are unsure about a specific piece of technology, please do not hesitate to ask; I will make sure I do research and see what its usability is in my classroom!
I also believe in the power that technology brings in assisting exceptional students when it works for them. Technology has come a long way with speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and live-transcription technology for those who may need a little bit more help; additionally, it can allow for even further learning in more advanced ways for our gifted students. I highly encourage students to use technology when it comes to their various learning needs.