STUDENT GUIDE: TERMS AND DEFINITIONS OF EXPECTATIONS AND PROCEDURES
ENTRY PROCEDURE:
Enter the classroom quietly and take your assigned seat. Then take out your materials, start the bell work (Do-Now), and show you are here to learn by remaining quiet and attentive. Remember if you are assigned a helper job, be sure to do your part!
EXIT PROCEDURE:
Take note of the assigned work, submit any work that is due, return your binder, gather and organize your materials, leave no trace, and tidy up. Show you’re ready to leave by remaining seated and quiet. When told to leave, push in your chair, assess the condition of room, and leave quietly and cooperatively.
WALKING:
We walk and do not run in the classrooms, hallsways, and stairwells. We walk single-file, back to front, and with our hands, feet, and objects to ourselves. We are quiet while walking so we may hear directions and not disturb any other classrooms that may be in session.
MOVEMENT IN CLASSROOM:
Stay in your seat. Wandering and moving furniture can impact student safety, make noise, and be disruptive.
TRANSITIONS:
Transitions need to be rapid and efficient. Once you are dismissed from class, you walk directly to your next class.
ROUTINES:
These are the things we do all the time.
PROCEDURES:
These are the specific ways of doing things
EXPECTATIONS:
These are things you are taught and supposed to do well.
CLASSROOM HELPERS:
Periodically everyone will be assigned a job and perform a minor, yet important, task. It will run on a rotating schedule. Such work positions are:
-Class Captain: Calls class to order, and assists teacher throughout the class/day.
-Table/Group Leaders: Reports to class captains, facilitate table/group tasks.
-Attendance Helper: Checks attendance with the teacher.
-Clock Keeper (Time Keeper): Keeps time during activities and calls “Time!”
-Courier: Carries messages from the classroom.
-Classroom Monitor: Checks desks and floors for neatness at the end of the class.
-Notebook Distributer
-Organizer (check-in with others about concerns with work/concepts/ideas)
-Supplies Engineer. More jobs are to come and will be created in our space.
THE LEARNING PROCESS:
This is a course or path toward understanding that must be clear and undisturbed in order to be used properly. Otherwise thought-building is delayed or stopped.
THINKING SPACE:
Leave all personal concerns and issues outside of class. Not that what you think or say is not important, but you must place it in a suitcase to deliver to another environment, not a learning space. This is the practice of “quiet think”. It is your conduct in a museum, library, and other publicly shared spaces. It is the silent contemplation practiced by monks. It increases mindful awareness and is also peaceful!
BELL WORK (DO-NOW):
This is the first thing to do once you have entered class. The purpose is to activate your prior knowledge whether it is the previous lesson or simply a warm-up for the intake of new information.
INTERACTIVE NOTEBOOK:
All students will be asked to keep an Interactive Binder. In this binder students will store all of their notes, graphic organizers, assignments, and many other things that they will collect throughout the year in English class. The binder will be used in class daily so it is important that it is always on hand. The binder will also be turned in at the end of each marking period for a quick check. During this time, the teacher will check to see if all assignments have been completed within the binder. The binder should be kept neat and organized. Every day when you arrive, you will receive your binder and use it for the duration of class.
DAILY FIVE (Look, Find, and Do!):
This will indicate any of the minimum of five tasks that can be done when students finish early. It is a chart where to find what to do when done with the central assignments in class. This prevents idleness and may provide extra credit opportunities. There is no time for idleness or misbehavior. We are always busy because there is always so much we can do. This is great because in addition to learning, a ton time WILL fly.
SUSTAINED SILENT READING:
Silences is precious and sacred. Brains will develop more when unfettered by noise and gossip. SSR will happen much throughout the year such as during Advisory Days and as a part of Daily Five – no idleness, please.
ORGANIZATION AND STUDY SKILLS:
This is your ability to use time, energy and resources effectively to achieve goals. It is the ability to meet deadlines, work independently and plan for future projects. These are the skills that you need for success in school. Study skills or study strategies are approaches applied to learning. They are critical to success in school, essential for acquiring good grades, and useful for learning throughout one's life.
GOAL SETTING AND REFLECTION:
This is a strategy or technique based on the concept that the practice of setting specific goals enhances performance, and that setting difficult goals results in higher performance than setting easier goals. It creates purpose and drives us to outperform and change our perception of ourselves. It redefines our capabilities and limits.
PROGRESS MONITORING AND MEETING:
Progress monitoring is a scientifically based practice that is used to assess a student’s academic performance and evaluate the effectiveness of instruction. Progress monitoring occurs on a regular basis typically on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.
