Mr. Read Western Civilization I Classroom Procedures Mr. Read Western Civilization I

The Story of Philosophy (1926) by Will Durant Excellence is an art won by training and habituation: we do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have these because we have acted rightly; 'these virtues are formed in man by his doing the actions'; we are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit…. p. 76. The quoted phrase within the quotation is from Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, Book II, 4.

Responsibility and Integrity Do your assigned homework. Be seated quietly at your assigned desk when class starts (bell rings). Have all your class materials – texts, binders, notes, homework, and pen or pencil – ready for use. Copy your homework assignment in your planner. Copy the daily quotation or “today in history” in your notebook. Turn to the day’s assignment and be prepared to discuss it, review previous material, or take an evaluation.

What if (very unlikely) you are tardy to class? 3 tardys = demerit Tardy time is made up during lunch on Fridays.

Respect and Citizenship Sit as proper adults (facing the front of the class or speaker, upright, with feet on the ground). Be attentive and respectful. Listen to whomever has the floor to speak. Follow the discussion and be prepared to respond when called upon. Do not disrupt your fellow students. If you need a kleenex, quietly get one. Pack up and prepare to leave only when directed to do so by the teacher. Remain seated until dismissed by the teacher.

What if you really need to go to the bathroom? Regulate yourself as a healthy adult and minimize the need to miss class. Complete quizzes and tests first. In the event you feel a pending crisis in the next 15 minutes, hold up your hand with your fingers crossed and await permission. Don’t anticipate leaving either the first or last ten minutes of class. Emergencies happen; just quietly get up and go.

Homework Procedures Have homework ready to be checked, discussed, or turned in at the beginning of class. If directed to turn in your homework, silently pass it forward. When the first person in the row has their row’s assignments, they will pass them to their left. The front left most student will consolidate all homework and put it in the class homework file on the front table. Missing assignments may be turned in for 70% credit up to 24 hours after it is due and 50% credit up to 48 hours after it is due. Thereafter, a zero will be entered. It is the student’s responsibility to turn in late or missed homework in the class homework file.

Scheduled Absences (appointments, sports, family events) Students are responsible for turning in the assignments that are due the day of their absence prior to their departure or upon their return, i.e. If you leave for an appointment at lunch, you must turn in assignments due that day in 5th- 8th periods. If you miss 1st-2nd periods for an appointment, turn in assignments due those periods later that day. For next day or multiple-day scheduled absences students are responsible to pick up all assignments for the period of absence prior to departure. Missed assignments are due the day you return. It is your responsibility to place them in the class homework file on the front table. At the discretion of the teacher, you may be required to take evaluations prior to departure.

Unscheduled absences (illness, unforeseen family emergencies, etc.) It is your responsibility to get missed assignments as soon as possible. You may already have multi-day assignments. Otherwise check your class on the MCA web site or email your teacher. Lastly, if you have not picked up your missed assignments prior to returning, pick them up from your assignment file on the front table. It is your responsibility to turn in any assignments that were due the first day you were absent on the day you return to school. Place them in the class homework file. You have one day for each missed day to make up assignments when you have an unscheduled excused absence. Those assignments should be placed in the class homework file as you complete them, but no later than the last day of makeup work. Example. If you are sick Thursday and Friday, then return to school on Monday, your Thursday assignments are due on your return. You have two additional days (Tuesday and Wednesday) to complete Friday’s missed work.

What if you miss a quiz or test?