Sierra Middle School
Riverside, California
(951) 788-7501

Mr. J. Myers
Art Teacher
[email protected]

http://www.rusd.k12.ca.us/ourschools/sms/

Classroom Rules

Classroom Procedures for Art 

            These procedures cover all classroom behavior.  Following these procedures ensures a productive and enjoyable class; failure to respect these procedures will result in negative consequences, including removal from the room.  Listing every rule in this class and at Sierra is not necessary as the student has been in school for years and knows what is expected.  I have a few rules posted to remind them of this class' limits; most students are glad that I will back up what I say.

Entering the room:

            Students are to wait quietly outside, and away from, the north door (the door facing the quad) until the previous class has left.  Enter the room through the north door.  Without wasting time go immediately to your assigned drawer and get out your work.
            If you enter late quietly give your pass to Mr. Myers.  If you do not have a pass, write your name on the board at the lower right hand corner and fill out a detention slip.  Be sure you do not disrupt the class.

Getting your work out:

            Go to your assigned drawer and get out the current assignment and take it to your assigned seat; begin work.  Once the bell has rung stop talking and do not get up for any reason until Mr. Myers has taken roll and told you that you may get up.

Daily Writing:

              You are to write for only about 2 to 3 min., sometimes a minute or so longer.  You are to write in your Binder Reminder each and every day about what you did in my class yesterday.  The writing is designed to get you thinking and to help you learn to write more effectively.  When writing always use complete sentences and end of sentence punctuation.  Try to vary the way you report each day's work so that the journal as a whole is not boring to read.
              When you write about what you did be sure to also state your opinion about how easily the work is coming along, how much you understand it, how hard or easy the project is and so on.  The writing is to be of benefit for you, so put your heart into it, please.

Identifying projects:

This means to put your name and other information on your work.  Turn your work over, like the page of a book, and on the lower, right-hand corner legibly write your First then Last name.  Beneath your name write the date like this:  28 August 2006.  This is the Modern Language Association (MLA) format that you will be expected to know for college.  Beneath the date write "Period 3", using your correct period number of course.  Here is an example for you to be able to see how it will look.

John Myers
28 August 2006
Period 2

Demonstrations: 

Pay careful attention to what is shown as you are expected to be taking notes and watching at the same time.  Do NOT talk to others at this time.  Stay seated while watching unless you are told to gather around Mr. Myers.  If this is the case then do so with the taller students behind the shorter students and seated whenever possible.  You are expected to take notes, so be sure to have paper and a writing implement.  Listen and watch Mr. Myers without talking.  If you break a pencil lead, you may not leave to sharpen the pencil, so have a back up handy.  If you cannot take notes, you must get notes from someone else.  **There is no pencil loaning by the teacher; students are to come prepared.
            Do not talk until Mr. Myers prompts for questions. After questions are answered begin working.   Any questions after the question and answer period will be treated as individual questions and follow that procedure.

Beginning a new project:

            Read the project instructions without talking.  Without leaving your seat study the project samples in the room.  Listen to Mr. Myers and take notes on the introduction and explanation of the project.  Ask questions when prompted.  After the question and answer period is over, questions will be treated as individual questions and follow that procedure.

Individual questions:

            Try to ask questions during the question and answer period.  If there is something you don’t know, someone else probably needs to know it as well.  If you need to ask a question during the work time:

a.       Look at the hand out.

b.      Look at your notes.

c.       Look at instructional material and samples in the classroom.

d.      If you still need help, ask your tablemates.

e.      Only after exhausting your own resources may you raise your hand.  If Mr. Myers cannot come to you immediately, keep trying to find a solution until he is able to help you.

Cleaning up:

a.       Return any crayons, scissors, colored pencils, etc to their assigned places, neatly.

b.      Gather any scraps of materials and dispose of them properly.  As much as possible will be recycled, so listen to teacher instruction.

c.       Wash any brushes, sponges, etc that may need it.  Return these to the assigned place and position.  (One does not put brushes bristles down, for example.)

d.      Wash the tabletop if necessary, and be sure it is dry.

e.       Put work in your assigned drawer making sure that your full name, date and then period number is on it in ink.

f.        Sit in your assigned seat until Mr. Myers dismisses you.

