U.S. History Classroom Procedures

Miss Collins

Entering the Classroom

• Enter the room quietly• Get the materials you need from your book bag• Get the materials you need from the counter by

the door• Leave book bags on the “red” side of the room• Be in your seat before the “Tardy bell” rings• Begin posted assignment or “Do Now” work

immediately.

Stay Seated

• Do NOT get up for any reason unless instructed to do so.

• More on this later.

Further Note about being TARDY• In this class, we follow Mr. Stokes’ rule about

tardy –• YOU MUST BE IN YOUR SEAT WITH ALL

MATERIALS necessary when the tardy bell rings, period.

• CONSEQUENCES: 1st offense: Stand at door, get work out and work silently until directed to your seat. 2nd offense: Detention – The Brig

• 3rd offense: The Brig x 2 and Parent contact• 4th offense: Office referral for Failure to Follow• Instructions

5th Offense for Tardy• At this point, it is clear that you need some help learning to follow

instructions. Therefore, I will help you by sending you to the office with a discipline referral, offense # 52:

• OFFENSE 52 (270): Failure to follow classroom or other directions. (page 15 of your agenda….)

• CATEGORY III-B OFFENSES 52 THROUGH 53 REQUIRE: • FIRST TIME- • Overnight Suspension (O/N) (parent/guardian conference required) • SECOND TIME- • 1 Day ISS (parent/guardian conference required) • Counseling (required) • THIRD TIME- • 2Days ISS (parent/guardian conference required)

Entering the room during class

• Knock only once on the door• WAIT to be “waved” in by teacher or

until someone opens for you.• Enter the classroom quietly• Go DIRECTLY to your seat.• GET to work IMMEDIATELY!• Consequence for not following

instructions: You will have one warning, then you will receive detention, the “Brig.”

When you are absent

• YOU are responsible for any missing work. Repeat: YOU are responsible for any missing work. All work is posted on our websites. I will not be prodding or asking you to turn in work.

• You have 5 days to complete missing work per district policy IF the absence is excused. After 5 days, you are not permitted to turn in missing work.

Getting to Work Immediately• Have all your materials (loose leaf paper, blue or black

pen, homework, class notebook) ready before the tardy bell rings.

• Read the assignment that is posted on the board or overhead.

• Begin working on the assignment.• Consequence: IF you do not get everything you need

from your book bag the first time, you are NOT permitted to get up and retrieve it. You will hopefully learn from your mistake and do better tomorrow. Do not bother your neighbors for materials. If you do, you will may be assigned to detention.

Why?

It matters….• Learning self-control and

discipline helps you in the long run.

• You will be more successful in life if you learn how to be on time and prepared.

• I care enough to expect your best.

Coming to Attention

You Do:• STOP TALKING (if you were

talking to begin with…)• Look at the Teacher• Listen for Instructions• Continue working when

instructed.

SLANT

What it means:• S Sit Up• L Listen• A Ask and Answer Questions• N Nod your head • T Track the Speaker

Why?• Sitting up and actively listening is

an important part of our routine.• If we do not sit up and actively

participate, we don’t give our best.

• I expect your best from you, you should expect it FOR yourself.

• You are what you do, if you lie down or slump, you will make yourself tired.

• If you have energy to chat at lunch, you have energy to learn.

Asking a QuestionYou Do:• Raise your hand• Wait to be called on• WHEN called on, (Wait for

it……) ask your question• Good Examples:• “Why did southern farmers

decide to grow so much cotton?”

• “Can you explain the colonial role in mercantilism one more time? I don’t quite get that process.”

DO NOT:• Blurt out questions• Blurt out comments about

yourself or others.• Ask personal or irrelevant

questions (NOT PERSONAL TO YOU, AND NOT PERSONAL TO ME!)

• Bad Examples: • Can I go get water?• How many children do you

have?• What is your middle name?

Getting MaterialsAs you come in the door:

• Quietly go by the shelf where materials are located.

