Classroom Policies, Procedures, Behavioral Expectations and Discipline Policy
Mr. Porter
English 9/Acc. English 9
Boise School District Expectations of respect, dignity, honesty, responsibility and teamwork are the policy foundations of the procedures, expectations, and discipline in Room 200. If these are unfamiliar to you, please refer to your agenda for further clarification.
Policies
Tardiness: It is expected that you arrive in class prepared prior to the ringing of the tardy bell. If you receive four tardies, your parents will be notified. If you receive five tardies, your parents will be notified and you will have a conference with the Vice Principal. If you receive six tardies, you will be assigned Saturday School and run the risk of losing credit in the class. Since credits for this course are required for graduation, it behooves you to be in the classroom and working quietly when the tardy bell rings. Should you arrive late to class, sign the Tardy Sign-In sheet by the door and take your seat without disturbing the class.
Late Work: All work not turned in on the specified due date AND at the specified time will be considered late and will be worth 50% of the original point value. If your assignment is not complete and ready to be turned in (in final copy form with the proper heading) it will be considered late. After the week of study is completed, your grade will be recorded as a “0.” In other words, you have until Friday to turn in any late work for that week for half credit. All work should be turned in to the proper compartment in the rear of the room, or handed directly to me, not placed on my desk unless I tell you to put it there.
Missed Work/Absences: If you miss class because of an illness, you will have two days for every day’s absence to make up the work; for example, if you were absent for Monday’s assigned homework, the assignment would be due on Wednesday. Assignments that are due on the day you are absent are due immediately upon your return. When you return from an absence, please speak with Mr. Porter at a convenient time, once the class has started and your peers are working quietly. Any needed worksheets will be in the compartment labeled “Handouts/Assignments” in the cabinet at the rear of the room; make sure you take only the worksheets for YOUR class period. Because I do not have the capability of re-teaching the missed lesson to you during class time, please see me before school, during break, at lunch, or after school if you have questions about your assignment.
Turning in Work and Late Work: I collect work personally, and 99% of the time, you will simply hand your papers directly to me; the other 1% of the time, I’ll let you know what to do. All work and late work should be handed directly to me, NOT placed on my desk, in the baskets around the room, or in the myriad random “black holes” that exist in 9th grade classrooms.
Final Copy Form: It is expected that all written assignments (excluding your Writer’s Notebook) turned in for correction are in final copy form. This means black or blue ink on college ruled paper. No spiral notebook paper is allowed as a final copy form. If your paper is not in final copy form, it will not be accepted and will be considered late. M.L.A. format for the heading of your papers is required in the Boise School District. Your name, date, class, and period are to be placed in the upper left hand corner of your paper.
Your paper should reflect your best work; therefore, if there are obvious spelling errors (their, there, they’re, too, to, two, college, etc.), punctuation errors, or other signs that your paper has not received your best attention, it will be immediately handed back to you and receive a late penalty.
Lockers: See your team leader for instructions regarding locker use. If you forget something in your locker, find a convenient time to ask me for a pass and I’ll send you to it; students who habitually come to class unprepared will receive a disciplinary referral.
Passes: Every student who leaves class is expected to sign out on the “Classroom Sign-In/Sign Out” sheet placed by the door. It is in your best interest to be diligent in this practice, as students who fail to record their comings and goings are open to suspicion, should something happen while they’re out.
Procedures
Tardy Sign-In Sheet: Near the door to the classroom is a clipboard, which has the Tardy Sign-In sheet on it. If you are tardy, please sign in before quietly taking your seat.
Grades: Grades are posted approximately once a week on the cork board at the side of the classroom; additionally, they are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from the N.J.H. website.
Writer’s Notebooks: Later this week, you will receive a Writer’s Notebook from Mr. Porter, which you MUST bring to class EVERY DAY. You receive participation points for bringing this item to class, so don’t forget it. The first copy of your Writer’s Notebook is a gift from me; lose it, and you’ll owe me $2.00 for another.
Assessing Written Work: I assess work differently for each assignment. Sometimes I’ll read an entire piece and give a grade that reflects your overall ability to communicate effectively; often, you’ll grade each other’s work; on first drafts, I’ll often pick a specific page and focus only on improving this page, leaving the rest up to you; sometimes, I’ll grade just one aspect of an assignment, such as sentence fluency, use of quotations, etc.—rest assured that for each assignment, I will indicate my grading criteria before assigning the work.
Daily Agenda: Appears on the board.
Additional Supplies: Extra supplies are kept on the table at the rear of the classroom. These are for you. If you have forgotten your pencil or pen, need a paperclip, staple or hole punch, you may quietly go to this location and take what you need. It is expected that you do this before the tardy rings and that what is taken is returned.
Alternative Seating: Please remain in your assigned seat until allowed to move.
Rules for Behavior
Entering the Classroom: Socializing is for the hallways—come to this classroom with your Writer’s Notebook, binder, agenda, and something to write with. Proceed quietly and immediately to your seat. Once seated, fill out the ENTIRE agenda for the day. When the tardy bell rings, it is expected that all students are quiet and on task.
Your Desk: Each day when the tardy bell rings, your desk should support ONLY the following items, unless otherwise indicated:
1. Your Agenda, which you’ll be filling out EXACTLY as it appears on the board
2. Your Writer’s Notebook.
3. Your writing utensil, which will be in your hand.
4. Your homework from the previous day, which will be finished and ready to turn in.
ALL OTHER FOLDERS, BINDERS, ETC. SHOULD BE PLACED BENEATH YOUR DESK!
YOU MAY NOT BRING FOOD, CANDY, OR DRINKS (OTHER THAN WATER) INTO THIS ROOM.
GUM IS FINE, AS LONG AS I DON’T FIND IT SOMEWHERE GROSS.
Respect: It is expected that you treat everything and everyone in this classroom with respect. It is not expected that you like everyone in room 200, but you will treat each person in the room with dignity and tolerance. Please remember that everyone’s insight is needed and appreciated in English 9; speaking over a classmate or the teacher is not allowed.
Language: It is important to understand that there is a time and a place for everything; language used on television, at home, or with friends at a party is not the same as language used in a classroom; additionally, there are some words that are simply hurtful to everyone, and must be treated accordingly. Nobody can tell you precisely what you can and cannot say; my expectation is simply that you avoid using words in a manner that might hurt or offend others…when in doubt, please error on the side of caution. My personal pet peeves are the words “gay” and “retarded”…I realize that in our society many people use these words without meaning anything hurtful by them; I however, will not tolerate the use of either word in my presence.
Basic Manners: Please do not speak when I am speaking or when another student is speaking. Do not sharpen your pencil when I am speaking or another student is speaking. Do not leave your desk without permission. Remain quiet during announcements from the office. Do not touch another person or another person’s possessions.
Down Time: From time to time, we’ll end a few minutes early. Stay in a desk and talk to those around you nicely and quietly. Do not line up at the door.
Hallway: Often, I’ll send a group of students to work in the hallway; if you are in the hallway, you may not progress down the hallway any further than Mr. Porter’s door. If you misbehave out there, you won’t be invited back out
Discipline
This is a high school classroom with a high school curriculum and high school expectations. If you are unable to remember these expectations and behave in an appropriate, respectful manner, the following will occur:
1st offense—reminder/hall time
2nd offense—lost break/parent phone call
3rd offense—referral
English 9 is a course based in wonderful literature, plays, and poetry. It is also a high school course and your grade will go on your permanent transcript. Zeros are not a good idea. Remember to do the work assigned, turn it in on the due date, come to class on time and prepared, and treat the classroom and the people in it with dignity and respect.