DOK/Depth of Knowledge Levels:
Depth of Knowledge is also referred to as DOK. Depth of Knowledge is the complexity or depth of understanding required to answer or explain an assessment related item.
COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS:
These are the basics and each highlights an important component of a subject area at a given level. When you affirm the standard you prove you know what you have learned.
WORD WALL AND WORD BIN:
This is a literacy tool composed of an organized (typically in alphabetical order) collection of words which are displayed in large visible letters on a wall, bulletin board, or other display surface in a classroom. The word wall is designed to be an interactive tool for students or others to use, and contains an array of words that can be used during writing and/or reading. They foster phonemic awareness, display connections throughout word "families" (such as "-ick" words), serve as a support/reference for students, and create meaningful experiences with new vocabulary words.
EVIDENCE OF LEARNING:
These are our collective class goals. The chart will visibly show our progress, successes, and areas for improvement. Evidence of Learning is class data collection that shows what we know and what we have learned. There are incentives for those who excel or show significant improvement. It is constructive competition with real dividends.
ABSENCES:
If you are absent for any period of time, you are responsible for making up the work that was due. You must speak with Mr. Oakes, at an appropriate time, to organize the receiving and submitting of that work.
PBIS:
Positive behavior support is an application of a behaviorally-based systems approach to enhance the capacity of schools, families, and communities to design effective environments that improve the fit or link between research-validated practices and the environments in which teaching and learning occurs. Attention is focused on creating and sustaining primary (school-wide), secondary (targeted group or simple individual plans), and tertiary (individual) systems of support that improve lifestyle results (personal, health, social, family, work, recreation) for all children and youth by making problem behavior less effective, efficient, and relevant, and desired behavior more functional.
LEAVE NO TRACE POLICY:
1. Plan Ahead and Prepare: Poorly prepared people, when presented with unexpected situations, often resort to high-impact solutions that degrade the environment or put themselves and others at risk. Proper planning leads to less impact.
2. Maintain a working and workable place of study and learning. Keep your space neat and usable for you and those that arrive after you.
3. Dispose of Trash Properly. Trash and litter are primarily social impacts which can greatly detract from the wellness of an area.
4. Leave What You Find: Leave No Trace directs people to minimize classroom alterations, such as moving furniture or other objects and operating any devices.
5. Respect Other Lives: Minimizing impact on others.
6. Be Considerate of Other Guests: Following etiquette and maintaining quiet allows visitors to go through the space with minimal impact on others.
Enter the classroom quietly and take your assigned seat. Then take out your materials, start the bell work (Do-Now), and show you are here to learn by remaining quiet and attentive. Remember if you are assigned a helper job, be sure to do your part!
EXIT PROCEDURE:
Take note of the assigned work, submit any work that is due, return your binder, gather and organize your materials, leave no trace, and tidy up. Show you’re ready to leave by remaining seated and quiet. When told to leave, push in your chair, assess the condition of room, and leave quietly and cooperatively.
WALKING:
We walk and do not run in the classrooms, hallsways, and stairwells. We walk single-file, back to front, and with our hands, feet, and objects to ourselves. We are quiet while walking so we may hear directions and not disturb any other classrooms that may be in session.
MOVEMENT IN CLASSROOM:
Stay in your seat. Wandering and moving furniture can impact student safety, make noise, and be disruptive.
TRANSITIONS:
Transitions need to be rapid and efficient. Once you are dismissed from class, you walk directly to your next class.
ROUTINES:
These are the things we do all the time.
PROCEDURES:
These are the specific ways of doing things
EXPECTATIONS:
These are things you are taught and supposed to do well.
CLASSROOM HELPERS:
Periodically everyone will be assigned a job and perform a minor, yet important, task. It will run on a rotating schedule. Such work positions are:
-Class Captain: Calls class to order, and assists teacher throughout the class/day.
-Table/Group Leaders: Reports to class captains, facilitate table/group tasks.
-Attendance Helper: Checks attendance with the teacher.
-Clock Keeper (Time Keeper): Keeps time during activities and calls “Time!”
-Courier: Carries messages from the classroom.
-Classroom Monitor: Checks desks and floors for neatness at the end of the class.
-Notebook Distributer
-Organizer (check-in with others about concerns with work/concepts/ideas)
-Supplies Engineer. More jobs are to come and will be created in our space.
THE LEARNING PROCESS:
This is a course or path toward understanding that must be clear and undisturbed in order to be used properly. Otherwise thought-building is delayed or stopped.
THINKING SPACE:
Leave all personal concerns and issues outside of class. Not that what you think or say is not important, but you must place it in a suitcase to deliver to another environment, not a learning space. This is the practice of “quiet think”. It is your conduct in a museum, library, and other publicly shared spaces. It is the silent contemplation practiced by monks. It increases mindful awareness and is also peaceful!
