HARRISVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOL

ENGLISH

MS ZIMM

 

CLASSROOM RULES AND EXPECTATIONS

 

  1. Courtesy and respect for all people (student/teacher; student/student; teacher/student) are required in both actions and language.  Anything else will not be tolerated.  This includes any behavior that interferes with the primary goal of teaching and/or learning.  As well as the obvious, this includes put-downs, mockery, and crude language and/or gestures or anything else that makes someone feel “less than”.  

    

  1. a.  When the bell rings all students must be seated and ready to begin class.  All necessary materials should be on the desk.  Late students must bring a late  

     pass.  You will be considered late if you are still on your feet. 

            b.  Students must stay in their seats until the bell rings.  Crowding around the door is not acceptable.

 

  1. Students must have with them their binders (including paper), pens, and any assigned books and/or handouts.  Without them, students cannot participate in class. If unpreparedness is a regular occurrence, parents will be notified and the administration will be asked to pursue the matter.  Do not expect to borrow from me or to return to your locker.

 

  1. a.  All homework is to be completed before students enter class.  Students may not come in and finish homework during time that has been allotted for        

           something else, for example, reaction logs.

            b.  Students may not do work for other classes while in English.

 

  1. Students must be actively engaged in work throughout the period.  If time is given in class to begin an assignment, no one may choose to do it later because   

      he or she cannot write, think, or read in a classroom.

 

  1. Students may not copy anyone else’s work or allow their work to be copied.  Copied or plagiarized work will earn a zero for both students.  No second   

      chances will be given.

 

  1. Students should try to use the restrooms between periods or during study hall.  Permission to use the restroom during class will be at my discretion.  Except    

      in the case of an emergency, do not even ask if I am actively teaching.

 

 

HOMEWORK POLICY

 

There are two different types of homework and the policy is different for each type.  Take notice daily of which type of homework has been assigned.

 

1.  Most homework will not be accepted late.  Much of it will be used in the class for which it is assigned and, therefore the student would be writing down what he or she hears in class.  Most homework will be checked for completion at the beginning of class as:

            completely and thoroughly done--        = 95

            carelessly and / or partly done--            =75

            just barely begun--                                =37

            not done--                                              =0

At the end of each five week period, the above will be averaged and the grade will be counted twice.  Occasionally, homework will be unexpectedly collected and graded as a quiz which counts once.  Neither of these will be accepted late.  If the student is absent, the work should be made up, but will not be included in the homework average and the student will not be penalized.  (Note:  do not make the mistake of thinking that since the homework will not be graded every day that it does not matter.  It matters to your homework average; it matters to your participation grade; it matters to how well you understand the material which affects how well you do on quizzes and exams.)

 

2.  Sometimes homework will be assigned to be collected and graded as a quiz, for example, all assignments from Laugh Your Way Through Grammar are given quiz grades.  Informal writing assignments are usually collected and graded.  Any work for which a numerical grade will be recorded will be accepted and graded under the usual late policy.  (See next page for the late policy.)

 

3.  The plans for the day, including the homework assigned for the next day, will be  posted on the back chalkboard every day.  You will be expected to copy it in your agenda.

 

GRADING POLICY

 

            Homework average                 2x each 5-week period

            Participation average                2x each 5-week period

            Unit exams                               2x

            Formal writing assignments       2x

            Laugh                                      1x

            Informal writing assignments     1x

            Quizzes                                    1x

            Pop quizzes                              1x

            Reaction log                             1x

 

I will cross out one (maybe two) 1x grade per 10 week marking period.

I will cross out one (maybe two) homework grade before averaging the homework.

 

 

LATE WORK POLICY

 

Work handed in late, other than daily checked homework which will never be accepted late, will be accepted for three days.  A penalty of 10 points per day will be taken.  Work can be considered late if not handed in during the period in which it is due.

 

Work handed in late due to absence will not be penalized until after an equal number of days has passed and, then, will be penalized according to the above policy.  For example,  if a student is absent on Monday and Tuesday, he or she will have two days in which to hand in the work without penalty; on Friday it would be considered late and , thus, lose 10 points.

 

The same policy applies to making up quizzes and exams missed during an absence or from which you were excused because you were absent the day before or were in band lessons, etc.  Make-ups will not be given during regular class time unless part of the class is devoted to silent work.  Making up quizzes and exams should be done on your time—study halls, before or after school, etc.  Speak to me to make arrangements and mark it in your agenda as a commitment.

