+ CLASSROOM RULES

+ WHY YOU NEED RULES AND STRUCTURE IN THE CLASSROOM You are still acquiring and developing the mental and cognitive (brain) processes needed into adulthood to be a functioning member of society – Decision Making Critical Thinking Making Connections Risk Management and Time Management Morality Development Problem Solving Responsibility Accountability Adolescents need a balance of independence and structure – appropriate structure is necessary to fully develop the skills you will need in your post secondary career and in your social life.

+ THE ADOLESCENT BRAIN We once thought that the brain was fully formed by the end of childhood, but research has shown that adolescence is a time of profound brain growth and change. We now know: Between childhood and adulthood the brain’s “wiring diagram ” becomes more complex and more efficient, especially in the brain’s prefrontal cortex. The greatest changes to the parts of the brain that are responsible for impulse-control, judgement, decision- making, planning, organization and involved in other functions like emotion, occur in adolescence. This area of the brain (prefrontal cortex) does not reach full maturity until around age 25!

+ So, here are your expectations for the course…

+ CLASSROOM RULES ATTENDANCE Students are expected to be in class on time every day – make sure to bring an admit slip to verify valid absences Attending class on time and participating in the discussion is one way to ensure success and enjoyment from this course.

+ CLASSROOM RULES PREPARATION Be prepared! You should always have the following for class. No matter what! Notebook with all necessary handouts/materials Pen/Pencil Paper All missed course material can be found on the classnet website You may me at for

+ CLASSROOM RULES RELATIONSHIPS/TEAMWORK: Show respect for ALL persons and their personal belongings in the room. Respect yourself, your peers and staff. Remember, everyone has the right to learn. Cooperate and be friendly to others.

+ STUDY ON CELL PHONE USE DURING CLASS AND LEARNING:  Study: "Digital Devices, Distraction and Student Performance: Does In-Class Cell Phone Use Reduce Learning?”  xt xt  Institution and Authors: University of Colorado at Boulder, Angel Hoekstra and Bethany Wilcox  Methods: Combining observation, survey, and interview data, this research assesses the effects of technology use on student attitudes and learning.  Results:  Results show a significant negative correlation between in-class cell phone use and final course grades. These findings are consistent with recent research suggesting students cannot multi-task nearly as effectively as they think they can. Meaning: High levels of cell phone use lead to distraction and lack of focus. Your marks will suffer.

+ CLASSROOM RULES ATTENTION AND FOCUS No iPod or cell phone use during class. Devices will be taken away for the remainder of the period – no questions asked! You need to be completely attentive in this class! Reading books, working on other classes, or even putting your head down to nap will result in lack of success in the course. It is disrespectful !!!

+ CLASSROOM RULES LATE ASSIGNMENT POLICY PAL (PRE-APPROVED LATE) FORM Must be approved before the due date of the summative – you will not be considered for a PAL form if you do not submit prior to due date of summative. PAL forms can be found on the course Classnet website If the summative is submitted beyond the due date (with no PAL form, or past the PAL form extension) students will lose 1/3 of their mark per DAY.

+ CLASSROOM RULES SOME BASICS – RESPECTFUL BEHAVIOUR Do not talk when I, or anyone else, are speaking to the class When I ask for quiet, you NEED to be quiet When it is time for seatwork, you need to do your work independently and quietly When you are working in groups, you need to stay focused on the task

+ PLAGIARISM POLICY Plagiarism occurs when an individual intentionally or unintentionally uses information and represents another person’s words, facts, ideas, translations, images (photographs, art work, graphs, etc.) or audio as their own by not giving credit to the creators. Plagiarism includes purchasing, copying, stealing or cutting and pasting some or all of another person’s work and submitting it as their own. Plagiarism may occur when a student fails to properly reference and cite sources or paraphrase information. Depending on the circumstance, students will receive a ZERO/INCOMPLETE for the summative or may be allowed to re-write the summative.

+ Questions?