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Mrs. Mak’s Classroom Guidelines
Five Guidelines For Success:
1. Respect – Treat others the way you want to be treated
a. Respect for personal differences
b. Respect for property
2. Responsibility – you are responsible for your own behavior
a. Recognize personal space
b. Use words wisely
c. I over E especially in C
3. Participation – come prepared to learn and share your ideas
a. Bring all materials necessary to aid in learning
4. Awareness – listen to others and follow directions
5. Follow all school rules and regulations
Students who are positive, contributing members in this class will receive:
1. Verbal praise
2. Written praise
3. Positive parent contact – notes and phone calls home
4. Leadership roles, special honors and privileges
5. Class rewards
6. A positive classroom environment
If your behavior prevents our class from functioning, the following order of
consequences will apply:
1. A verbal warning
2. A five -minute conversation with me after class/school.
3. Morning detention with parent notification
4. A conference with your parents
5. Meeting with administration
“Events, circumstances, etc. have their origin in ourselves. They spring from seeds
which we have sown.” - Henry David Thoreau
Homework Policy
Homework is an important part of our curriculum. The objective of homework is to
strengthen skills and reinforce knowledge learned in our classroom.
Because Language Arts includes Grammar, Spelling & Vocabulary, Reading &
Literature and Composition, the amount of homework and time students spend on
assignments will vary. Expect Grammar, Spelling and Vocabulary homework to revolve
around reinforcing workbook and practice exercises. Reading & Literature and
Writing assignments are for the most part longer -term projects that might be either
analytical or creative. These longer- term assignments may span weekend days, but
many times you will only have Language Arts homework Monday through Thursday.
All homework will be posted in our classroom and on my “Teacher Web” page that can
be accessed through the Haworth website www.haworth.org/dir2/mrsmak.html.
In all Language Arts subject areas homework assignments are worth 20% of
student’s grade. Regardless of the subject, completed homework will receive full
credit. Any incomplete work receives an automatic 65 (D). If a student fails to hand in
homework they will receive a 0 (F).
Papers and projects are due no later than the end of the day on the day that they
are due. Unless a student is absent for illness, in which case the assignment is due
upon return, a paper handed in at any other time is a late paper. The penalty for late
compositions or projects is 1 letter grade off per day late.
Because our studies are intense there will be times in which students may re-do
assessments if they did not completely master the intended content or skills, and the
student has demonstrated sincere effort to prepare for the assessment the first time it
was given. Rigorous relearning and review will qualify a student to redo an
assessment. Redoing an assessment is a privilege. Students must re-do
assessments within one week of their return otherwise the original grade stands. The
higher of the two grades will be recorded. Occasionally, assessments cannot be
redone, but instead students may correct their mistakes and receive half credit for each
item they correct. Students must re-do assessments on their own time, not during
direct teaching time in our class. In order to redo any test, major project, major writing
or quiz, students must first submit the original work signed by a parent and request a
retest or redo opportunity.
All compositions should be typed, double-spaced in 12-point type New
Times Roman font, with standard margins. You may use pencil or pen when
completing
homework or daily assignments that are not being turned in (grammar, vocabulary,
spelling) or in-class work.
Neatness counts! Messy homework or compositions will not be accepted. They will
be returned to you for revision or recopying and will be treated as late papers.
Papers with no name are put into a “No Name, No Credit” tray. A student may check
the tray and upon finding his/her work, write his/her name on it and resubmit it. The
tray is emptied into the trash every few weeks. Once the assignments are evaluated,
they are placed in a tray called “Papers to Be Returned to Students.” If a student hasn’t
had a paper returned in a while, he or she should check there.
Procedures
Beginning Class
1. Entering Class:
You are expected to be at your desk with all the required materials when the bell rings.
If you are not, you will be marked late. If you are late three times I will make a phone
call home, and you will receive 1-3 points.
You must check the blackboard for the daily assignment. You are expected to start on
the assignment immediately. If there is no assignment, you must sit quietly or read
while you wait for further instructions.
2. Announcements:
No matter what is going on in class, it must be quiet for any announcements made over
the public address system. Even if the announcements do not pertain directly to you,
please be quiet.
3. Fire Drills or Emergencies:
If there is a fire drill or any other emergency, you are expected to comply with the
school regulations. You will walk quickly and quietly out the nearest exit, stay together
as a class and wait for further instructions. If you are in the bathroom or anywhere else
in school, then you are to exit the building immediately and find the nearest teacher or
administrator.
4. Absences:
If you know in advance that you will be absent, talk to me about any assignments you
might miss. As long as you had an excused absence you are able to make up the
work you missed while you were out for full credit. You have 3 days to make up the
work, after that it is recorded as a zero.