• Pick up prepared materials.• Get your personal work

materials.• Go directly to your seat.• Get to work.• Leave the property of

others alone.

If there are Hand-outs during class:

• Assigned student helper will bring materials to you.

• Stay seated.• If you come in late WITH A

PASS, follow the directions to the left.

Headings on PapersEvery Paper you turn in should contain this heading in this order:

• NAME• CLASS PERIOD• DATE• ASSIGNMENT

Headings should go in upper right corner of paper.

• Why? • Because this is how I asked for

it.• It makes it easier for me to sort

through papers – there are 90 of you, one of me.

• You have to learn to do a job as assigned. Now is a good time to start learning.

Homework

Study!!• For the most part, most of

your homework will involve studying because you will have quizzes or tests several days during the week.

Why?• We must cover everything

in U.S. History from the 13 colonies to present day. Therefore, we will be working at a very fast pace.

• Quizzes, tests, essays and interviews are the easiest way for me to determine how well you are retaining the information we cover.

When Homework is written, either on paper or digitally:

I expect it to be completed on the due date. If you are absent, you have 5 days per district make up policy.

Turning in Physical HomeworkWhere and how:• Should be dropped into the

basket on the counter/by the door as you enter the class and before the tardy bell.

• Have it ready when you walk through the door. This may require “planning ahead” on your part.

Why:• You must do it this way,

because this is fair to those who do their homework. If you are a slacker, why should you get credit by doing it at the last minute?

• More importantly, learning is about practice. When you are asked to do homework, it is assigned to help you improve your understanding of the topic.

Turning in Digital Homework

Where and How:• You will be given in-depth

instruction on how to answer homework questions digitally in your google docs training.

• You will submit your homework online by the deadline requested.

Why:• Just like physical homework,

you must complete homework on time because this is fair.

• We live in the 21st century, technology skills are a must.

• You will soon be adults, this is your job.

• You must pass this class to graduate. Every grade counts.

Passing in Papers in class

• Papers will be passed forward• The person at the front of the far right row will

pass their stack to the next row• The person at the front of the row closest to

my desk will place the papers in the basket on the front of my desk.

Participating in Class Part I

• Use the Language of Opportunity: This means that we use correct grammar when reading, speaking and answering questions about our subject area.

• Why? We do this because practicing the language of the world of work prepares you for a successful future.

Participating Part II

• Raise your hand to answer a question or contribute to a discussion.

• Wait to be called on or recognized.

• Why? • Again, this is what adults

must do to be successful in the world of work.

• It is rude to talk while someone else is talking.

• When you talk over someone else, you are giving the message that what they have to say is not important.

• People with self-control are the most successful people in life.

Participating Part III

• Do NOT answer for another student

• Why?• Discussion is a time for

learning, not a time for showing off.

• Everyone deserves to learn. If you help others, they learn to listen to you instead of learning to participate. We ALL deserve to participate in life and learning. You won’t always be there to give us the answers.

Participating IV• No OPT OUT:• This means that everyone

must participate. It is not ok to say “I don’t know” during discussion.

• It is not okay to write “I don’t know” on a paper.

• If you do not know the answer, we will help you through it. But you must participate.

• Why?• Discussion may be part of

the day’s grade. I want you to succeed.

• In life, there are many things that you may not know how to do well, but if you keep practicing, you will get better. I want you to be your best.

• I believe in you, even if you do not yet believe in yourself.

Participating V

• Right is Right• The answer to questions

must be completely right. In life and work, being completely correct matters.

• The same applies to this class. You must know and give the complete correct answer.

• Why?• In life, it matters. If you are

working in construction and your boss asks you the measurements of a room, it matters if you say, “twelve by eighteen” but leave out the type of measurement. 12 x 18 what? Inches? Feet? Yards? If you mess up, your boss will be mad, you may lose a day’s pay, who knows?

Other techniques

• Pepper/Cold Call: You will be asked to stand by your desk in 2 seconds

• Rapid fire questions will be asked of you to see how much you know. Students are chosen at random. Once you have answered, take a seat.

