Welcome to Our Planning Classroom

1. Welcome to Our Planning Classroom Mrs. McMillan September 2012

2. Before I begin: • Attendance: • Everyday, every class! • However, if you are sick….stay home! • Get your parent/guardian to call the school’s attendance line (250) 704-0430 to excuse your absence. Your parents can also send an email to spectrum_attendance@sd61.bc.ca to excuse your absence.

3. Take good notes today! • I will be giving you a quiz tomorrow to see if you paid attention during this presentation. • You will be permitted to use your notes to help you answer the questions on the quiz!

4. Punctual/Punctuality Acting or arriving exactly at the time appointed; prompt. If you are late too often, you may need some time in the Opportunity Room to think about how you can get to class on time!

5. Why Bother Being on Time? • When students are late: • I have to stop my lesson to mark my attendance. • They rarely get settled quickly or quietly. • The class is distracted. I am distracted. • Respect others. Arrive on time!

6. The Opportunity Room • A place that allows you the “opportunity” to think about and adjust your behaviour. • The Opportunity Room is affectionately known as the “OR.” • It is just inside the office area. • When you go to the OR, you need something to do, so take today’s work with you. • When you are sent to the OR, you go for the block unless I tell you otherwise. [Probably we both need a break from each other…right?]

7. How to Get to the OR • Loud, obnoxious behaviour. • Disrupting the class. • Rude behaviour. • Uncooperative behaviour. • You are off task too often. • Not following one of my other rules!

8. Food • We all need food. • However, that is what lunch/break/before and after school are for…eating! • Food packaging is noisy and disruptive. • Food tends to be social and leads to off-task behaviour. • I understand that sometimes you just need to eat. • Therefore, I will only allow food consumption for the first 5 minutes of every class.

9. Drinks • Drinks can be just as noisy and distracting as food. • I understand that we all need to be hydrated. • Therefore, I will allow the consumption of any beverages in the first 5 minutes of class. • After that you may only consume water from YOUR OWN [no sharing] water bottle.

10. Recycling • If you bring food and/or beverages to consume during the class, please dispose of your waste in an environmentally friendly manner. • A set of plastic drawers is situated at the side of the classroom near the phone for you to dispose of all recyclable products. • The following items can be recycled: • Foil lined packaging • Soft plastic packaging/food wrap • Hard plastic packaging and plastic cutlery • Glass jars/bottles • At this time food waste [banana peels, sandwiches, apple cores, etc] cannot be recycled.

11. Bathroom Breaks • One person out of the room at a time. • You don’t have to ask! Write your name on the designated board and erase it when you come back. • You cannot leave during a lesson. Wait until I give you the work and then you may leave. • Remember to erase your name so someone else can go! • No one else can go as long as you are out of the room, so be kind to your friends…return promptly. • Use the lunch and break times responsibly!

12. MP3 Players/iPods • During teacher-directed lessons, discussions or marking times you are forbidden from having your iPod out where I can see it or headphones in your ears. • During work periods you are permitted to listen to your iPod/MP3 player as long as it does not distract you or others from working. • I must not be able to hear it. • No sharing iPods and/or headphones. If you don’t have one, you don’t listen! • Sharing headphones gets you a free, all-expenses paid trip to the OR!

13. Cell Phones/Games • You can summarize the school policy on cell phones in 3 words: “off and away!” • School Policy states that cell phones must be turned off and not used in all classrooms during class time. • The new rules state that if I SEE your phone I have to take it away and give it back to you at the end of the block. • You may not use your phone/iPod to play games EVER in my class. • You can NEVER text at any point in my class!

14. Cell Phones • If I see or hear your cell phone I will take it for the rest of the class. It doesn’t matter if you are using it or not. If you do not surrender it you will go to the OR. • I do know that iPhones are a phone and an mp3 player! • I know that some students use the calculator function on their cell phones…if we ever need a calculator, please bring one or use pencil and paper. • If cell phone use becomes an issue, I will take it and give it to the Administrator who is in charge of your letter of the alphabet. • Then, your parents will have to come to the school to pick up your phone from the Administrator!

