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FAQ’s for Mrs. Adams
1. What do I do when I arrive in class?
You are expected to get your supplies ready and be in your seat by
the tardy bell. Write any new assignments in your planner, silently
read the board for any relevant information, and begin SSR.
2. Where do I sit?
Sit only in your assigned seat. Groups will change each nine weeks.
If you have special needs, please let me know so that I may properly
accommodate you. Furniture has been carefully placed; please do not
move desks.
3. If the teacher is not in the room yet, I should go in and sit in
my assigned seat, right?
Wrong. Unsupervised students in a classroom can be a potentially
dangerous situation. Always wait OUTSIDE the door until I arrive or
until another adult instructs you to enter.
4. What should I do when a visitor comes to the door?
You are expected to stay seated and continue working quietly or
reading silently until I can return to teaching. Please do not
attempt to communicate with any visitor unless instructed to do so by
me. Please hold all questions until I am once again available.
5. What should I do during announcements? Is it okay to keep
talking while the teacher responds to the intercom?
Whenever announcements are being made, everyone is to be absolutely
silent so all may hear what is being said. If someone calls into the
classroom on the intercom, only the teacher is to respond. Because
all voices can be heard, please by absolutely silent while the
teacher replies. (Imagine if you placed a phone call and had to sort
out the voice you wanted from among four or five others.)
6. What happens when the teacher is absent?
When I am absent, all classroom procedures are to be followed as
usual. Do not attempt to change seats. Assigned work will be checked
upon my return. I expect the substitute to be treated with the utmost
respect, and violators will be severely disciplined. I would be
pleased to return knowing that each student offered help and
cooperation during my absence.
7. What do I do when the fire alarm sounds?
Remain calm and quietly stand next to your desk. I will walk to the
door and direct each group to exit, starting with those closest to
the door. Be sure to stay in a single, straight line because other
classes will be evacuating at the same time. Remain silent and stay
with your class at all times; I will be calling roll once we are all
safely away from the buildings.
8. Can I do work for extra credit?
Students will occasionally be given extra credit assignments
throughout the year. Check the web page periodically. For instance,
earning extra RC points can earn bonus points in reading. Turning in
major projects or writing assignments early may sometimes result in
bonus points IF the assignment is complete and of excellent quality.
Take advantage of points offered; do not wait until the end of the
nine weeks to ask for extra credit work. Keep in mind that I have no
sympathy for those who ask for bonus work to replace zeroes they’ve
accumulated during the nine weeks.
9. May I leave the room to go to the restroom or Student Services?
You are expected to go to the restroom and conduct personal errands
before school, during lunch, and between classes. Please adhere to
this. You cannot learn if you are not in class. You will be allowed
to leave the class three times per nine weeks for emergencies. After
that, learning time will be made up during lunch. Those who use no
emergency passes may earn bonus points at the end of each nine weeks.
Excuses for absences must be turned in to Students Services as soon
as you arrive at school. Do no wait until you have already reported
to homeroom. Your homeroom teacher does not have the means of
recording the excuse; only Student Services can do this. If you
forget, turn it in during lunch.
Get bus notes signed early in the day. Do not assume that you will
be able to ride a different bus; changing buses is not a right to
which you are entitled. Buses that are already filled to capacity
CANNOT take extra riders. Get your note approved early in the day so
that you have time to notify parents if you are not able to ride
another bus.
10. May I leave the room when the bell rings?
The teacher, not the bell, dismisses the class. Do not pack up or
stand until told to do so. This class is a block; we ignore bells
which apply only to those students who must change classes or go to
eighth grade lunch. Learning will continue during that time.
11. What writing utensils may I use when completing assignments and
taking tests?
1. All homework and class work is to be done in pencil, or black
or blue ink. This would include journals, reading logs, DOL, spelling
work, workbook pages, note-taking, etc.
2. All tests and writing assignments must be completed in INK;
no pencil allowed. If handwritten, use blue or black. If typed,
only black ink is acceptable. Papers will not be graded if in
another color.
3. Only loose leaf paper is allowed for hand-written tests and
assignments. Anything else will not be graded.
12. What do I do with my completed homework when I enter the room?
Homework or any other item due that day should be placed on your desk
top when you walk in so that I may check for it or collect it as you
read silently. Notice I said YOUR desktop, not MINE.
13. Do I need a heading on my paper?
You do not need to put a full heading on non-graded pages in your
binder, such as spelling practice, vocabulary definitions,
comprehension questions, etc. Anything being turned in for a grade
must have a proper heading. If you forget to put your name on your
paper, it will not be graded. If you use an incorrect or incomplete
heading or do not label the assignment, there will be a grade penalty.
Do not “float” your heading in the white space of your paper. Begin
on the first blue line. Your first and last name should be written
on the left, with “ELA” written below your name. On the right side,
I would like you to write the class period, with the date written
below.