Emergency procedures:

            Stop talking and stop what you are doing as soon as the emergency begins.  Follow teacher instructions exactly and immediately without noise.

Earthquake:

            Stop talking and stop what you are doing.  Duck under the nearest table, and hold onto the table leg.  You should be facing away from any windows or glass.  Stay where you are without talking until the teacher gives you further instructions.  Obey the instructions exactly without noise.

Fire drill:

            Stop talking and stop what you are doing.  Follow instructions for lining up and leaving the room without noise.

            Interruption of any drill is a school “no-no” and is to be avoided at all costs as you do not want to become “defiant”.

Bathroom pass:

            By this time in your life you should not have to leave class for bathroom use because you have learned; each school day is enough like any other for you to plan accordingly.  If you really must, let Mr. Myers know.  When the teacher gives you permission sign your name and the time, take the hall pass and return as quickly as possible.  Sign the return time when you put the pass back.  You will owe Mr. Myers TWICE the time you were gone, to be served either at the passing period or after school that day.  If there is a special situation, talk to Mr. Myers and an appropriate individual procedure will be developed.

Taking notes:

            Students may take notes in either pencil or pen. You must remain in your seat or at the demonstration, so have a back up writing implement handy.  If you run out of ink or break the pencil lead and do not have a back up, you must get the notes from another student at a later time.  In no circumstances are you to talk, leave the assigned area, or in any way disrupt the explanation or demonstration.  **There is no pencil loaning by the teacher; students are to come prepared.

Normal work time:

            You will be expected to stay in your assigned seat most of the time.  You may quietly discuss the class work with classmates, get up briefly to get required materials, sharpen pencils or put materials away.  You are not to interrupt or distract other students or interrupt Mr. Myers while he is working with a student.  He will help you as soon as he can; continue trying to find the solution until it is your turn.  When Mr. Myers prompts you to clean up, follow the clean up procedure immediately.

Leaving class:

            After properly cleaning up, sit quietly at your assigned seat until Mr. Myers dismisses your table.  It is up to you to ensure that your table cleans up promptly; if you do not do so, you will not be dismissed until the procedure has been properly followed.  Remember, you are not dismissed until Mr. Myers dismisses you.

Discipline procedures:

            When a student fails to follow procedure, Mr. Myers will give a verbal reminder.  A second infraction results in a verbal reminder and the student’s name on the board.  A third infraction earns a check after the name and an amount of  time for detention.  Any further infractions will result in the student being removed from the room.

Detention procedure:

            Unless otherwise agreed by Mr. Myers detention is to be served the next school day; if the student and Mr. Myers agree, the student my serve half the standard time on the day detention was assigned to fulfill the obligation.

            Detention slips are to be filled out by the student with name, date, infraction and detention date.  The student will bring the slip to Mr. Myers after class for signature and a cross line will be put on the check.  Failure to bring Mr. Myers the slip will be considered defiance.

Defiance:

            Defiance is the willful choice not to follow appropriate procedure or teacher instructions.  Because defiance has the potential to put physical safety as well as academic environment at risk, defiance is a serious infraction.  Defiance earns the student an hour of detention and a home contact.  Failure to provide a working contact number is considered a second act of defiance; if there is no working contact number the student must tell Mr. Myers that day and agree to hand deliver a note to the parent or guardian, get the note signed and return the note the next school day.  Failure to do so is considered a second act of defiance.

Specific acts of defiance include, but are not limited to, any form of cheating, harassment or abuse of another student, willful damage to another student’s work or possessions, theft of any sort, and willful damage to school property, including damage due to failure to follow directions.  Any racial slurs, regardless of the student’s background, will also be considered defiance.

          Listing every rule in this class and at Sierra is not necessary as the student has been in school for years and knows what is expected.  I have a few rules posted to remind them of this class' limits; most students are glad that I will back up what I say.

          As long as you let others learn all is well.

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Last updated on 24 August 2006