Mr. Laughlin's 8th Grade ELA
Our Class Syllabus
Course Overview
Major Units of Study:
Gothic Literature- "The Monkey's Paw," Poe, etc.
Short Stories
The Outsiders
(Maybe The Giver?)
Holocaust Literature- "The Diary of Anne Frank"
Poetry
Non-fiction/research writing
Classroom Rules: (All rules are in addition to CCS Student Code of Conduct.)
-Do not talk when I am talking.
-Do not talk when others are talking...you may need to hear what is being said/asked!
-Stay awake...I promise I'm not that boring.
-Understand that we all have different opinions/ideas, discussion/debate may arise, but be sure that you are respectful of each other. If there ever any concerns about anything discussed that may make you feel uncomfortable, please let me know after class/school, and I will address this as needed.
2) Be prepared.
-Always be ready to learn.
-Study!
-Bring any/all materials with you to class.
-I don't give homework often, but when I do, please do it because it is important that you do! (Plus, it will always be an easy grade.)
3) Be here!
-Come to class on time. I will be assigning tardies as needed.
-COME TO SCHOOL! Unless you are extremely sick (like, throwing up sick), have a family emergency, or any other sort of drastic reason, please come to school. We all have days we don't feel like waking up early, even teachers, but come to school and let me know how I can maybe make it better.
-Participate. I do a lot of group work. I am not the only teacher in this room. You all will get to teach me at times. For this to happen, you need to participate both in whole-class discussions and small group activities. Failure to do so will affect your grade.
-Most importantly, please behave! I want you in class, even when you don't want to be here. We all have bad days, and I understand that, but please don't do anything to make me send you out of class. I promise I am a fun teacher when I do not have to deal with behavior problems. The culture of this class depends on you!
Discipline procedures:
1) Non-verbal warning. (Tap on the desk, the "look," etc.)
2) Verbal warning.
3) Strike. (3 strikes...you're out.)
4) For every strike, there will be a parent contact. The same will be with every time you are sent out. If bad behavior continues to happen, there will be a parent-teacher conference.
Classroom procedures:
1) When you arrive to class, you are to grab your daybook off your class' shelf and take a seat and begin Writing into the Day. I don't mind talking, but you have to get started on your work. I will not remind you but a few times to start working before you will receive a strike for not being prepared for class.
2) You may not bring your book bag to class. This is for my safety and yours. All of your supplies will be in the classroom.
3) Stay off your phone. I am way more important that whoever may be texting you. I will only warn you once before you receive a strike. If you continue to use your phone, action will be taken. (Phone call home, sent to Time-Out, etc.) We will play Kahoot! at times, and when I say this, you are allowed to use your phone for only this purpose.
4) NO FIDGET SPINNERS. These are distracting to me and your other classmates. I will follow cell phone policy for these as well.
5) I will be giving you time to work in groups. Please respect this time by staying on task and completing your work. Everyone should participate in your group. I will be walking around and ensuring you are on task. If group work does not go well, I can always assign independent work to be done silently. Again, you determine the culture of the classroom.
6) I will be asking for feedback as the year progresses to make me a better teacher. Please be honest (but respectful) during this time. I promise you will enjoy the class if you let me know what you like/don't like.
7) There is never "nothing to do" in my class. If you finish your work, you can always read your AR book, take an AR test, read a book from the class library, study, or even do work for another class if necessary. Do not distract others from completing their work because you work faster than others.
8) For bathroom passes, the Knights team will be signing your planner for every time you go the bathroom. We will be seeing you goes consistently in each class. If you have medical reason for doing so, please let your first block teacher know we can all know that. I know we are in class for 87 minutes, but please visit the restroom between classes, before/after school, or on the way back from lunch/electives. If you absolutely have to go, have your planner ready for me to sign, raise your hand, and I will come sign your planner. I will also be requiring you to leave your cellphone in the basket in the room.
