The 5 Rules of My Classroom

1) Respect others, the building, and all school rules.

We do not insult one another. We do not damage school property. We treat others and things with kindness and care.

2) Use clothing, electronics, and language appropriately.

CLOTHING:

  • Adhere to the school uniform policy

ELECTRONICS:

  • Check the sign posted in the classroom to see whether electronics are allowed, permitted with restrictions, or prohibited.

  • Unless explicitly allowed, cell phones and headphones should not be used inside the classroom/during class at any time for any reason. They may be confiscated on sight. They will, however, be returned at the end of class.

LANGUAGE:

  • We speak the language of respect inside the classroom.

  • We use academic language.

  • We speak in complete sentences, especially when answering questions.

  • We treat our classmates with professionalism, including when we disagree.

  • We do not use profanity.

3) Listen and follow directions the first time.

  • Avoid making me repeat myself because you weren't listening, so you don't know what to do.

  • Look around you. See what everyone else is doing. If everyone around you is getting their notebooks out, it's a good bet that's probably what you should be doing, too.

4) Eat, drink, and chew gum outside the classroom.

There is a time for eating, and there is a time for learning. You should not be eating during class for a number of reasons, including some of the following:

  • Eating frequently causes a mess. Students frequently do not clean up after themselves, which means someone else (usually myself or the janitors) has to clean it up.

  • Eating is a distraction. The noise from the wrappers, the sound of chewing, the smells, the sight of students getting up to throw trash away...these all distract both the person eating and other students from the primary purpose of our time together: learning.

5) Stay seated and in your assigned seat unless you have permission or a pass, and speak at the appropriate volume level.

  • We do not "wander" the classroom, visiting classmates at will. That is what lunch is for. Instead, we sit down and prepare to learn.

  • We do not sit wherever we want. As your teacher, I assign seats intentionally, with clear and specific purposes in mind.

  • We do not leave the classroom whenever we want. Instead, you must obtain permission and/or a pass in order to leave. When you leave, you should return as quickly as possible. As your teacher, I am responsible for your safety, so to the greatest extent possible, I need to know where you are while you are under my supervision. This is relevant both during day-to-day instruction and in cases of emergencies, such as natural disasters or lockdowns.

  • We do not talk while the teacher is addressing the class as a whole. You do not have the right to interfere with the learning of others. Instead, we all listen as a class so that we can all be provided with equal access to whatever message the teacher needs to communicate in that moment.

  • We do not talk during assessments unless otherwise directed (e.g. speaking test, etc.). Instead, we take our tests silently in order to be considerate of others.