Class Expectations:

Freshman Seminar, Semester 1, 2009-10, Block 3(AB)

Room C2024, Robert Greene

Course Description: This seminar gives freshmen the information, tools and strategies they need to be successful in high school. Students are introduced to the physical layout of the school and the abundance of student resources available. Students create a career portfolio containing information on personal and career interests, a four-year plan for high school, and a post-secondary plan. The seminar also covers topics such as diversity, respect, tolerance, problem solving, decision making and learning styles. Academic skills that are essential for success in high school are also taught.

This is a high school class, a fact that allows me to make the following assumptions:

◘ Students in this room can learn, want to learn, can work, want to work, will learn and will work.  Take a look at yourself; if you don’t fit that paradigm, get with the program quickly or ready yourself for a rough ride.

◘ Students in this room can follow classroom and school rules.  I’ll remind you of them once—after that we’ll begin The Monkey Game ™.  The Monkey Game begins when I grab the teacher’s handbook and follow the established disciplinary policies.

◘ Participation will play a huge part of the grade you get in this class. You participate by bringing in your work on time, paying attention in class, helping your classmates, speaking up when appropriate and working hard.

◘ I expect you to work and contribute to the class to the best of your abilities. I expect you to conduct yourself as intelligent, responsible, courteous, ethical and interesting human beings.

Material Needs: At the bare minimum you will need a notebook and pen/pencil for every class. (Most classes will begin with a 10-minute writing prompt.) It would behoove you to have a folder or binder in which to collect class handouts. Also useful would be a Flash drive and/or a free e-mail account (such as Hotmail, Yahoo or G-Mail).

Classroom Policies

Attendance: Attendance is part of your grade.  Each day you make it to class on time, you earn five points. If you are late to class, for any reason, you earn three. You don’t earn any points for absences. You can, however, make up points by staying after school to work.

If you are absent from class, for any reason, it is your responsibility to seek out and complete any missed assignments, lecture notes, tests, quizzes, etc. Make-up sessions are held in room C2024, after school every Thursday and by appointment. There will be no make-up time during school hours.

The date your make-up work will be due depends on when you were late and why.

Tardiness: If you are not in class by the time the final bell rings—both feet in the door, you are late and will be marked as such. The last bell for this class rings at 10:32 a.m.; a shorter warning bell rings two minutes before that. If an administrator or another teacher makes you late, get them to write you a pass. If you are late because you splashed water on yourself in the bathroom or got your arm caught in a locker, tell me and we’ll talk. Two unexcused late arrivals in a quarter will result in an after-school detention. Each subsequent late arrival also will result in a detention.

Assignments: Assignments are expected in class on the day they are due, neat, complete and ready to hand in. Students may not print out assignments in class. Late assignments will lose points for every day they are late, and that includes weekends. Some assignments may be submitted via e-mail. Homework due the day after it is assigned does not have to be typed. I understand students may have difficulty accessing computers with little notice, so neatly completed, hand-written (cursive) assignments are acceptable. If I can’t read it, I can’t—and won’t—grade it. Typed work is at all times preferable.

Long-term assignments, for which the deadline spans more than an overnight, MUST be typed. Problems with computers, disks, Internet connections, printers, copiers, monitors, flying monkeys, etc. are not acceptable excuses for missing or late work. Students must plan accordingly and get their work in for the deadline. If there is a real problem, like a family emergency, get me in the loop as fast as you can and we’ll talk.

The acceptable format for a typed assignment is Times New Roman font, at size 12, double-spaced.

Respect: I will not tolerate a demonstrated lack of respect toward me or any student. We are here to learn from each other and, for that, we need a safe space in which to work. Comments and ideas are not to be described as “gay,” “stupid,” “retarded” or with any other negative adjective.

Plagiarism: According to Webster's, plagiarism is “the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one's own original work.”  Do your own work. Students caught plagiarizing will receive an automatic zero on the assignment in question, and parents, coaches and administration will be notified.

Detention: Any detentions given in class will be served with me after or before school, at my convenience. Students will be given a choice of dates in order to make transportation arrangements easier. Failure to show up at an assigned detention will result in a referral to school administration.

Restroom Pass: The restroom pass should be used sparingly. If you need it, get up quietly, grab the pass, sign out on the log and head to the nearest bathroom. Put the pass back in its place, do whatever the pass policy instructs, and return to your seat. Only one student is allowed out of the room at a time.

Food: Food is not allowed in the classroom. Water bottles are acceptable but keep them on the floor, away from the electronics.

Computers: Computers in this room may not be used for anything other than legitimate classwork. Inappropriate use can result in a detention and loss of computer privileges. Computers will be taken care of and loved as if they were your own.

Books: Treat any books you are issued in class with care, and return them promptly at the end of the unit.

General neatness: Be a good camper. Pack out or pick up your trash. Leave the room as least as pretty and clean as you found it.

Grading

Keeping the five points you can earn each class is up to you. You can lose points by failing to turn in assignments on time, turning in poor work, not participating in class or group activities, or breaking class or school rules. At the end of each quarter I will divide the number of points you earned by the number of possible points and the result will determine your grade.

Course Competencies (What you will be learning)

Orientation and Adjustment:  Students will be able to understand and articulate the importance of freshman year as a foundation experience. Students will be able to identify, locate and utilize resources available at Nashua South.

Essential Skills for the High School Student: Students will utilize a variety of academic techniques, strategies and resources. Students will begin to achieve self awareness and success as a life-long learner and articulate the importance of same.

Ethics and Safety: Students will respect diverse perspectives, demonstrate safe and responsible behavior and be able to articulate the importance of both.

Career Exploration and Planning for the Future: Students will develop a high school plan that will lead to their post-secondary experience.

The following films may be used in this class:

“Spellbound” (documentary)

“Freedom Writers” (docudrama)

“Akeelah and the Bee”