STRATEGIES FOR CREATING A COMMUNITY: IT IS IMPORTANT TO INSURE THAT MY STUDENTS FEEL INCLUDED AND FEEL COMFORTABLE IN BUILDING A COMMUNITY WITHIN CLASS. THE FOLLOWING POINTS ARE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW YOU WILL BE TREATED AND WHAT IS EXPECTED FROM YOU.
LEARNING NAMES: CURRENTLY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS USING SYNERGY TO TAKE ROLL, AND ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES IT THAT IT PROVIDES ME WITH A LIST WITH A PICTURE OF YOU AND NAME. THIS WAY I CAN USE A PICTURE VISUAL TO GET TO MAKE A CONNECTION WITH YOUR NAME AND FACE, BUT PLEASE WORK WITH ME, IT TAKE ME A WHILE TO MEMORIZE NAMES.
ENGAGING ACTIVITIES: A WAY TO ENGAGE YOU TO LEARN OTHER STUDENTS I ENCOURAGE YOU TO SEEK SOMEONE NEW AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND LEARN EACH OTHERS LEARNING/WORKING TECHNIQUES. TO AID YOU IN THIS PROCESS, I HAVE DESIGNED MULTIPLE CLASS ACTIVITIES WHERE YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO WORK WITH A PARTNER (AT SOME TIME IN A GROUP OF THREE). I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THE SAME FOR HOMEWORK, AND GET WITH A PARTNER AND BOTH WORK TOGETHER TO COMPLETE THE ASSIGNMENT OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL TIME. I ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO WORK WITH SOMEONE NEW FOR EVERY ACTIVITY (IF INDIVIDUAL WORK HELPS OUT THE MOST, PLEASE DO NOT FEEL OBLIGATED TO WORK WITH A PARTNER), BUT FEEL FREE TO STICK WITH THE SAME PERSON FOR HOMEWORK.
Be Polite: I want you to treat others the same way you would like to be treated, please make your fellow peers and teachers feel important and welcomed to class by being polite. Being positive goes along way, and it will reflect on you being polite.
Be PUNCTUAL: The class syllabus clearly states, the rules for being punctual, being tardy is disruptive to the learning process for the class, and also disruptive to the teacher as I’m presenting value information. Being PUNCTUAL also incorporates abusing the rules for bathroom breaks. You have the liberty to sign out to take a bathroom break, but the break must be short and only for that purpose. If an emergency occurs please let me know DISCRETE. It is only fair to for all of us to follow this rule, this way we can all focus more on the learning process.
Be Prepared: After the end of each class, on the table next to the exit a “lecture handout” is printed for you. I want you to take advantage of it, since I want you to briefly go over it at home, maybe fill out some of it at home, then bring it back the following class day, to fill it out with lecture notes. But I do not just want you to be ready to take note, but for all activities, i want to hear your voice loud and proud. With time we will all get to know each other, and with a strong and trustful community, ANY expression of ideas will be good for analysis.
CIRCLE OF COURAGE. RETRIEVED SEPTEMBER 18, 2014, FROM HTTPS://WWW.RECLAIMING.COM/CONTENT/ABOUTCIRCLEOFCOURAGE VILLA, R.A. THOUSAND, J.S. & NEVIN, A.I. (2010). CHAPTER 9: STUDENTS AS COLLABORATORS IN
RESPONSIBILITY, COLLABORATING WITH STUDENTS IN INSTRUCTION AND DECISION MAKING, THOUSAND OAKS, CA: CORWIN PRESS, P. 171-188. PERMISSION GRANTED TO POST CHAPTER BY JACQUE THOUSAND, 2014.
VAN BOCKERN, S., BRENDTRO, L., & BROKENLEG, M. (2010). RECLAIMING OUR YOUTH. RETRIEVED SEPTEMBER 18, 2014, FROM HTTP://WWW.AUGIE.EDU/DEPT/NAST/PROJECTS/DOC6.HTM