More on “Right is Right”

• Sometimes, life really does depend on being completely right.

• Does it matter?• In the real world, being

completely right can save someone’s life, if you are a doctor, a nurse, an astronaut….

• What are some other jobs where it is important to be completely right?

• Do you want someone working on you, your house, your bank account, or your grade if they are not completely right?

When Given an Assignment…

• Check the board for the week’s assignments

• Write the assignments in your agenda

• Ask questions if you have any

• ACCEPT the homework assignment

End of Class Dismissal• The teacher dismisses

the class• Do not cue off of other

students, the clock, or the bell

• I will let you know when to access book bags and to pack up.

• Help clean up and put things away if asked.

• Exit quietly.

Class factotum

• This person is responsible for passing papers out if needed

• This person should keep track of the time and signal the teacher when there are two minutes or less to class

Other job descriptions

• Door Person: • This is the person at the

back of the row closest to the door.

• Paper collector:• This is the person at the

front of the row closest to the teacher’s desk.

Signals• Students, if you need to

use the restroom: Hand up with fingers crossed.

• Fill out agenda, then hold it aloft.

• Students, if you need your pencil sharpened: Hold up your pencil

• Students, if you need a kleenex: pinch your nose at the top near eyes.

• Teacher Signals:1. Hand extended with

five fingers out – wait 5 minutes

2. Hand across throat, stop what you are doing

3. Fingers at eyes – look at me

Why Signals?

• Body language is much more powerful sometimes than words.

• Signals are less time consuming and do not interrupt the flow of the lesson.

• It is always good to learn how to talk less – but still get your message across.

Your Responsibilities• Follow directions the first

time they are given.• Stay in your seat unless

otherwise directed.• Keep hands, feet and

other objects to yourself.• Bring all necessary

materials to class everyday.

• Keep up with your grades on the given form.

My Responsibilities• To enforce school rules.• To give you

consequences when you are struggling with procedures.

• To expect your best.• To give you my best

work.• To help you succeed.• To provide help if you ask

for it.

Grading System

• We will use the point system. Each assignment will be given a point value based on the difficulty of the assignment and the importance of the assignment in the unit we are studying.

• Homework, quizzes, writing assignments and classwork will count 5 – 50 points, depending on its importance.

• Tests and projects will count 100 – 150 points.

• Midterm exam counts 10% of your quarter average.

• EOC will count 20% of your semester/final grade.

Going Digital

• This year, we will do many of our homework, class, writing and project assignments using Google apps. This means that you will have to have the Google Apps agreement signed and returned to me.

• This also means, that you will be able to access videos and google docs from your various electronic devices. MAKE SURE YOUR PARENTS HAVE A DATA PLAN THAT WILL ACCOMMODATE THIS BEFORE YOU START USING PHONES TO ACCESS WEB DOCS AND VIDEOS. (!!!!)

WARNINGS about Digital Access

• NEVER have cell phones or other electronic devices out or on unless DIRECTLY instructed by me. This will probably be NEVER. The access is for when you are off campus.

• Repeat: NEVER!!

A Final Note about Digital….• I will be videotaping you

from time to time. I will also be publishing some of your work on the school web site.

• Therefore, it is imperative that you get the Media Release form signed and returned to me ASAP.

Presentation Skills and video….• Being able to do public

presentations is a Common Core skill. Therefore, you will be expected to present to the class from time to time. We will start with informal videography by me which will be broadcast in class. It’s a graded requirement, so get accustomed to the idea.

Calendars

• I will provide monthly calendars for you. These should be placed in the front of your three ring binder.

Let’s get started!• Now that you know the basics,

let’s get started!• Tomorrow, you will have a quiz

on class procedures, so make sure you access this power point from my web page. The web address is:

• https://www.fsd1.org/schools/southflorence/ecollins/Pages/default.aspx

• My email address is:• ecollins@fsd1.org