MRS.

SAGE'S 8TH GRADE ENGLISH

Mrs. Sage’s
8th Grade
English
Class

"THE ONLY PEOPLE FOR ME ARE THE MAD ONES, THE ONES WHO ARE MAD TO LIVE, MAD Silent Hand Signals
TO TALK, MAD TO BE SAVED, DESIROUS OF EVERYTHING AT THE SAME TIME, THE ONES In class, scholars (that means you students) must
WHO NEVER YAWN OR SAY A COMMONPLACE THING, BUT BURN, BURN, BURN LIKE use hand signals to show why they are getting up or
FABULOUS YELLOW ROMAN CANDLES EXPLODING LIKE SPIDERS IN THE SKY.” what they need. We will practice these so you can
— Jack Kerouac, On The Road get them!
Bathroom
Welcome to 8th Grade! If you need to use the restroom, hold
It’s nice to meet you! I’m Mrs. Sage, your masterful teacher. These set of class guidelines help you, up the American Sign Language
(ASL) symbol for “B.” Make sure you
the treasured student, navigate your way through the procedures and rules of our classroom.
also have a bathroom pass!
Procedures
Materials
IV. Turning in Assignments
I. Entering the Classroom If you need extra paper, to hole
If you’re typing up an assignment, turn punch, use tape, staple, or
Please enter the classroom quietly and
it in by email to save paper. If it’s anything else that may be at the
orderly. From there, students will place a
essential to bring in the hardcopy materials table, raise the ASL
status update on the mood wall. Not feeling
(whether your email stopped working, letter for “M.”
anything in your tortured soul? Write that!
you don’t have a computer, or I request If you need a pencil, you will also
I want to know how you’re doing!
it), paper monitors will turn it in. use the “M.” If you borrow a
Afterwards, take your seat. Then, check pencil, make sure you return it. Or
what materials I have written on the trade your broken pencil for a new
V. Traveling to Known (or one so it can be resharpened for
board and put those on your desk.
Unknown) Places future use.
II. Entering the Classroom Late
If we happen to go on a field trip or Tissue
If you enter class late, do so quietly. travel to another part of the school
Sign-in at the Sig-In/Out Sheet near the (say the library or some other exotic If you happen to sneeze and
bulletin board with your name, the date, and need a tissue (or maybe you just
location), I expect students to
need to blow your nose), cover
the time. I will take away participation quietly walk in a single-file line and keep your nose with one hand, and
points for every minute late. their hands to themselves. raise the ASL letter for “B” with
Be sure to still write on the mood wall and VI. Using the Facilities the other.
ask your peers for directions.
I appreciate students who use the Trash/Recycle
III. Not Entering the Classroom restroom before class; however,
If you need to throw something in
If you happen to be absent, we will all students will be given two bathroom
the trash or recycle, raise the ASL
mourn and discuss how we miss you passes in case of emergencies. letter for “R” and dispose of
(well, maybe not.) Be sure to make-up If you’ve run out of your passes must use whatever you need to quietly.
any assignments or tests in a timely the restroom, minutes gone at the
manner, as well as get notes from a bathroom will be taken away from
And The Most Important
buddy. participation points
Signal…
It is your responsibility to make sure VII. Exiting the Classroom If you have a question or want to
you’re caught up each class. You address the class, simply raise
Class is dismissed by me. Students
only get the same amount of days you your hand! If you can’t
should exit as they entered: quietly and remember one of the other
were absent to make up missed work; orderly with no running, pushing, or symbols, this will work too!
otherwise, it’s late! celebrating to finally escape. Pretty much if you want to be
noticed, just raise your hand!
MRS. SAGE'S 8TH GRADE ENGLISH
I. Respect both your wonderful
teacher and your stupendous
peers.
Not everyone gets along or likes each
other, but be respectful to others and
treat them as you’d like to be treated.
II. Respect the classroom itself
(no wild parties or animal
sacrifices please)
This classroom is sacred. If you cannot
treat materials respectfully, you will lose
access to them. That’s a bummer.
III. Arrive to class and turn in
assignments on time
Though being late happens, try your
best to be on time with attendance and
work. It disrupts your peers and my
rigorous assignment grading schedule.
"IT SEEMS, THEN, THAT IT IS NOT WHAT YOU DO, BUT HOW YOU DO IT AND WHAT YOU CALL IT. IS
THERE A CHECK IN MEN, DEEP IN THEM, THAT STOPS OR PUNISHES? THERE DOESN’T SEEM TO BE. THE
ONLY PUNISHMENT IS FOR FAILURE. IN EFFECT, NO CRIME IS COMMITTED UNLESS A CRIMINAL IS
— John Steinbeck, The Winter of Our Discontent (All right, this whole author picture thing is seriously not
This classroom tries to work on a positive reinforcement model; however, if misbehavior continues, negative
consequences will happen. Below, I will explain the positive and negative of punishments in class.
I. Positive
Students can receive Fesler Funds
for good behavior. These can be
used at the end of the quarter to
buy any number of things: extra
bathroom passes, Get Out of
Assignment Late cards, food,
candy, etc. It just matters how
much money the scholar has!
Students will receive rewards
when:
• They follow the classroom
rules and procedures.
• They help me or their peers.
• They grow as a student.
• They participate actively in
class discussion.
• I feel like giving out Bucks.
Students will not receive
rewards when:
2
“RULES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: THESE ARE THE TIES THAT BIND
US. WE DO WHAT WE DO, BECAUSE OF WHO WE ARE. IF WE DID
OTHERWISE, WE WOULD NOT BE OURSELVES. I WILL DO WHAT I HAVE TO
DO. AND I WILL DO WHAT I MUST.”
— Neil Gaiman, The Sandman: Book of Dreams (Wait, that’s not Neil Gaiman
pictured…)
Rules
Rules will be posted in the classroom for reference.
IV. Follow Directions VII. Take care of yourself!
If you're stressed out or bogged down,
The class cannot run like a well-oiled
let me know. School is not as important
machine if directions are not followed. If
you have questions, ask! I'm happy to as your well-being.
explain, but I will not be happy if
directions are ignored. DISAGREE WITH PROCEDURES OR RULES?
V. Keep your electronic devices
in your bag and off Let me know! If a rule or procedure
doesn’t work, we can figure out
There are times when I too want to something that functions better.
check my phone messages and search
for pictures of cats, but these times are Five of your own rules!
for out of class. Write five of your own rules below.
VI. NO CHEATING
Academic honesty is imperative.
Students found cheating will
immediately fail the assignment
and receive referrals.
CAUGHT.”
working out…)
Consequences
• They do not follow rules and • After-School Detention
procedures.
• Referral to the Office
• They ask for rewards.
• Suspension (or whatever
• They do not participate in the office sees fit.)
class activities.
Students who become violent or
• They are disrespectful to me bully others will immediately be
or their peers. taken out of the classroom for a
conference. From there, we will
• I do not feel like giving out
Bucks. assess our next move.
II. Negative
I understand that things
Negative consequences are only happen, and students
used for severe situations or sometimes have serious issues
continued misbehavior. on their minds. BEFORE there’s a
Consequences increase with the problem, let me know what your
severity or repetition of behavior. mindset is. If you aren’t
comfortable writing a status
• Warning
update about it, just tell me
• Separation or exchange before class. But I cannot help
• Outside Conference you if you don’t communicate
with me!
• Lunch Detention