 

NOTE:  I DO NOT CONSIDER IT MY RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE THESE ARRANGEMENTS AND CHASE YOU DOWN.  IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO FIND OUT WHAT WORK YOU MISSED WHILE ABSENT AND TO GET THE WORK DONE AND/OR MAKE UP QUIZZES AND EXAMS.  FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN A ZERO BEING GIVEN.

 

 

PARTICIPATION GRADES

 

The student will be graded on participation on a weekly basis on a scale of 1-6 with:  1=50, 2=60, 3=70, 4=80, 5=90, 6=100.  These grades will be averaged every five weeks and will be counted twice.  Grades will be based on the following:

 

6          Come prepared with all materials and supplies with homework done.  Pay

            attention.  Voluntarily answer questions and contribute to discussions.  Take a

             leadership role in group work.  Stay on task.  Take notes.

 

5          Come prepared with all materials and supplies with homework done.  Pay

            attention.  Answer some questions and make some contribution to discussions.  

Willingly participate in group work.  Stay on task.  Usually take notes.

 

4          Come prepared with most materials and supplies with most homework done.  Pay

            attention most of the time.  Unable or unwilling to answer some questions and

            rarely contribute to discussions.  Do only what is necessary to get by in group

work.  Stay on task most of the time.  Sometimes take notes.   

3          Come without  some or any materials and supplies and/or have minimal or no homework done.  Pay attention rarely or only when reminded.  Rarely answer any question and/or contribute to discussions.  Minimal contribution to group work.  Stay on task only with reminders and prodding.  Never take notes.

 

2          No materials or supplies and no homework done.  Pay attention only when forced. 

Never answer questions or contribute to discussions.  Participates in group work

only when forced.  Rarely on task.  Never take notes.

 

1          Present only in body.

 

Disruptions to class will reduce these grades in proportion to how large or frequent a disruptive influence your actions have on you, those near you, your partners in disruption, or the whole class.  Disruptions include:  talking out of turn, asking questions that are off task, conversations with classmates, doing anything to disrupt or interfere with the teaching/learning process.

 

Participation grades will be given on Fridays and will be done orally (if I forget, remind me to do it).  If you disagree with the grade you have been given, you may speak to me about it after class.  Giving these grades is not an exact science, so if you think I have been too harsh one week, the likelihood is that I will be too lenient another.  Do not argue your grade every time.  If you are unhappy with the grade you have been given and that happens often, you should probably examine your behavior rather than my judgment.

 

 

NOTE TAKING POLICY

 

Paper should be on your desk for notes at all times, and you should have your pen in hand throughout the period.  At the end of the period you should put your notes in the appropriate place in your binder.

 

If I say something in class, you are responsible for that information.  I will not say “take notes now.”

 

Everything I put on the board should be recorded. 

 

You must learn to judge what is important and what is not.  Some hints for judging importance are to record information that is repeated, that is given verbal emphasis, that you are questioned about, etc.  All main points should be recorded with enough detail for identification and clarification.  Develop a technique in which the notes visually indicate relative importance.

 

Take notes on my expansions of homework.  If I am spending a great deal of time talking about an answer, I probably want you to have an in-depth understanding.

 

Review notes daily for clarity.  Add to them if they are confusing or incomplete.

 

 

QUESTION/ANSWER POLICY

 

When I am talking, you should be listening.  In addition, you should listen carefully to the questions and answers of your classmates.  You will learn from them as well as from me.

 

Usually you will be at liberty to volunteer to answer a question, but I will also call on students randomly to answer questions.  Be prepared and paying attention.  I won’t wait for you to find your place.

 

 

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

 

You must have a three-ring binder for your work.  This binder should be at least 2 inches, but 2 ˝” or 3” would probably work better.  You will also need approximately 10 subject dividers before the year is done although 3 will be sufficient immediately.  I will check and grade your binders on the second Monday after the beginning of school which should give everyone an opportunity to acquire one.  If there is some reason why you cannot get a binder, speak to me about it.  You must have this.  I will be grading your binders periodically as the year progresses and the grades will count as quizzes.

 

You must put a heading on the top left of every paper you hand in to me.  This should have your full name and the date on the first two lines.

 

You must do all work in pen (preferably black or blue ink) if it is going to be handed in.  I will not grade work done in pencil.