15. Seating Plan • Sit where you like the first day but after that, where you plunk yourself is your “forever” seat. • I reserve the right to move anyone, anywhere to maintain order and a positive working environment. • Respect the chair! Do not tip back in the chair. This can get you a quick trip to the OR [either the one here or the one at the hospital].

16. Equipment • You should bring the following items to class every day: • Your brain • Good manners • A positive attitude • A pencil or a pen [something to write with] • Paper

17. Homework • I try not to assign homework. • I realize that you have other really important courses that have serious homework components so I make every effort to avoid specifically assigning homework. • However, if you don’t use your time in class effectively and efficiently you may very well have homework. • Please don’t try the old “my dog ate my homework” trick to avoid handing in homework the next day.

18. Marks • There are deadlines in my class just like life. • Remember, you MUST complete Planning to graduate! • If you do not hand in the work, I will put an NHI in that spot on my grade book. • This means that your grade/percentage will suffer as if you received zero for the assignment. • You can also take a zero on an assignment if you choose not to hand it in or complete it.

19. Marking & You ~ Part 2 • Periodically, we will mark work during class time. • For obvious reasons, you will not be able to hand in for marks any work that was marked during class time [unless you were legitimately ill]. • I do allow students who have a legitimate reason for missing a deadline to leave the room while we mark and then hand in the work directly to me. • These students will be provided a “firm” deadline to hand in this work and if they do not meet it then they will receive zero for the assignment.

20. Firm Deadline Assignments • Assignments that have “firm” deadlines are usually those that we mark in class. • Once the deadline has passed you cannot complete these assignments for marks.

21. Flexible Assignment Deadlines • Assignments with “flexible” deadlines are usually due at the end of the term. • Students who leave “flexible” deadline assignments to the end of term often cannot complete them all. • I allow “flexible” deadlines to help you balance your workload in other courses or to accommodate illness/excused absences. • However, it is really easy to get behind if you do not complete and hand in “flexible” assignments quickly. • I have more assignments that have “flexible” deadlines than I do ones with “firm” deadlines.

22. Come On In! • I usually open the door when the first bell rings. Do not knock or bang on the door to get me to open it early. It won’t work and will put me in a bad mood! • You do not want me in a bad mood, believe me! I am a formidable opponent! • Just in case of a bad mood on my part, I have lots of tedious and excruciatingly boring worksheets I can use.

23. The Binder • I keep a What Did I Miss” binder with copies of all work handed out. • If you are away: • Go to the binder first to see what you missed. • Check my blog while you are away. You can email me if you will be away for more than a day and I can email you the assignments or post them on my blog. • Ask a friend for help. • Ask me for any instructions.

24. Fire Drills • There is an accepted school policy for evacuation when the fire alarm goes. • I will provide specific directions on how to evacuate this room and where to meet. • You MUST find me after we have all left the school so I can tick your name off my class list. • If you do not find me [I can’t go looking for you] then you will owe me one day in the OR after school. [Your parents would want to know you got out safely!]

25. Earthquake • The alarm may or may not sound. • Duck and cover under shelter where possible. • Shelter can be • Under desks, counters, etc • Away from windows and facing away from windows • Against an inside wall if no other cover exists • Drop and cover • Bend head close to knees • Cover sides of head with elbows • Clasp hands firmly behind neck or hold onto leg of table • Once shaking stops we will evacuate. • Doors must be left open • Go to field, find me so I can check your name off my list!

26. Next class we will . . . • Go over the course topics. Any questions? • Before I show the last slides are there any questions?

27. What Now? • Use the time left to compare your notes to those of someone else near you. • Stay seated, keep the noise down to a dull roar. • Don’t forget, quiz tomorrow! • Good notes = a good mark on the quiz! Easy peasy lemon squeezy. [my favourite saying]

28. And now…for some fun! Evolution of the Cell Phone