Rules and Procedures - they are everywhere!
Every society, every job, every game, every intersection has certain rules and procedures that everyone involved must follow. My classroom is no different.
The classroom rules and procedures are designed to promote High Achievement. For example, if you finish an assignment early, the requirement that you proceed with Early Finishers Activities provides an opportunity for you to study for upcoming quizzes and tests. This helps students learn more and make higher grades. The Early Finishers Activities also provide opportunities for students to build skills with various software applications and explore other topics relevant to their business courses.
The classroom rules and procedures are designed to promote Positive Change. For example, the use of the internet, PowerSchool, and Google Classroom is designed to empower and challenge students to develop the 21st century skills they need to be successful in a highly competitive world.
The classroom rules and procedures are designed to promote Team Work. For example, if another student appropriately seeks your assistance, you are required to help. If you need assistance, you are required to ask one or more fellow students before you ask the teacher. While assisting others is an aspect of teamwork, so is finding your own answers. Make sure you have reviewed the textbook (online or physical), carefully read any feedback provided in PowerSchool or Google Classroom, used the Help function, and checked your previous assignments before you ask another student or the teacher for assistance. Good teamwork requires that you put forth the effort to find or figure out the answer yourself when possible.
Some of you may ask what is the difference between a procedure and a rule. From your study of US History and Government, you may recall that Congress passes laws (think of them as rules that must be obeyed) and federal agencies enact regulations (think of them as procedures that must be followed).
In my classroom, the rules are:
- Be on time.
- Stay on task.
- Talk only when appropriate.
- Keep your hands to yourself.
- Distract no one from their tasks.
- Obey all school and district rules.
- Follow all classroom, school, and district procedures.
The procedures associated with each rule are:
Be on time.
- Think of class time as your shift at work.
- Be in your seat, ready to work or working, when the bell rings.
- Enter the room through the correct door.
- Properly place your bookbag in the designated location.
- Check the board for today's objectives and activities. Make sure you can explain the difference between objectives and activities.
- Have your textbook and any homework with you at your workstation.
- Notify me within the first five minutes of class if there is a problem with your computer or your textbook.
- Login using your BCSD username and password. Quickly review PowerSchool for any teacher feedback.
- Begin working on your current assignments. If you finish your current assignments, continue with the activities listed on the Early Finishers page.
Stay on task.
- Think of class time as your shift at work.
- Know what the current task is.
- Be diligently working on the current task.
- If you don't know what the current task is, quietly ask two coworkers (aka students) before you ask your boss (aka Mr. E).
- During appropriate activities, you may talk quietly and occasionally with nearby students ONLY if you (and the other students around you) can continue to work.
- There is never a time that you have nothing to do in room 327.
- Second Block may watch RealTV at the designated time.
- You may not put your head down.
- You may not fall asleep.
- You may not surf the internet.
- You may NOT use your phone or Chromebook without explicit permission from Mr. Eason.
- No grooming is allowed.
- Do not leave the classroom. Visit the restroom and get water before class begins. Perform other errands before school, between classes, during lunch, or after school. Class time trips to the restroom or to get water should be emergencies only.
- If you have finished all current tasks, your next task is to follow the instructions on the Early Finishers page.
Talk only when appropriate.
- Think of class time as a department meeting at work with your boss.
- Do not talk when Mr. E is talking to the class.
- Do not talk when any teacher, administrator, or invited speaker is talking to the class.
- Do not talk when another student is talking to the class.
- Do not talk during Real TV, any announcements, or any emergency drills or evacuations.
- Do not talk while any student is completing a quiz, a test, or an exam.
- You should be quiet, talking softly only when it is appropriate, whenever you are in room 327 or anywhere you are under Mr. E's supervision. Some activities permit the occasional, low-volume, verbal exchange between nearby students (individual or group work). Other activities will permit or require a heightened level of exuberance or jocularity (team competitions, group presentations, skits, or reward ceremonies). A few activities will require no talking by students (quizzes, tests, exams, lectures, presentations).
Keep your hands to yourself.
- Do not touch other students.
- Do not touch Mr. E.
- Do not touch another student's bookbag or purse.
- Do not touch anything that belongs to or is assigned to another student.
- Do not touch another student's computer.
- Do not touch Mr. E's computer.
- Do not touch anything on or in Mr. E's desk or file cabinets. Do not touch anything that belongs to Mr. E (except that students may use the tissue and hand sanitizer near Door B).
Distract no one from their tasks.
- Do not do anything that could distract other students from their tasks.
- Do not do anything that could distract the teacher from his tasks.
- If you are On Time, On Task, Quiet, and Keep Your Hands to Yourself, it will be difficult for you to distract other students or the teacher from their tasks.
Obey all school and district rules.
- School and district rules are generally listed in the student handbook available for your review at Stratford Student Handbook. If you have any questions about the school and district rules, please see me.
Follow all classroom, school, and district procedures.
- School and district procedures are also listed in the student handbook distributed at the beginning of the year. If you have any questions about the school and district procedures, please see me.
- There are also class room procedures. For example, there is a proper procedure for exiting the class room. Continue working until 2 minutes before the bell (by the PC clock). At that time, you should save all files, shut down your computer, and return your textbook, keyboard, and mouse to the proper storage location. Wait patiently for the bell. When the bell rings, gather your belongings, push your chair under the table, retrieve your bookbag, deposit trash in the trash can, and exit the room.