Classroom Policies and Procedures

Class Policies and Procedures:

-Seating Assignments and Grouping:

Students’ seats are changed at the beginning of each new unit, and they are placed in a new group. For each novel or literary unit completed in the class, I include a great deal of collaborative work. Working in groups causes the students to reach beyond themselves and see what members of other cultures, backgrounds and beliefs think about different issues. Diversity promotes a more well-rounded individual, and that is why I change the groups and seating assignments for every new unit.

-Recording Absences and Tardies:

I will take attendance at the beginning of every class. Once a student receives three tardies, he or she is given a referral. Coming late to class with a pass signed by another teacher is the only exception to this rule. Upon receiving the pass, I will email the teacher who signed the pass to ensure that the late student was, in fact, with that teacher.

-Leaving the Classroom:

Students in my class are allowed to leave the room three times each semester. Each student is given three bathroom passes on the first day of class in August and on the first day of class in January. If a student wishes to leave the room, he or she must sign and turn in a bathroom pass. They can go either to their locker, the restroom or the water fountain. I do not permit my students to go to another teacher’s classroom during class. If a student does not have his or her pass, he or she may not leave the room. Each bathroom pass left at the end of the semester earns that student three points of extra credit on his or her final exam.

-Student Access to Teacher’s Desk:

Students are not allowed behind my desk. I am more than willing to share supplies should the students need something, but respect for personal property must exist in the classroom.

-Activities at the Beginning of Class (Bell Work):

Class begins each day with bell work. This is on the board when the students walk into class. As soon as the bell rings, the students know that they must be working on it. The bell work will either relate to the previous night’s homework assignment or a topic relevant to students’ lives. This is done in order to get the students thinking in the right frame of mind. These are assessed for completion at the end of each week. The objective is to get students thinking about what we are doing. Approximately fifteen minutes into class, I ask for one volunteer from each pod (grouping of desks) to share his or her bell work, and we have a whole-class discussion.

-Access to the Day’s Plan:

Beneath the bell work, the students will see the agenda for the day. This is posted every single day for the students. Doing this allows them to know what is going on, and it also keeps me on track. The materials needed for each activity are also listed on the agenda. If we are reading a novel, the students have a reading schedule that details the daily plan for the entire duration of that novel. This shows the students exactly what is going on and serves as a guide for the students as far as due dates are concerned.

-Student Behavior During Class (discussions, work time, group work, being out of seat):

I absolutely require respectful and appropriate behavior during my class. Students are to remain seated and on task while in my classroom. Students may not yell, make inappropriate comments or distract the rest of the class. Failure to comply with these rules will result in disciplinary action. This includes detention with me, school-wide detention, referrals, ISS, suspension and expulsion depending on the severity of the situation.

-Student Gaining Teacher Attention:

The policy in my class is for students to raise their hands should they need anything. I am constantly circulating around the room to make sure that the students are on task, so raising one’s hand easily catches my attention. Hand raising also eliminates distraction to the rest of the class. Calling my name out several times will cause other students to shift their focus away from their work. Hand raising affects only me

-Note-taking:

Students may take notes on their laptops or on paper. However, each student must take notes when they are being given. Students are told that the assessments come directly from the notes. I will demonstrate effective note-taking skills so that the students will have all of the information without writing down every word I say. These practices will prove to be critical for student success in the future, and that is why I implement them so heavily in my class now.

  -Special Projects:

I love to give projects to further student learning. These are always accompanied by a rubric and detailed guidelines. Students are given the freedom to choose whom or what the project is about within those guidelines. The projects in my class are designed to get students thinking critically and creatively. The rubrics must be turned in with the projects and are returned to the students with comments after the project has been assessed and graded.

-Homework (Turning It In and Giving It Back):

Student homework is usually assessed on a credit basis. That is to say that a student will receive full points for completing the assignment. In my class, homework is used for practice, and tests are used to showcase student ability. Homework (unless otherwise specified) is to be turned in at the beginning of class on the due date. We will go over the assignment as a class, and I will explain any misunderstandings that the students have. By assessing homework on a credit basis, I am able to see what the students really understand, and I can base my follow-up lessons on that information. Homework is always returned to the students with corrections and explanations.

-End of Class:

I always end class by telling the students what is going on tomorrow and reminding the students what is due tomorrow. This prepares the students for the next day and gives them one last chance to write down anything they missed during class. I try to prepare them as much as possible for the next so that we do not have to spend a ton of time getting settled and organized at the beginning of the next class.

-Special Circumstances (fire drills, severe weather drills, etc):

During these situations, we follow the school policy. Our class reports to its designated area and waits for the announcement that sends us back to class. I keep the entire class together during these situations. I have to fill out an attendance sheet to turn in to the administrators after every drill. In these cases, my policy aligns with the school policy.