CLASSROOM PROCEDURES:Updated 1/16

IntroductionNot the same as rules. - how particular things should be done on a day-to-day basis. Part of everyday life, for everyone, not just students in a class. How people “do stuff” in a way that helps life for everyone flow more smoothly. Examples: driving, using lines in a store, doing your job well…

1. Less confusion and distraction,2. Less stress, and3. Helps your best emerge - in class, at work, and in society (think long-term, also).Remember: I want - and expect - you to succeed in class, AND in life!

KNOWING AND FOLLOWING PROCEDURES BENEFITS YOU

AND THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU!

Procedures are a tool that helps create an atmosphere where YOU and others can do their

best, whatever that may be…IF they are followed.

Think of those around you, and make the choice that does the

most good for everyone.

A Friendly Reminder,

Of a concept, a principle we’ll be following this year…

YOU, Not me,are responsible for doing the job of being a student. That includes following procedures, asking questions, keeping track of assignments and grades via PowerSchool, meeting deadlines, bringing your papers and materials to class, being ready on time, etc.

Simple Universal Law:

We live in a cause and effect universe, where ALL choices have consequences.

Example:Choice/Cause: “I’ll follow procedures, take notes, and pay attention in class.”

Consequence/Effect: You aren’t a bother to others, and you gain the respect of your peers.

 

Entering The Classroom 1. Please enter quietly, without yelling, drama,

etc.2. Take your assigned seat. Don’t hang at the doors.3. Turn off your cell phone AND put it away. IMMEDIATELY. Do not wait for me to tell you.4. Take out class materials (pencils, notebook, etc.).5. Review the day's agenda or announcements6. Get started on any bell work/warm-up

Class Dismissal 

* I’ll be waiting for the bells before I dismiss you (clear you to leave). Bells don't dismiss class, teachers do. I do. 1. Stay put and working until I officially end the class. Very close to when the bell rings.* Please do not start to pack up your stuff and start talking with your classmates until then!

2. Take all of your stuff with you, including any papers and trash you may have created.

Tardy * School-wide rules apply. Two kinds.* If you are with a teacher or at the office and think you are going to be late, get a late slip.* You - not just your backpack or stuff - need to be seated in the classroom when the tardy bell (third bell) rings.* The office, and I, keep track of tardies. Excessive tardies can get you a detention.

Tardy (cont.)

1. Enter the room without trying to draw attention to yourself.

2. Put any late slip on my cart. 3. Follow regular room-entry procedures.

Being dismissed early

 Authorized through the office. Office will call for you when it's time. Until then - follow regular everyday procedures. When the call comes, quietly pack-up your stuff, leave with as little disruption as possible.

Moving around the room. 1. Stay put. 1. Ask permission before getting up.

2. If we are in a discussion, or taking a test or quiz, please don't ask unless it's an emergency.

Classroom Discussions1. Participate! Orderly and respectful.• What you have to say or ask about a topic is important, and the class needs to hear it.• See #2

2. Keep questions/comments relevant. Example: If we're talking about gravity, don't ask when the next test will be or what the assignment is.

* If you have an off-topic question, write it down and ask later. * Off-topic questions won’t be answered immediately.

Asking a Question Simple, and familiar:

1. Raise your hand and quietly wait for me to acknowledge you. 2. If we are having a more-open discussion, wait your turn.3. Give others a chance to answer, too. 4. Speak in a normal, non-shouting voice.

1. No harm, no foul, no shame.2. But you have to be connected enough (and care enough) to be able to help me find out what specific part or idea you don’t get.

If you don’t understand something:

If you have been talking and/or goofing off, is it any surprise that you might not get what’s being taught?

* DO NOT expect me to stop class and reteach a lesson or significant parts of it to you if you didn’t think it important enough to listen to in the first place.

An example of an UNACCEPTABLE way to approach asking for help:

• “I don’t get it.”• “What part don’t you get?”• “I don’t know. I just don’t get

it.”• “Well, is it what we just talked

about, or the idea just before?”• “I don’t know. I just don’t get

it.”

