Welcome to 8th grade English and PreAP English

Please read over my classroom rules and procedures and review these expectations after we have discussed them in class. (ever been tested over material like this??) I believe that students perform better when they know what is expected of them. Also, I would like to invite you to visit my class website for further information. The best place to find information is on the Class Wiki. I will post the weekly agenda on the Wiki every Sunday evening and you will have an idea of the plan for the week, which I must remind you is a plan and may have to be adjusted at times. Thank you so much for your continued support of your children, myself and out school. I invite students, parents and guardians to contact me with any questions, concerns or feedback via the sources listed below.

Mrs. Jennifer Hull, NBCT

8th grade English and PreAP English Teacher and Jr. Beta Club Sponsor

Email:

School phone: 479-968-6574

Mobile phone: I will share this with you as needed for unlimited texting

School website:

Class Wiki:

Class Facebook Group Page: please look for the group – Hull 8th grade English

Jr. Beta Wiki:

Procedures for Mrs. Hull’s Classes

  1. Enter the classroom and begin the “Class Opener” in your writer’s notebook:
  • Each day you should enter the room ready to work!
  • As you enter, take the necessary actions to be prepared. (sharpen pencil, gather supplies, get books…)
  • Then read the starter assignment posted on the board. It will tell you what to do as soon as you reach your seat.
  1. Sharpening your pencil:
  2. Sharpen it before class begins.
  3. If your pencil needs sharpened during class and no one is speaking, get up and quietly sharpen it.
  4. If your pencil needs sharpened during class and someone is speaking/teaching, wait or borrow a sharpened pencil from the pencil can.

When you need a pencil:

  • Borrow one from a classmate/peer BEFORE class begins.
  • Purchase one from the library before class begins.
  • It is often required to have a pen rather than a pencil in this class – therefore this should not be a problem!
  • Borrow one from the student supply area for you to use during appropriate times and then RETURN it.
  • I also have Flower Pens that you may borrow for this class only. Please return them to where you borrowed them from before leaving class and avoid destruction of my handmade pens!
  • Please do not ask to borrow the teacher’s materials.
  1. Heading your papers:
  • Everything you turn in needs your first and last name, date, and class period in the upper right hand corner. Example at the top of the next page….