9) If you forget a writing utensil, I have pencils for you in the "Pencil Parking" on the front board. Leave me your cell phone in the basket, and I will give you a pencil. (It's better than getting a strike for not being prepared.) You will receive your cell phone once you turn in your pencil.
10) Do not interrupt my teaching for asking to sharpen a pencil, grab something, etc. Simply wait until we do group/independent work, raise your hand and ask, and I will let you do whatever it is you need to do at that time. This includes visits to the nurse, restroom, and any need for a hall pass.
11) There will be a bin for you to turn in work with each day as we do it, once you are done with an assignment, please place it in that bin so I can take it up at the end of the day. I will usually grade small assignments within a day or two, but larger assignments may take me as long as a week to grade and return.
12) Class is over when I tell you to put your daybook back on the shelf. You may then return to your seat QUIETLY, sit down, and wait on the bell. There will be no lining up at the door.
Emergency Procedures:
1) Fire/Bomb Threat
-Stop what you are doing.
-Calmly and quietly make your way to the door, and exit down the steps to the 6th grade hall.
-You are to then make your way out the door toward the teacher parking lot at the end of the hall and head toward the grass at the middle of the lot. DO NOT GO BETWEEN ANY CARS!
-Stay together.
-I will close the door behind me and will follow you down.
-I will call roll once we are down in the parking lot.
2) Tornado
-Stop what you are doing.
-Calmly and quietly make your way to the door, and exit down the steps to the 6th grade hall.
-You are to start forming a line along the wall, and have a seat.
-If needed, you will "assume the position," and stay there until we are told it is safe.
-Stay together.
-I will close the door behind me and will follow you down.
-I will call roll as needed.
3) Lockdown
-Stop what you are doing.
-Calmly and quietly make your way to the back of the room along the wall with the agenda board.
-Have a seat/huddle together tightly.
-I will open the door to check for anyone in the hallway, ensure the door is locked, and close the door. I will then cover the window and turn off the lights.
-Remain calm, think happy thoughts, and most importantly, DO NOT TALK!
-Once we are told it is safe, we may be escorted down the steps and out the building, or we may resume class in the event of a drill. Remember that emergency personnel will take over if we are escorted out. You are to follow their orders and stay together. This will ensure our safety.
4) Medical emergency
-Remain calm.
-I will call the nurse and any emergency numbers as needed.
-You will stay back and allow adults to handle the situation.
-You may be asked to leave the room, and you must cooperate.
-Follow any orders given.
Library Days:
Materials:
Glue
Scissors
Pens/Pencils
(May need small earbuds for laptops on certain days, but you will be told about this.)
Daybook Use:
-You must have your daybook by Tuesday, September 5 for a free 100! Make sure you put your name in it and your block. Put your daybook on the shelf for your block, and it will be housed here for the year.
-If you ever need to take your daybook home, there will be a sign out sheet for you to sign and you may take your daybook home. Make sure it returns back the next day.
Writing into the Day:
-At the beginning of every class, we will be doing a “Writing into the Day” prompt that is designed to get you thinking about the material we will cover for that day or material that we have covered in the past. This will be done in your daybook. As you enter class, you should take out your daybook and begin responding to the prompt on the board. You DO NOT have to respond to the particular prompt if you wish, but you must write about something. As soon as the bell rings, this is designed to be a quiet time to write and get your brain focused on what we will be doing that day. There is no expected length for these, but you will be expected to write the entire time. Finishing early or having to be told to write may negatively impact your grade. I will be assessing these weekly, and you may never know which days I will be looking at to grade, so be sure to do these everyday.
-If you are absent, be sure that you write ABSENT on the appropriate date. I will double check my attendance and will exempt you from that day.
Make-up work:
-If you know you are going to be absent for any reason, please let me know at least 24 hours in advance so I can have your work ready for you before you are going to be absent. The work will be due the day you return and will be a letter grade deduction for every day it is late after that day.