14. Can I turn in assignments late?
I do not accept late or incomplete homework. These are worth five
points each, and they are “all or nothing.” Graded assignments,
however, are crucial. A zero out of 50 or 100 is a grade-killer.
ALWAYS turn in graded assignments, even if they are late. A 100-
point assignment that is late will be penalized 10 points every day
that it is late. If you are absent on a due date, the assignment is
due the day you return.
If you are absent the day before an assignment is due, and you were
given all relevant information prior to your absence, the assignment
must still be submitted on the due date.
15. We had a family emergency last night. While it didn’t cause me
to be absent, I was unable to complete my homework. While I receive
a zero?
That would be cruel of me, wouldn’t it? On the other hand, it would
be irresponsible of me to believe whatever my students say without
question. If, for some reason, you cannot complete an assignment,
you must submit a written, signed explanation from your parent or
guardian in order to get an extension. This note will NOT excuse you
from completing the assignment; it simply grants you more time for
completion. Keep in mind that this policy is meant for emergencies
only; the teacher will make the final decision. (A broken computer
or printer is NOT a valid excuse. Any assignment may be hand-
written; typing is not required.)
16. May I type my assignments?
While typing is never required for me, if an assignment is not
legible, it cannot be graded. I LOVE typed assignments; they are SO
much easier on forty-something-year-old eyes! If you type, please
use Times New Roman, 12 pt, and print in black ink on computer
paper. Occasionally you may be given permission to use a different
font for creative projects, but not for typical writing assignments.
Think about most of the reading you do – textbooks, novels,
newspapers, etc. These are generally printed in Times New Roman or
similar font for a reason.
17. Am I allowed to type my assignment and bring it on a disk for
you to print for me?
No, schools have a policy of “no foreign disks” in our computers.
You may use a flash drive, but remember that not all are compatible.
The same goes for assignments e-mailed to me. I may or may not be
able to open the document.
18. May I use abbreviations or symbols when I write?
Abbreviations and symbols are non-standard English and are not
acceptable on any writing assignment. Some examples that are NOT
acceptable are: &, u, hrs, La., b/c. Numerals for small numbers are
not acceptable. Write “four” rather than “4.” While we’re on the
subject, reading text messages more often than books results in
really poor written language skills. Do not confuse “texting”
language with standard English. The numeral 4 can NEVER be
substituted for the word for and is sure to result in your paper NOT
being graded.
19. If I finish my work ahead of others, do I get free time?
Time is not free; it is quite valuable. Make the most of yours by
silently reading your library book, studying spelling or vocabulary,
or working on an assignment. Napping, doodling, and drawing pictures
are distractions to your classmates and will not increase your
knowledge, so they are not allowed.
20. If we are listening to a story on CD, may I put my head down and
close my eyes?
We use the audio version of many stories as a supplement to the
written word, not to replace the written version. Always follow
along in your book. If your head is down, it conveys the message
that you are bored and not willing to fully participate in the
learning process. This would result in a loss of daily participation
points. You must always remain upright and alert during class.
21. Do I have to have a library book?
Students must always have a library book in their possession. It is
the student’s responsibility to take care of overdue book fines. A
second library book is also required so that the student may begin
reading it immediately upon finishing the first book. You are not
allowed to check out a book from my shelf if you have an overdue
book. Anyone reporting to class without a book to read will lose
daily SSR points.
22. Can I take a Reading Counts test on any book?
Reading Counts tests may only be taken on books which you have read
and properly logged. You are expected to show your log to me when
you request to test. (Testing is done only during SSR) If you have
read RC books over the summer, or you read some over holidays when
logs are not required, simply write a note stating that you have read
that particular book, and have your parent or guardian sign the note.
23. Can we write ANYTHING in our journals or on writing
assignments? Are there any restrictions?
Writing will not be accepted if it contains inappropriate language or
glamorizes acts which are illegal, immoral, or in bad taste. Writing
with the intent of “shocking” the reader is a cheap replacement for
truly creative writing.
24. Once my test is turned in, is it okay if I ask a classmate a
question?
You may not communicate to others once your test is turned in if even
ONE student is still testing. Testing time begins when the first
student receives his or her test, and it ends when the last test is
turned in. (It has nothing to do with you individually receiving or
turning in yours.) Procedures include, but are not limited to, the
following:
1. Do not communicate in any manner with any other students
2. Do not look at another student’s desktop.
3. Book bags must remain zipped; you may not look at or remove
items from book bags during testing.
4. You may not have any writing on your hand, desk top, etc.
(This is a school rule which I WILL enforce.)
5. There will be no use of study aids of any sort.
Any student who violates test procedures may be in danger of
receiving a zero on the test, lunch detention, and/or a behavior
referral.
25. I notice my workbook has holes in it. Do I have to insert it in
my binder?
If you have room, it is a good idea to insert the grammar workbook in
your binder. Many binders are really full, however, so the workbook
may not fit in the rings. Always keep it tucked in your binder,
though, so it doesn’t get forgotten in your locker or at home.
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