Welcome to English

1. Welcome to English Mrs. Paget 2010-2011

2. I teach students. • In my classroom, students come first. English is important, but students are more important. I am far more concerned with you learning the material than I am about covering X amount of things by the end of the year.

3. You are the reason I’m here. • Don’t perceive me as a teacher who is out to get you. • I’m a teacher who wants more than anything for you to be successful.

4. Classroom Rules • Respect others • Say and do KIND things to your classmates and teacher. Put downs, sass, and any other form of disrespect will not be tolerated.

5. Be responsible • Come to class with pen, notebook, textbook, assignments, AR book, and any other materials that I may specify. If you have to return to your locker to retrieve one of these items, you will be counted as tardy. After 3 tardies, expect a 1/2 hour detention. Also, 3 tardies = unexcused absence. • You should be in the classroom when the bell rings.

6. Keep it school appropriate • Your conduct in this classroom will remain school appropriate at all times. You will not use profanity or any inappropriate language or gestures. • This also applies to school work.

7. Use common sense • All rules that are in your handbook also apply in this classroom.

8. Ask questions • Ask questions when you do not understand.

9. Consequences • If you choose to make a problem, I will do something about it. • I sometimes give warnings. Some common punishments that I give are detentions, writing letters home, isolated lunch (4th hour), or going to the principal’s office.

10. Grading Scale and Weights • I use the school board approved grading scale for our district. • Your grade will be weighted according to the following percentages. • Quizzes, tests, projects, papers 40% • Daily work 40% • Participation 10% • AR 10% • Comprehensive Final 10% of semester grade

11. Participation Points • I will award participation points on days when your participation will determine your grade. In order to receive participation points, you must actively participate in whatever class activity we are doing that day. Participation points are all or nothing.

12. Assignment Collection • Turn assignments in on time. • Turn past due assignments in the next day for 10% off of the final grade (not later that day). • If you try to turn in assignments after that, you will receive 50% off unless you have made other arrangements with me. • Retrieve graded and recorded assignments from the “recorded” trays.

13. Extra Credit • Students are only eligible to receive extra credit assignments and points if they have completed all assignments from that quarter.

14. Absences • You are responsible for getting assignments if you miss class. • I will not hunt you down!

15. Laptop Use • When I say lids closed, close the lid of the laptop. • No earphones when I am talking to you. • No earphones during AR reading. • No email or messaging unless I say otherwise. • Use your jump drive for saving. • No games, dvds, or other entertainment, even if you are finished with your assignment • Only use the Internet for school related assignments.

16. Laptop Consequences • Mr. Labertew or I will determine the consequence in accordance with the severity of the offense. • Some possibilities: detention, loss of laptop for a determined amount of time, office referral • If you are caught with entertainment media (games, dvds, etc), I will take it until the end of the year.

17. Planners (7th & 8th grade) • Use your planners everyday. • Write down assignments and due dates. • Check off submitted assignments.

18. Reminders • I need someone to remind me to take roll on the computer every hour. Volunteer? • 1st hour - We need to say the Pledge of Allegiance every morning. Remind me if I forget.

19. Bathroom Breaks • Try to use the restroom between classes. • I will only allow one student to leave the room for restroom/drink breaks at a time. • Detours will result in consequences. • Only ask if you really have to go.

20. AR AR is worth 10% of your quarter grade. • Your STAR test result will determine the number of points you will need each nine weeks, and the level of books you should be reading. • Look on the spine of the book to determine the book level and how many points it is worth. • Points are rewarded according to student performance on AR tests. • When you finish a book, take an AR test. • Students are rewarded for AR points each nine weeks at the AR store and at the end of the year with the AR trip.

21. Teenbiz • Students will do at least one teenbiz activity each week. • Teenbiz is graded randomly. Not all activities will make it into the gradebook. However, students will not know when grades for teenbiz will be entered.

22. Top 10 recommendations to survive Mrs. Paget’s class • Get your water before the bell rings. • Always use the pass and sign out when leaving the room. Ask first! • Put your name and date on assignments. • Don’t be rude. If I’m talking to you, or if we are having a class discussion, ask to get up to sharpen your pencil, blow your nose, etc. If we are having quiet work time, you do not have to ask.

23. Top 10 recommendations to survive cont. • 5. If I give you class time to work, use it. If you abuse it, I’ll abuse your time out of school. • 6. Discuss issues with me in a respectful manner. I make mistakes, you make mistakes, and so do your classmates. If there is a problem, pull me aside, ask to talk to me in the hall or come see me after school. Don’t make a scene in class!

24. Top 10 recommendations to survive cont. 7. If you need to leave the classroom, expect to tell me exactly why. No detours! • Please remain seated. I don’t like wandering students. • No bathroom breaks during quizzes or tests.

25. Top 10 recommendations to survive cont. • Make sure you have my attention. I am not good at multitasking. If you are trying to talk to me, and I am busy, make sure that my mind is with you. I tend to concentrate heavily on the task at hand, and not pay “real” attention to others who are talking to me. I apologize for this in advance. I need for you to be forthright with me to make sure you get my full attention.

26. Have a great year! • I believe that success comes to those who take ownership of their goals and actions. If you want to do well in English, decide that you are going to do well, and then act on that decision. Grades don’t just happen to you. Your actions and abilities determine your grade. Don’t let life happen to you; make life happen for you.