Strongverb - Mr Buchanan's Site for Hastings-on-Hudson HS

Policies and Procedures

Bare-minimum materials for class

Useful materials for class

Optional materials

Daily preparation for class

Bring your notebook and writing utensils to class everyday.

Homework

Expect homework for your class every day. I will give you as much advance notice as possible for long-term projects.

Website and e-mail

In order to help you keep track of assignments, due dates, projects, resources, and papers, I maintain a class website at www.strongverb.net. Lectures for class will be posted a day or two after they are given. Class materials will be made available in one of three formats: Microsoft Word (.doc); Rich text format (.rtf); and Portable document format (.pdf).

You may e-mail me your assignments and papers as long as they are in one of four electronic document formats: (1) Microsoft Word .doc, (2) Rich text format .rtf (3) Portable document format .pdf, (4) Microsoft Powerpoint .ppt. If you have a word processor or presentation software that generates some other format, such as Word Perfect, be sure to “save it as” one of the types above. Otherwise, I won’t be able to read it. My e-mail address is jsb@aya.yale.edu. You may e-mail me your assignments up until midnight of the day they are due.

Classroom Behavior and Rules

My classroom is governed by three basic policies:

  1. EVERYONE, student and teacher alike, will be treated with respect.
  2. Putdowns and purposely hurtful comments or actions will not be tolerated.
  3. No one will be allowed to disrupt the learning process of anyone else.

We will be doing a lot of groupwork in class. To do so effectively, we need to establish a cooperative, tolerant environment, in which racist, sexist, and homophobic comments will not be allowed. It's okay to disagree with someone, as long as you don't attack that person in a personal, hurtful, nasty way.

In addition to the above, there are a few explicit "NOs" for this classroom: NO FOOD outside of lunch time (water, juice, coffee are all okay). NO WRITING ON DESKS OR TEXTBOOKS. Cell phones must be turned off for the duration of class. You may not use MP3 players or iPods in class unless I give you permission. For a complete list of NOs and consequences, refer to the Code of Discipline.

Leaving the room during class

If you need to leave the room for an extended period of time, I will provide you with a written pass. You do not need a pass for restroom breaks or short trips across the hall to get supplies, etc. In order to keep class discussion and group activities flowing smoothly, only one person at a time may leave the classroom.

So that I do not confuse your questions in class with restroom requests, please use this hand gesture to indicate that you need to leave the room.

Class Participation

This course will be only as good as the participation of the people in it. Discussion and groupwork are a major part of daily classroom activity. In order to participate thoughtfully, you will need to keep up with reading and written assignments. While I will not give you a participation grade, I will give you 10 points EC for actively participating in class by asking questions, volunteering answers, cooperatively working in group work each five-week marking period. This grade is ENTIRELY determined by my subjective observations.

Work Groups

Well after your high school experience, you will find yourself constantly working cooperatively in groups—on the college level, in the workplace, and in political and social organizations. Any course in Social Studies then necessarily should encourage and promote group activity.

Throughout the year, you will continuously work in small groups that I put together. (In the first two weeks you will be able to choose your own groups while I observe how you interact with others.) I will switch the groups on a regular basis so that you have the opportunity to work with different people.

Grading

Your quarterly grade is calculated by the following formula: total number of points earned divided by the Total number of points possible.

For example, a hypothetical student received the following grades over the course of a quarter:

4/5, 8/10, 18/20, 13/15. His total number of points earned is: 4+8+18+13=43. The total number of points possible is: 5+10+20+15=50. The grade for the quarter is 43/50=.86 or 86%.

The list below may give you a general idea of point values for typical assignments:

For a complete list of the assignments that make up your grade for a course, see your course syllabus (WH2, WH-HASP, Women's History, USH).

Late Assignments

Extra Credit

You may do extra-credit to improve your overall grade. The points you obtain through these assignments will be averaged in with your points. For example, if you’ve had 4 assignments and scored 8 on each, your average would be (8+8+8+8)/4=8. With a 10 point EC averaged in, it would be (8+8+8+8+10)/5=8.4

Types of extra credit include:

You must check with me first before embarking on an extra credit project.

Absence from class -- test and quizzes dates

If you are absent on the day of a test, you must make up the test at a time of my choosing. If you do not make up tests, quizzes, projects by the end of a quarter, they will be recorded as zero.

In my absence...working with a substitute teacher

If I am ever absent from class, there will be a substitute teacher in the room. Please give your full attention to the substitute teacher's instruction. Assignments handed out in my absence MUST be completed during the class period. Check this website for due dates, etc.

Contact me by e-mail | ©2005, 2006 John Buchanan