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Classroom Rules - Level I

Main Core Tie

Food Science
Strand 1

Authors

Utah LessonPlans

Summary

Rules and Teacher Expectations


Materials

Websites


Background for Teachers

Students need to know the teacher's expectations for the following: (see example of BASIC FOODS CLASS RULES AND GUIDELINES)

  • Seating - students assigned to units of their choice but the teacher reserves the right to make changes
  • Dismissal - chairs pushed into tables or put on top of tables (last period of the day). Before class ends have books/paper picked up, room left tidy for next class. Bell does not dismiss students - teacher does.
  • Bathroom/Drinking - a limited number of bathroom/ drinking fountain passes are given to students for the entire semester.
  • Extra Credit - Option A: cooking at home involving more than a can of soup. The experience needs to include clean up and parent signature forms. Option B: a recipe book/file could be done for extra credit
  • An ASSIGNMENT SHEET showing the planned scope and sequence helps students organize and keep track of the assignments they've completed making learning easier. It is placed in the front of the students' assignment journal. A master will be posted on the bulletin board and filled in daily by the teacher. Students should put a check mark on their sheet if they were absent for that class. The coversheet must be filled out or no grade will be given (this may be 1/4 of the term grade).

Having a record of class activities helps students, parents and the teacher gain a better understanding of the student's accomplishments and progress toward a passing grade.

NOTE TO TEACHER: A class secretary or student aide could help with record keeping.

A LAB SHEET helps both the teacher and students organize and plan labs which will result in a better learning experience. The following information should be filled out on the lab sheet or no credit will be given. It is not the teacher's responsibility to search out ownership of paper work.

  1. Name, product, date and period (a must)
  2. Jobs - 3-5 people - assignments made fairly
  3. Supplies in unit include flour, salt, sugar, water (may be others according to individual teacher's lab organization)
  4. Market order - all other supplies (usually found on a supply table - location designated by teacher)
  5. Grading - manager points - how did your unit do? Teacher points - 1/2 of manager and other deductions if necessary (adjust this to individual teacher determination)
    NOTE: No lab sheets turned in - NO points. Each lab is worth 25 points. Linen and extra jobs - all students are responsible (this can be citizenship-based).

Appreciation for the value of Textbooks and their care will help students take better care of this valuable resource. Students will use textbooks for various assignments throughout the course.

  1. books are costly, absolutely no graffiti is allowed
  2. check out of books is for overnight only -- they must be returned to the classroom at the beginning of first period the next day.
  3. return books to storage area properly - stack them properly and never on the floor.
  4. assign only one person from the unit to pick up and return books - this assignment is to be rotated.

When student performance is objectively evaluated, the teacher and the student will be able to determine where learning has not taken place and plan for remediation in that area. The teacher will evaluate students in the following manner:

  1. questions from students
  2. questions from teacher
  3. lab sheets
  4. worksheets
  5. post written tests
  6. activity participation
  7. homework assigned
ASSERTIVE DISCIPLINE/NORM SETTING
It is the teacher's responsibility to teach.
It is the student's responsibility to learn.
No one or thing should stop the learning process.

A disclosure of what is allowed and expected should be given to the students at the beginning of the class. Norm setting is a way of setting up the classroom discipline/rules that gives the students as well as the teacher the opportunity to make the rules and/or the consequences for breaking the rules. The idea behind this type of discipline is that by giving the students a say in the rules/consequences the students will feel a greater need for compliance. There are 7 steps to be followed so both teacher and students are satisfied with the results.

Step 1
The teacher should make a list of all rules the school requires (i.e. attendance, dress code, etc.) and that he/she feels they can't survive in the classroom without. This list should be used as a prop when the actual norm setting takes place with the students. By having this list beforehand, it is easier for the teacher to guide the students in setting up norms that will satisfy needed/desired rules.

Step 2
Explain to the students what is to take place and that the goal is to make a classroom situation that both students and teacher can live with.

Step 3
Have the students brainstorm, making a visible list of each rule/idea presented. Limit the time as needed.

Step 4
After brainstorming is complete, check to make sure the teacher's list is satisfied. If it is not, give probe questions such as the following:

  1. What about ______?
  2. I don't know if I could survive with (or without) _________, could you?
  3. I really feel like ________ should be on the list, don't you?
Step 5
Next, combine similar or cut out unneeded rules/items on the list so there are only 4-6 rules (norms) left. If there are too many norms/rules to follow it becomes too complicated and the desire for compliance is diminished.

Step 6
After the norms are determined the teacher should present ideas for the consequences. The students can decide upon the choices given or the teacher can take the students through the norm setting process only for consequences. This will depend upon the teacher and/or school regulations.

Step 7
Norms and consequences should be posted in the classroom. It is also a good idea to inform the parents of the conclusions (i.e. disclosure document or letter).


Instructional Procedures

Attachments

ACTIVITIES:

  1. Hand out copies to students and discuss BASIC FOODS CLASS RULES AND GUIDELINES. Students will take this form home for parents to read and sign before returning it to the teacher. Students could receive points as an incentive for returning it:
    1. On time - full points
    2. Late - 1/2 points off

    Students and teacher brainstorm additional rules for class procedure and behavior--refer to content.

NOTE TO TEACHER: These rules will vary from school to school. Each teacher will need to adjust resources according to school rules and needs.

  1. Discuss the teacher's expectations of students. See the following resources at the end of this section:
    PARENT'S LETTER
    BATHROOM/DRINKING FOUNTAIN PASSES
    DISCIPLINE PROCEDURE CHART (possible transparency)
    CITIZENSHIP
    HOME COOKING PROJECT
    SEATING CHART (cover with clear plastic and use for a quick mark at roll time and later recording roll book)
    ASSIGNMENT SHEET

NOTE TO TEACHER: Bathroom/Drinking Fountain Passes have been printed up on a master so that the teacher can give each student his/her own set of passes. Tell students that that is all the passes they can have for the term and/or semester (teacher choice). When they are gone there will be no more passes issued except on an emergency basis.

  1. Pass out a copy of the ASSIGNMENT SHEET and explain the purpose of keeping it as an assignment journal. Post a master ASSIGNMENT SHEET and review its purpose.
  2. Pass out a sample LAB PLANNING SHEET and go over the key points. Pass out a recipe and have students fill out a lab sheet. Have students hand in lab sheets and correct them while students do the next assignment. Call students up to your desk if there are questions.
  3. Show where books are stored and explains their value, care and proper use. Then, have students complete UNIT I "INTRODUCTION" PRETEST on page I-5 of this guide.

NOTE TO TEACHER: Explain to students that no pre-test is ever graded since the purpose for the test is to allow the teacher to assess student background knowledge.


Created: 06/20/1997
Updated: 02/05/2018
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