Class Rules and Explanations English Composition 1 Class Rules and Explanations

First … You can call me Mister Main. Please do not call me “Teacher”

Office Hours Email: timothy.main@gmail.com (do not use my Hotmail address) I am going to be very busy this semester, so if you want to see me you will have to go to my office at these times ONLY: Monday/Wednesday: 07:00 ~ 08:50 10:00 ~ 11:50 Tuesday/Thurs 08:00 ~ 11:00 If you come to my office at XX:51 I will send you away.

Please …. Do not start conversations with: “I went to your office but you weren’t there …” This might be common in Korea, but it’s a bit rude in English, especially because I’ve just told you when I’m usually in my office.

Please …. If you visit my office: Culture lesson: Be ready with your questions, papers, etc. Do not come in and make me wait for you while you search your bag for the paper you want to ask about. Have it ready when you come in. Culture lesson: Do not knock lightly and then just open the door. Knock loudly once, and wait for me to tell you to come in. Wait at least ten seconds before you knock again, then wait. Do not open the door until you hear me say “come in”.

Textbook Q: Skills for Success Reading and Writing, by Colin S. Ward and Margot F. Gramer Developing English Listening 3, by Casey Malarcher (check this online! I’m not 100% sure about the listening book!) These books should be available at the University Bookstore All the information you need to buy the books should be on the class information web page.

Classroom Participation* Grades Midterm Exam 30% Final Exam Classroom Participation* 15% Attendance 10% Listening Tests

Sleeping in Class

In this class: We want to practice and improve our conversations. So, we need our partners and group members to help us practice. Conversations require two or more people to participate. We want to practice and improve our conversations.

In this class: You are a necessary part of your group’s education. You are hurting your group if you don’t pay attention. If you sleep, you are being disrespectful to your classmates.

A partner who doesn’t understand the activity or content because he or she was asleep is completely useless.

you are wasting your own time If you sleep in class: you are wasting your own time You are wasting my time You are wasting other students’ time.

So … And you MUST leave immediately I will ask you to leave. If you sleep in my class … I will ask you to leave. And you MUST leave immediately

Consequences: I will remove your attendance mark for that day (-1% of you final grade). And nothing else. You come back to the next class and we continue with our semester.

If you are Sick…

It’s very simple …

come to class If you are sick! DO NOT come to class If you are sick!

I’m very serious about this! You are not welcome in this room if you are sick. Personally … I am VERY busy and I can’t waste time being sick. More importantly, I have a three-year-old daughter at home and I do not want to take YOUR germs home to her! If she gets sick because of you …

Coming to class when you are sick is one of the most selfish and disrespectful things that you can do. It tells me and your classmates that you do not respect our right to stay healthy. It tells me and your classmates that you only care about yourself.

If you are constantly coughing, sneezing, and sniffing, I will ask you to leave! And you MUST leave. Don’t waste the class’s time arguing about it.

If you don’t understand: Ask me to explain!

Attendance Attendance = 10% Absence = -1% Late = -0.5% Late more than 15 minutes = -1% (same as absence) If you miss more than 15 class hours, you will get an F. 1 class hour = 50 minutes We have 4 hours/week of class time

Attendance: Don’t be late! Being late is disrespectful to me and to your classmates. “Being late is a way of saying that your own time is more valuable than the time of the person who waited for you.” –Karen Joy Fowler

Attendance If many students are repeatedly late: At the beginning of class, I will lock the door and take attendance. When I am done taking attendance, I will unlock the door and late students may come in. At the end of that class (not the next day, next week, next month), late students must remind me to check their attendance Excused absences (e.g. Doctor’s notes) must be given to me within one week, or they will not be accepted. Pharmacy receipts are not accepted

Attendance Being on time does not mean that you walk in the door exactly at the beginning of class It means that when I begin to take attendance: You are in your seat (not in the bathroom, not getting a drink of water) You are ready to begin class (your books and pens are out of your bag, your phone is off and you are comfortable in your chair). I use my watch, not your cell phone, to tell time, so don’t argue with me about whether you are late or not!

More Rules: Cell Phones Cell phones are a huge problem these days and I strongly believe that students should not have cell phones in class. However, there are times when phones are very useful when studying, so you may use your phones for studying purposes only! If I see you texting your friends (or any other inappropriate use of your phone) your participation grade will go down.

Finally: Be Respectful You must respect: Me Your classmates Yourself

Respect Most of the rules I’ve been talking about are directly related to respect. Cell phones Being on time for class Staying awake in class Etc. These are all about respect for others and yourself. If you have a bad attitude and do not show appropriate respect, you will not do well in this class or in life outside of university!

Are there any questions?