Zielinski 1 Classroom Policies/Procedures/Routines Student Discipline Policy: Correction of misbehaviors will be different from class to class because of the

involvement with the students in this policy. However, I will guide them toward policies regarding talking out of turn, disrespecting others/invading personal space, getting up and disrupting the class, and not participating in group activities. Student Communication Policy: I want students to feel comfortable in my classroom and each voice should be heard. I will make sure students have a say in what they want to learn and how they will be disciplined depending on the grade. If it is middle school they will not have as much of a say because they generally dont have the right structures for discipline. High schoolers will have a little more of a say when it comes to discipline. I will communicate with problems outside of the classroom after other students have left. I will allow for students to write out their problems if they do not want to talk to me. I may have a suggestion box for those who are shy and dont want to say what they are thinking out loud. I will also be talking to those who have an issue immediately in order to correct the problem quickly. Anti-Discrimination Policy: Students will show respect to each other and characters we are discussing. If a comment is made that is inappropriate it will be addressed immediately or after class, depending on the severity of the situation. If it continues then the principal may be required to step in. I will first see why the student is making these remarks and try to help them understand why it is unacceptable. Academic Honesty Policy: Students will be educated on what plagiarism is and how to avoid it. If it is not done on purpose then I will address it and correct it so it does not happen again. If it is done on purpose then they will receive a zero on the assignment and will be referred to the office. If I suspect they have plagiarized then I will talk with them about their paper to see if they are knowledgeable about what they wrote to see if it is their own writing. Tardiness Policy: If students are late and they are coming from another teacher they need to show me a pass signed by the teacher. If they dont have a pass they are tardy. If they have to run back to their locker or the bathroom they have to first come to class and ask to go before the bell rings so I know they are here and that they are coming back. I will follow the schools tardiness policy if they have one, but if not mine will be as follows: The first and second tardy is a warning. The third tardy results in them staying after school or during lunch to figure why they are chronically tardy. The fourth tardy is a call home

Zielinski 2 and anything after that is dealt with the office. Late Work Policy: If students dont have their homework during class they may turn it in by the end of the school day for 20% reduced credit. If I dont have it then they may turn it in the next day for 20% reduced credit. If it is three days late then it will be half credit. If they do not have their homework then they will have to fill out a sheet that explains why they do not have it. For papers being turned in, they need to be turned in at the beginning of our class period or it will have reduced credit automatically when the bell rings at the end of the period. Extra Credit Policy: Students can chose from three options: 1) They can go to a play (school or professional) and write a review on it and connect some aspect of it to what we are learning in class 2) They can connect something that is happening in their own lives or what they have observed and connect it to something we are learning in class 3) They can write a creative short story. Each option is at least a page long and they can only do 3 extra credit assignments per quarter. Points are added to their total points for the quarter. Absentee Work Policy: There will be a work wall that has a folder for each day of the week and for each class. Any worksheets can be found on that wall and they have 2 days to complete it for every day they are absent. Work that was due can be turned in the day they come back for full credit and reduced credit for days after that. Water/Snacks/Gum Policy: Gum, snacks, and water are not allowed unless there is a special occasion. Water will be allowed if it is in a sealed container. Bathroom Policy: Bathroom breaks are allowed during group work. Unless it is an emergency, students may not go to the bathroom while I am teaching the lesson. Students will have to have his or her pass signed and must sign out of the room. Sharpening Pencils/Trash Policy: Pencil sharpening should be done during group work. If their pencil breaks they may quietly ask someone next to them or take a pencil from a supply I will have for students to use. Trash can be thrown away at any time. Unacceptable behaviors include talking out of turn, disrespecting others/invading personal space, getting up and disrupting the class, and not participating in group activities. Consequences will be based off of what the severity of the violation is. Chronic misbehaviors will require a plan that the student and I come up with, and I will check in

Zielinski 3 with the plan and revise it as necessary. I will stand outside of my door and greet students by name. I will start my class with quick writes that focus on the previous day and sets us up to the current day. Down time will be filled with reading. Each student will be reading at least four books (based on page numbers) a semester. Student records will be kept in my grade book, and in individual folders for assessments. I will have a calendar in the room that shows when assignments are due and I will update the class Facebook page. Assignments will be collected at the beginning of class by being passed forward. Late work will be turned into the late work bin. I will hand out a worksheet with all of the assignments that will be graded and as students get their work back they can record how they did and see how they are doing. Students should raise their hands when we are in lecture, but during discussion they may jump in if they see fit. I think they need to be able to have a conversation during discussion. I will say focus in when I want their attention. Classroom Layout I plan to decorate my classroom with inspiring posters and information. There will be little tips posted around the room and reminders. I want a bright and stimulating environment. My desk will be in the front and off to the side so it is out of the way. I want the front of the class to be open for the board and if we have to do any skits or moving around. Students desks will be arranged in small groups. It might change to be in a circle when we have discussions. The groups will change from time to time so students can experience different opinions. Students will refer to the work wall when checking for work they missed. This will have a folder for each class and each day with everything they need from the previous day. Students will turn in late work to the late work bin. I collect it at the end of every day so I know when it was turned in. For work turned in on time they will hand it to me during the period. Creative assignments will be displayed around the room and will be grouped together by assignment. I will have a classroom library on one of the walls so students can

Zielinski 4 have constant access to books. They will be able to check out a book by putting their name, the title of the book, and the date they checked it out on a piece of paper. Students can work independently at their desk or at a table by my desk. I would like to have a projector and an elmo so I can use it to show the students how to do things and to have a visual to my teaching. Accommodations for disabilities will be done on a case-to-case basis depending on the disability. The social aspect of my layout portrays my philosophy. Students are encouraged to interact with one another and learn from each other. My personality is reflected in the amount of inspirational and useful items. I want my students to experience my passion that I have. There will be a calendar and a suggestion box to foster communication.

Zielinski 5 Communication Policy Parents are encouraged to sit in on a class if they want to experience what their students do on a daily basis. I will contact parents about chaperoning field trips and helping with student nights. Parents will get a phone call from me within the first quarter to check up and tell them how their student is doing. I also will send out a survey to get current contact information so I can easily contact them for upcoming events, praise for their students, and big assignments as well of behavior issues. Home visits will be conducted if only it is necessary. I dont want to have to schedule a home visit when everyone has busy schedules. I will update a parents page on the class website that will substitute for a newsletter. On back-to-school night I will share my policies and what is expected of both students and parents as well as have the parents share something I should know about their kid. Conferences will be held face-to-face and both strengths and improvements as well as areas that need to be worked on. I will also have the students explain something they want to share about the class and what I can do better. There will be a calendar on the class site that has upcoming events and assignments. Grades will be sent out if parents ask for them or if there is a problem with the student. I will involve parents in a discipline issue when it is chronic and if I believe the parent will be able to help. I will involve an administrator if the problem results in danger for another student or the student. Overly involved parents are more than welcome to focus their energy into helping out the classroom. An uninvolved parent will be contacted and asked for at least one conference, or a home visit to check in and see how things are going with their child. I will invite anyone, principal, parent, or other faculty to observe me in the classroom. I believe that this will not only benefit them, but it will also

Zielinski 6 benefit me because of the feedback I will receive. I will collaborate with other teachers by asking them what works and learning from them.