Working in Groups, Labs and Otherwise 

• I’ll assign groups, four or so people per.• Groups may change throughout the year, so

please don’t complain.• I’ll announce any transitions from regular

class/intro work to group work. Wait!• Except for labs, your assignment/HW

responsibilities for group work are the same as classwork – one paper per person unless otherwise announced.

Working in Groups, Labs and Otherwise

Part II 

• Stay on task. Focus. Discipline yourself.• Follow ALL safety procedures and rules.• No food or water consumed in the lab.• Regular class rules and procedures apply. • Each person in the group needs to hand in

their own paper unless told otherwise.

Make Your Life Easier!!

• Have TWO manila folders for this class, plus your notebook. Keep them with you.

• Label one ‘incoming/from teacher’ (for handouts, returned papers, etc.)

• Label one for ‘outgoing/to teacher’ (for things to turn in)

Assignments/HW (#1) 

* These are announced and written on the board. They may also be posted in advance on PowerSchool.

* You’re responsible for knowing the content of any classwork or assignment. Ask me, use your notes and text, ask classmates

* Certain handouts, worksheets, etc., from drbrucepackard.com

No excuses! Print a copy from the drbrucepackard.com website

Assignments/HW 

* These are announced and written on the board. They may also be posted in advance on PowerSchool.

* You’re responsible for knowing what the assignments are and learning what’s contained in them.

* Ask me, use your notes and text, ask classmates.

Grading• 50% Assessment Tasks (unit tests,

projects, posters, tests of various weights, formal lab reports, pop tests, quizzes…),

AND• 50% Instructional Tasks (daily work,

classwork, homework, less-involved labs or parts of labs, notebook…)

• Assignments are weighted according to content. Harder = heavier weight

• Write name, block, assignment and assignment due-date on your paper.

• Assignments are due the following class period unless otherwise noted/announced. No announcement ? Due next class at check time.

• Present when assigned but no paper, assignment not done at check time? = not done = no credit. CANNOT make this up.

When "check time" is announced, please quietly take out your papers and place them face-up in front of you, to be checked.

DO NOT EVEN TRY to do your work during check time!

Correction and/or collecting papers may follow.

Lab reports are due one week after the lab is completed.

Five school days to make-up work from excused absence.

Grade of zero is entered until work is made up.

This 5-day policy DOES NOT APPLY to assignments not done on time.

Missed quizzes, tests usually are made up during directed studies or after school. YOU must schedule it!!

Retaking Failed Quiz or Test Grades below a 70 on quizzes or tests

can be retaken, and the two grades averaged. Max allowable average = 70

Have five days after grades posted in PowerSchool to schedule retake.

To eliminate confusion: grade-posting date is entered in PowerSchool, in the assignment description area.

Retakes during directed studies or after school. YOU must schedule it with me!!

1. Due one week after lab is completed.2. You’ll be informed of required format. May be

lab-report format or handout from website.3. Charts, graphs, tables of data, etc. can get

group credit, BUT, unless otherwise announced…

4. Each student must pass in their own paper with answers to questions, in those labs with questions.

5. Not doing part of the lab affects your grade.

HW #2B: Lab Reports

HW #3: Headings on Papers. In the upper-left corner, top to bottom,

• Your name,• Class and block number, • Name of assignment and• Due Date – month, day, year

If you don’t follow this format, you lose points.

 HW #4 -Turning In Papers

 Stay seated and settled.

o Place your paper on the desk on the person to your left or right (I’ll tell you which), heading in upper left of stack, quietly, without any disruptions

o That person places theirs on top and continues passing the stack to the left. If you are at a lab bench, make the same kind of pile neatly in the middle of the bench.

o I will come by and pick up the stacks at the end of the rows/etc.

VERY IMPORTANT. AND SERIOUS.

Do your own work. If you are working in a group for classwork, each person is still responsible for turning in a paper, unless I specifically say otherwise.

Regularly, only certain portions of a lab report can carry the names of more than one student.

