Over the course of the year, my goals are to help you become more well-rounded individuals and to prepare you for your high school years and beyond. Throughout the year, you will develop your reading and writing skills. You will be challenged to think critically and to reflect on your thought processes as well as the thoughts and ideas of others. Though this course is framed around your textbook and the MN State Language Arts Standards, you will hopefully learn a few things about life, too.
General Guidelines and Expectations:
1. Come prepared for class every single day. This means that you must bring a pen or pencil, binder with paper, books, charged device, homework, etc. This also means that you are in your seat, quiet, and ready to start class when the bell rings, or you may be marked tardy.
2. The first 10-15 minutes of each class period will be structured differently each day. It is your responsibility to look at the board and QUIETLY start the activity for the day when the bell rings. If you finish early, you may read a book or do other homework quietly. This is also an ideal time to see me if you have questions or were absent
3. Please be respectful of others and act with integrity. In this class, there will be a lot of sharing and discussion. Please strive every day to be mindful of your words; if you feel that something may not be appropriate or could hurt someone’s feelings, please keep it to yourself. No one should be afraid to speak up in this class. Please treat the property of others with respect.
4. I expect that you put forth your best efforts, and I will reward you with a fitting grade. You are in charge of your education. This means that you need to participate when you can, ask questions in class if there is something you do not understand, know how to check your grades and missing assignments, and follow up with someone when you are absent. Any questions… just ask :)
5. This is an English class, so you are expected to follow the “rules” on your assignments (grammar, mechanics, spelling). *Exception: rough drafts or quick writes.
6. Cell phones and hats- I should not see these... Multiple offenses may result in a visit to the office. If I see it out, it is mine until the end of the day. You’ve been warned.
7. Most importantly… It doesn’t matter who you were before you came to my room- what matters to me is what you do from this point forward. You have a clean slate… what you do with it is your choice.
Hall Passes: Students should plan to use the facilities before or after class. If you check in to use the bathroom before the bell rings, I will not mark you tardy. You cannot learn if you are in the bathroom or hallway, so passes will be granted sparingly. No hall passes right after lunch (4th hour). Please ask to use passes during an appropriate time… not when I am teaching.
Grading: Please do yourself a favor and check your grades at least weekly. If there is a discrepancy with my grade book, take care of it right away.
Infinite Campus Info: District ID: ZTRRHZ ID: Student # PW: initials+6 digit birthday
|
Grading Scale:
|
Semester Grades:
|
|
90-100% = A
|
Q1 = 50%
|
|
80-89% = B
|
Q2 = 50%
|
|
70-79% = C
|
|
|
60-69% = D
|
|
Absent Work: It is your responsibility to find out what you’ve missed when you are absent. Please check the binders, Google Classroom, and with your classmates for absent work. You may come to me with questions or for clarifications. Per district policy, you are allowed the number of days you were gone plus one day to turn in any absent work for full credit. Please write “absent” and the date you turn it in on the top of your paper when you turn in make-up work to receive full credit.
Missing Work: If there is an “M” in the grade book, it means that the assignment is missing which is the equivalent of a zero. If you cannot find the assignment in your personal binder (it is good practice to save your work until the end of the quarter as I am human and make mistakes, too), check the no-name board. If you still cannot find it, consider re-doing it for partial credit.
Late Work: I expect that your work will be turned in when it is due, but I also understand that life happens sometimes. If there is something very life-changing going on in your life and you need more time to complete your work, please let me know. On the rare occasion that you need to turn something in late, write “late” and the date at the top of your paper and put it in the drawer. I typically grade late work once a week or two.
Up to one week late - 50% credit minus deductions for errors
Over one week late - one point
Cheating: The first occurrence will result in a zero on the assignment. Any additional occurrences may result in a visit to the office and may result in failing the semester.
Supplies – Each student will be required to keep a 1” three-ring binder with reinforced filler paper specifically for this class. You also need a novel every day. Please bring this by the second week of school.
Other Misc. Items: a.) Please do not store your belongings in my classroom. It gets too crowded, and things get abused unintentionally by other classes b.) Please pick up after yourselves at the end of each hour, and do not stand by the door to leave. c.) If you need special accommodations to help you learn in this class, please let me know as soon as you can:) My job is to help you be successful! Let’s make it a great year!!
Go Tigers!!!