John Deere

8-15-12

1st period

  1. Throwing away trash:
  2. Do NOT get up to throw away trash during a mini-lesson or share time.
  3. WAIT until an appropriate time to dispose of trash. This is to keep down room traffic and distractions.
  4. The floor and tables should be clear of trash, books, and notebooks each day before you are dismissed.
  1. Speaking in class:
  • When someone has the floor and is talking, you will not. It is impossible to hear someone else talking if you are talking to your neighbor or yourself. During whole-class discussions, only one person may speak at a time. This falls under the class rule of respecting others in the classroom.
  • If you cannot say anything nice, don’t say anything at all! I will not allow rude or inappropriate comments, either directed or non-directed.
  1. Leaving during class time:
  • Students are not permitted to leave class during instruction time unless called by the office or it is absolutely necessary.
  • Each student is allowed to leave the room ONLY with their hall pass. The hall pass is included with your student handbook that is issued by the school. Teacher must sign before student can leave the room. I advise you to use them wisely, because if you do not have a pass – you will not leave the room to visit the restroom.
  1. Turning in an assignment: Only two people at a time may be standing and moving about the room.
  2. Independently (as you finish) – check for your heading (name, date, and period). Is it there? Is it correct?
  3. Whole class (as a class) – quickly and carefully pass your paper toward the designated gatherer. That person will carefully stack and straighten papers before taking them to the assigned tray/bin for your class period.
  4. Be sure you are turning your work into the correct location. It can be very confusing if you do not pay attention to where you are turning in your work. Please do so with care. Thank you.
  1. Homework:
  • There will be an assignment almost every day; however, students will have a limited amount of time to work on it during class. Refer to the student handbook for late work policy
  • Parents and students should assume 30 minutes of reading every night as homework.
  • PreAP – of course – will have a much tougher load of work to accomplish, especially when reading. Please make sure you are aware of the expectations for a PreAP English class and are willing and able to keep up with the pace of reading that we strive for in that class. Many of the same strategies are taught in all classes, but in PreAP expect a reading assignment EVERY NIGHT in addition to your reading of an AR book. This is important to your success in completing work efficiently.
  1. When you are ABSENT (Make-up Work):
  2. No matter the reason why you are not in class, whether it’s personal or on school business, it is YOUR responsibility to find out what you missed in class. Mrs. Hull will not chase you down to make sure you know what you missed.
  3. On your first day back to class, be sure you have an agenda/assignment sheet for the week. If not, print one out directly from our class WIKI website.
  4. Check for the assignments for each day that you were absent. (WIKI)
  5. If there is a handout, pick up one from the appropriate place in the classroom. Some handouts may be accessible on the class wiki also.
  6. Ask someone in your pod/group or Mrs. Hull for assistance if you are confused or have questions about the assignment.
  7. If you are absent, and you return to class with an excused absence slip, you may make up missed assignments. The only exceptions are when an assignment (project) has been made and you have been given several weeks’ prior notice for the completion or due date.
  8. You are responsible for getting your work and asking for help on the work (if needed), completing it, and turning it in to me before your excused time is up. You have the number of days you missed plus one to turn in any missed work.
  9. I will not badger a student about missing work but will gladly assist and help those that do not understand assignments or are having trouble of any kind.
  10. If you know you are going to be absent ahead of time for a school sponsored field trip or other reason – make sure you get your assignments of ahead of time and know that you are still responsible for work to be turned in.
  1. Library Day:
  • Our scheduled day for going to the library is on Tuesday and we will visit every week.
  • Please practice quiet behaviors in the hallway between our class and the library
  • All classroom expectations apply in the library, in addition to expectations and procedures shared by Mrs. Stobaugh
  1. Checking Out Mrs. Hull’s Books:
  • The same guidelines that are given in other classes will also apply in this class. BE SURE TO CHECK OUT A BOOK BEFORE TAKING THEM OUT OF THE ROOM.
  • In PRINT - Please write the TITLE & AUTHOR of the book, YOUR NAME, and the DATE of check out and check in on the form prepared for this purpose.
  • The form will either be pink or gold and located on the clipboard on the file cabinet.
  • Please DO NOT check out more than one book from me at a time.
  • Please be considerate of others and return the book as quickly as possible.
  1. Accelerated Reader Accountability Program:
  • Students will be required to bring their library books to class everyday!
  • Your AR grade will count as two 100 point tests each nine weeks for a total of 200 points towards your English grade. One grade for test percentage and one grade for points set for each individual.
  • Points will not be expected to exceed that of the average 8th grade reading level. Each test is based on reaching your individual goals.
  • It is very important that you ask questions concerning AR at the beginning of the first quarter. All grades will be calculated in this manner and I want you to be aware of that fact in advance! (Note: calculated the same as in 7th grade)
  • Parents, please do not hesitate to contact me concerning AR and the grading system involved.
  • Remember, it is very possible that you could read one book and reach all of your goals. If you reach all of your goals before the end of the nine weeks, AR time will be for leisure reading. This means that you will still have to read, but it can be an appropriate magazine, book, studying for tests, or any other form of reading!
  • AR is not considered our reading program – it is only a tool by which I can hold each student accountable for reading individually. It is my hope that we will have other incentives to get you motivated to read more books for fun and because you want to read simply for the pleasure of reading!
  1. Your Grade:
  • Everything counts! Tests, class openers, homework, writer’s notebook, reading, participation, projects, everything! Remember, AR is worth 200 points each 9 week grading period.
  • Late homework (work not turned in by those students present in class) may be turned in one day after the due date for half credit. Work will not be accepted for a grade any later than one day!
  • Your grade will directly reflect the effort you put forth, don’t do the work and you won’t make the grade. Make a concerted effort and I will do everything I can to help you to learn.
  • Extra credit is not an option in our building – you will need to complete all assignments given and not expect to be able to make up any slack.
  • You will succeed in my class – you and I can guarantee that!
  • If you are struggling – please talk to me one-on-one! I’m getting better, but I can’t read minds yet and I want to make sure you are learning in here and not confused about expectations and your grades.
  1. Ending the class:
  2. Class is never over until the teacher dismisses you.
  3. No one will be dismissed until the room is in order and all books and materials have been returned to their appropriate places.
  4. This includes all assignments to be turned in, but also supplies or books that have been borrowed.
  5. Please return chairs and tables to the “as you were” status.
  1. When there is a Substitute Teacher:
  • All of the rules and procedures mentioned in these documents are to be followed whether I am in the classroom or you have a substitute. He/she will expect you to behave and follow all the rules and procedures I have set forth.
  • Actually – I expect there will be no problems as long as you continue to work as hard as you do when I am here. You know how to behave and I expect you to be on your best behavior when there is someone else here in my place.
  • Also – do NOT ask the substitute if you can leave the room, the answer will be no unless it is an emergency.
  1. Announcements:
  • Try not to be a helpless learner! It is my belief that you will learn more from struggling with concepts and ideas on your own than when I give you the straight up answer. You are going to struggle this year in that manner. In the long run you will see what I mean, even if you have to live with frustration for a bit – either way, talk to me about it!
  • I am here to listen to you – just make sure it is at an appropriate time and not during the middle of a class discussion or when I am working with another student! Don’t give up – I want to know when you are frustrated so that we can do something about it.
  • Please talk to me if you are struggling in any manner. We can schedule some additional time after school if you need additional tutoring.
  • Please do not hesitate to email or write to me of any concerns you might have this year, at any time.
  • Parents - your children are very important to me and I consider it an honor to have them in class this year. Please help me by contacting me if you have any questions or concerns!

Remember to be respectful of yourself and others and you should have awonderful time learning in my class this year!

Attitude is everything!

*Please keep this handout in your class folder for future reference. Thank you!