If you copy someone’s work, or someone else does it and you put your name on it, it is cheating. Most teachers (myself included) can tell most times when copying has occurred.

If you copy answers, use a cheat-sheet or look at someone else’s paper while taking a quiz or test…cheating.

Cheaters get a zero and the administration is informed.

CLASSROOM PROCEDURES 

Taking Notes, Part One• You are required to take notes and keep a

notebook. • Notebooks will be collected and graded.• You are required to use the Cornell note-

taking system. Effective and easy to use. • Cornell System materials, info also available

at my website, drbrucepackard.com

•Notebook must be specific for this class. Only this subject.

•Have back-up paper – notebooks not always passed back immediately. Still need to take notes.

•Only either a narrow (1-1 1/2 ") 3-ring, pocketed folder, spiral notebook, or the regular B&W comp. book allowed.

* If using a folder keep the newest pages on top.

• No huge, thick 3-ring binders, please.

Taking Notes, Part Two

• Make sure your name and class block number are in the notebook.

• Notebooks may be collected without notice, so keep them up-to-date.

* If you miss a day, you are responsible for getting the notes and bringing yourself up to speed..

Taking Notes, Part Three

CLASSROOM PROCEDURESExtra Credit

This question usually comes up at end of quarter or semester, or after a student receives a failing grade.

1.“Extra credit” NOT available, except as in #4.2. Remember, I don’t “give you” a grade.

Grade is what you earn.3. Extra points are in the grading system I use.4. If you keep up with your work, probably

won’t be issue.

CLASSROOM PROCEDURESGetting Help

*** There is nothing abnormal or weird about asking for help! I want you to understand the material, and am here to help!

• After-school tutoring is available.• Monday and Wednesday, 230-330, in the library.

• This is not a reteaching time for students who don’t pay attention during class.

• Come prepared with questions !

CLASSROOM PROCEDURES 

My pencil broke!! 

1. Be prepared and proactive - have backup. Bring more than one pencil, and get yourself a sharpener.

2. If that doesn't work - Quietly hold up your pencil and wait for me to acknowledge you.

3. Get my OK signal, then sharpen it, without drama.

Bathroom Privileges 

1. ONLY if an emergency!2. Raise three fingers (not one, not two) and wait to be acknowledged3. Sign yourself out, and pick up the pass.4. When you return, sign yourself back in and put the pass back.* Use the correct times for out and back.** No bathroom privileges within 20 minutes of class starting or ending. Plan accordingly.*** Habitual use (more than 1X/wk) temporary loss of privilege

When the phone rings…

• No need to scream and yell.• If it looks like I haven’t heard it…1. Raise your hand and get my attention.2. I'll get to the phone.

** I may ask one of you to answer it.** If so, say this: "Dr. Packard's class. This is ______. How can I help?"** If you don't understand what the reply is, politely ask them to repeat what they said. Then tell me.

CLASSROOM PROCEDURES 

When I want your attention... I will... 1. Stand in front of the class,2. Raise my hand, and3. Wait for the class to get quiet.

CLASSROOM PROCEDURES 

When you've finished today's work... 1. First priority is other work for this class - quiz or test study, missing work, etc.* If there's a scheduled quiz or test within the week, study for that, not other classes.

2. If that's done, you may work on assignments for other classes. Ask.

CLASSROOM PROCEDURES 

If There's A Substitute •All regular procedures are followed.

•I always ask the sub to keep record of everything that happens during class.

* If the sub leaves your name as being disruptive or breaking rules, you'll be written up.

CLASSROOM PROCEDURES 

If I have to step out of the room… • All regular rules and procedures are followed.

•Stay on task.

•Behave the way you are supposed to.

CLASSROOM PROCEDURES 

Wrap-Up * Please remember (and this is important!!):• I have high expectations of you!• Everything we cover this year - it's all do-able and learn-able.• I believe each and every one of you has great potential to succeed.• You can succeed in class - and have a great year - if you make the right choices and do the work you are responsible for.* You are starting this year with a clean slate!