Absences are your responsibility. I will not remind you of the work you need to make
up. You need to see me before, after class or school, or during a quiet assignment
time. Do not disrupt the whole class for what you missed personally. Previously
announced tests, projects and compositions are due the day you return to school if you
are absent on the day they were assigned to be due.
Class & Work Requirements
1. Daily necessities:
Bring all materials to class each day and be ready to work. (You will not be allowed to
return to your lockers for forgotten supplies.) Coming to class unprepared will result in
a point (zero) for the day. At the end of the marking period points will be totaled and
deducted from your final grade.
Textbooks must be covered and kept in the condition that they were received in.
Your notebook and folder must be neat and organized as we will be taking notes and
adding work regularly.
2. Following Directions
It is of the utmost importance for you to get the information you need to be able to do
well and complete this course. You will need to PAY ATTENTION. I will only say
things twice.
3. Paper Headings:
All papers must have the following heading:
Name: Date
Homeroom Class
4. Signal For Getting Your Attention:
My hope is that our class will be a place where creativity and positive energy thrive.
There will be times when I will need your complete attention and cooperation. At these
times, I will hold up two fingers for peace. This is your signal to come to full attention.
5. Signal For Getting My Attention & Moving Around The Class:
When you need my attention to ask a question you must raise your hand. If you need to
use the bathroom, get a tissue or throw something away you must ask. Please
remember that these tasks should be accomplished before or after class. So use you
common sense before asking. If you must leave our classroom, you’ll need to take our
pass, which will be located in the front of our room. You may only leave when the pass
is available.
6. Talking During Seatwork:
When you are working independently, I see no reason why you can’t speak quietly
with one another. This is a privilege though, and will be taken away if you abuse it.
Also, please realize that if your talking is hindering someone else’s work, you will need
to be quiet.
7. Activities To Do When You Finish Your Work:
Bring a book to class or:
When you have completed any required assignment, there will be practice activities
available for you to work on. I highly recommend these activities, as they will reinforce
your language arts skills. All completed practice material will be held in your portfolio
and considered at the end of each marking period.
8. Movement In and Out of Work Groups:
We will be working together on many projects this year. During these times, you will
need to be considerate and respectful of each other and of class rules. Each member
of the group is responsible for bringing their own materials and level of participation. If
there are problems, group work will be severely limited.
9. If You Need Help:
I am usually available before school, during lunch and after school for extra help. If at
any other time you feel the need to speak with me, I will be happy to schedule an
appointment with you.
10. Dismissal:
You must wait to be dismissed at the end of each class.
Our Classroom
1. Keep It Clean:
We will be spending a lot of time in our classroom. Therefore, it is necessary that we
regard it with care. Starting with your locker and desk, then working outward, you will
be responsible for keeping our class neat and clean. Also, if you use any of our
community materials you will be expected to put them away properly. You will be
asked to stay after class/school to help clean up if this is not taken seriously.
2. Taking Home Class Materials:
You will be allowed to borrow books from the class library. There will be a sign-out
sheet posted and a two-week limit on all books borrowed. If you lose or destroy a
book, you will be asked to replace it.
3. Audio-Visual and Computer Equipment:
Always ask permission to use any AV equipment in our room. Our policy is, you break
it - you buy it. Whether we use the school lap- tops or the computers in Mr. Price’s
room, please do not ask if you can “surf the net”. The answer will always be NO!
4. My Desk:
My desk is strictly off limits unless I directly give you permission. Feel free to use any of
the materials found at the Student Information & Supply Station.
5. Substitutes & Other Visitors:
If I am out for the day, you are still expected to follow our class rules and procedures.
You are responsible for any and all assignments. You should treat any substitute/
visitor to our class with respect and afford them the same treatment you would like to
receive if you were a “stranger in a strange land”.
6. Mrs. Mak’s Web Page:
I will be updating our class web page weekly. You will be able to keep up with
assignments, test schedules and reading selections.
http://www.haworth.org/dir2/mrsmak.html
Grading System:
1. Writing assignments will be scored with various middle school rubrics
2. For all creative assignments, including oral reports, you will receive one grade for
content.
3. In each subject grades for homework assignments, performance projects, tests and
quizzes carry different weights. They are as follows:
Grammar:
Tests: 60%
Homework: 20%
Performance: 20%
Spelling & Vocabulary
Tests: 60%
Homework: 20%
Performance: 20%
Literature:
Tests: 20%
Homework: 20%
Performance: 60%
Writing:
Tests: 20%
Homework: 20%
Performance: 60%
At the end of every marking period your grades are averaged together and are based
on the following grading scale:
A+ 98-100 B+ 87-89 C+ 77-79 D 65-69
A 94-97 B 84-86 C 74-76 F 0-64
A- 90-93 B- 80-83 C- 70-73
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