BELL WORK (DO-NOW):
This is the first thing to do once you have entered class. The purpose is to activate your prior knowledge whether it is the previous lesson or simply a warm-up for the intake of new information.
INTERACTIVE NOTEBOOK:
All students will be asked to keep an Interactive Binder. In this binder students will store all of their notes, graphic organizers, assignments, and many other things that they will collect throughout the year in English class. The binder will be used in class daily so it is important that it is always on hand. The binder will also be turned in at the end of each marking period for a quick check. During this time, the teacher will check to see if all assignments have been completed within the binder. The binder should be kept neat and organized. Every day when you arrive, you will receive your binder and use it for the duration of class.
DAILY FIVE (Look, Find, and Do!):
This will indicate any of the minimum of five tasks that can be done when students finish early. It is a chart where to find what to do when done with the central assignments in class. This prevents idleness and may provide extra credit opportunities. There is no time for idleness or misbehavior. We are always busy because there is always so much we can do. This is great because in addition to learning, a ton time WILL fly.
SUSTAINED SILENT READING:
Silences is precious and sacred. Brains will develop more when unfettered by noise and gossip. SSR will happen much throughout the year such as during Advisory Days and as a part of Daily Five – no idleness, please.
ORGANIZATION AND STUDY SKILLS:
This is your ability to use time, energy and resources effectively to achieve goals. It is the ability to meet deadlines, work independently and plan for future projects. These are the skills that you need for success in school. Study skills or study strategies are approaches applied to learning. They are critical to success in school, essential for acquiring good grades, and useful for learning throughout one's life.
GOAL SETTING AND REFLECTION:
This is a strategy or technique based on the concept that the practice of setting specific goals enhances performance, and that setting difficult goals results in higher performance than setting easier goals. It creates purpose and drives us to outperform and change our perception of ourselves. It redefines our capabilities and limits.
PROGRESS MONITORING AND MEETING:
Progress monitoring is a scientifically based practice that is used to assess a student’s academic performance and evaluate the effectiveness of instruction. Progress monitoring occurs on a regular basis typically on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.
DOK/Depth of Knowledge Levels:
Depth of Knowledge is also referred to as DOK. Depth of Knowledge is the complexity or depth of understanding required to answer or explain an assessment related item.
COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS:
These are the basics and each highlights an important component of a subject area at a given level. When you affirm the standard you prove you know what you have learned.
WORD WALL AND WORD BIN:
This is a literacy tool composed of an organized (typically in alphabetical order) collection of words which are displayed in large visible letters on a wall, bulletin board, or other display surface in a classroom. The word wall is designed to be an interactive tool for students or others to use, and contains an array of words that can be used during writing and/or reading. They foster phonemic awareness, display connections throughout word "families" (such as "-ick" words), serve as a support/reference for students, and create meaningful experiences with new vocabulary words.
EVIDENCE OF LEARNING:
These are our collective class goals. The chart will visibly show our progress, successes, and areas for improvement. Evidence of Learning is class data collection that shows what we know and what we have learned. There are incentives for those who excel or show significant improvement. It is constructive competition with real dividends.
ABSENCES:
If you are absent for any period of time, you are responsible for making up the work that was due. You must speak with Mr. Oakes, at an appropriate time, to organize the receiving and submitting of that work.
PBIS:
Positive behavior support is an application of a behaviorally-based systems approach to enhance the capacity of schools, families, and communities to design effective environments that improve the fit or link between research-validated practices and the environments in which teaching and learning occurs. Attention is focused on creating and sustaining primary (school-wide), secondary (targeted group or simple individual plans), and tertiary (individual) systems of support that improve lifestyle results (personal, health, social, family, work, recreation) for all children and youth by making problem behavior less effective, efficient, and relevant, and desired behavior more functional.
LEAVE NO TRACE POLICY:
1. Plan Ahead and Prepare: Poorly prepared people, when presented with unexpected situations, often resort to high-impact solutions that degrade the environment or put themselves and others at risk. Proper planning leads to less impact.
2. Maintain a working and workable place of study and learning. Keep your space neat and usable for you and those that arrive after you.
3. Dispose of Trash Properly. Trash and litter are primarily social impacts which can greatly detract from the wellness of an area.
4. Leave What You Find: Leave No Trace directs people to minimize classroom alterations, such as moving furniture or other objects and operating any devices.
5. Respect Other Lives: Minimizing impact on others.
6. Be Considerate of Other Guests: Following etiquette and maintaining quiet allows visitors to go through the space with minimal impact on others.