Being a Middle School student is a huge and often daunting task. You are at a new school, you have new classmates, new teachers and you have to change your clothes for gym class. All-in-all it can be a difficult transition for some students. Here are a few tips to help you have a successful year…
- WRITE your homework down in your BINDER REMINDER EVERY DAY
- DO ALL OF YOUR HOMEWORK when assigned
- TURN IN ALL of your HOMEWORK when it is asked for (even if it is incomplete)
- START projects EARLY—don’t procrastinate and wait until the last minute
Follow All Class Rules
I have a few basic class rules. These rules cover respecting the teacher, other students, the classroom and yourself. Breaking these rules may result in: a warning, paper pick-up, a phone call home, detention, or a referral to Mr. Yim. Review these rules with your parents. (Hint—there might be a pop quiz on them soon!)
- Listen and follow all directions
- Be in your seat ready to learn before the bell rings
- Raise your hand if you have a question or comment
- No food, gum or drink (including water bottles)
- Cell phones must be turned off. I will take your phone if it rings during class or if I catch you texting or using your phone for any reason.
- Cheating/Plagiarism results in a zero on the test/assignment
- No Backpacks in the classroom
Be Prepared for Class
A successful person is ALWAYS prepared, so I expect that you are physically and mentally prepared. You should always have your supplies, as well as your homework completed. If you were supposed to have read something for homework, I expect that you read it. If there is a vocabulary quiz, I expect that you studied at home. Here is a simple list of items you should have with you at ALL times.
- Red pen/pencil (for correcting only)
- Learning Log—spiral notebook or composition book
Learning Logs:
- Students will keep a log of warm-ups, notes and various reading questions. I will collect and grade the logs at random throughout the year.
Pay Attention
I know it’s tough at times, but do pay close attention to what is being said in class. Pay attention to what is written on the board or overhead. Further, always pay attention to what your homework is. I always have your homework written on the board, the overhead and I always verbally announce it. If you are confused or need clarification about ANYTHING, raise your hand and ask me for clarification.
What do you do if you are absent?
If you are absent you can do several things:
- You can contact a reliable friend who is in the class and find out what you missed…do make sure this friend is reliable.
- You can email me and ask me what you missed…do remember that I can’t always reply immediately.
- When you come back to school, you can ask me what you missed…don’t be surprised or upset if I ask you to come back during Homeroom or after school to get the lesson and homework.
