Items Needed At Home
 A current atlas, dictionary, thesaurus, county library card, other usual supplies plus a three-pronged folder for your History or Anthro Dictionary (no other folder will be accepted)

 Items Needed In Class Every Day
 Two pens, a pencil, all class notebooks, all current handouts and assignments, Grammar book for Anthro, current paperback novel, any homework due. [A highlighter is also useful when you take notes]

 Study Buddies
You need a Study Buddy right away. Team up with someone RELIABLE in the class and exchange phone numbers. You can contact your study buddy to see what's happened in class when you're absent, get notes you missed, etc. If you want ME to get you a study buddy, let me know. If you don't get and keep a study buddy, I won't listen to excuses about why you didn't know...or why such and such wasn't done...

Formal Writing Procedures
 Always make a draft. Next, proofread it to find careless errors, and then get someone else to proofread it again to find mechanical errors (you will not be able to catch all of your own errors, and neither will a spell checker, so you need that second proofreader). Edit and correct. Make final copy and hand in by due date. If you give me your draft early enough, I'll proofread it for you.

Formal Writing Guidelines

 Note: You will be doing a lot of formal writing in this class (“formal writing” is writing that is paragraphed). Be sure to follow the following rules, or you will be dooming yourself to numerous rewrites and poor grades:

1. INK ONLY (blue or black) and CURSIVE ONLY (computer is fine - 12 pt Times Roman font)

2. MUST BE PARAGRAPHED

3. MUST HAVE PROPER HEADING (upper right corner: full name, CORE, date; title centered on first line)

4. NO ONE-SENTENCE PARAGRAPHS or ONE-PARAGRAPH PAGES

5. ***A “one-page” essay is defined as 300 words, minimum

6. On cursive papers, THE ONLY line you skip is the line between the title and text (DO NOT double space or skip lines between paragraphs if writing in cursive)

7. If you use a computer, ALWAYS double space.

8. MUST HAVE PROPER MARGINS.

9. All formal writing assignments are required to a have a word count at the end (a false word count will drop the paper's grade by at least one full grade...and you'll have to do it over anyway!)

10. ***Short or incomplete assignments will NOT be accepted.

Correcting Your Papers
1. Essays with major errors will always be returned for corrections.
 
a. If your paper only has a few errors, you’ll get it back with “FIX” on it. That means you make your corrections directly on that paper (i.e., for spelling errors, you would write the word correctly five times on the back; for a run-on sentence, you would write the sentence correctly on the back; etc.). Then you hand in the paper again to be graded.

b. In a few instances, you may get it back with “REWRITE” on it. That means you need to make an entirely new copy, fixing your errors as you go along. Then, staple the old copy onto the back of the new copy and hand in the paper again to be graded. DO NOT throw that old copy out. That’s the one I grade from.

***You’ll notice that you do not get a final grade on the assignment until it comes back corrected. If you never correct it, you get no credit for having done the assignment. So, you should correct and return your papers as soon as possible to avoid forgetting about them, losing them, etc.
2. For papers with minor technical errors, I will note and correct them on the paper. Be sure to look at them so you will not keep making the same mistakes.

Late Work
 Almost all work will be accepted late, however you only get half credit-- and that's an automatic D-, so you don't want to hand work in late. It's better than not handing in the work at all, though. You can avoid this option by simply staying on top of your work.

 What To Do About Absences

 For one day, call your study buddy or me to get updated. For two or more days, parent should call office and leave msg for me to have your homework ready for someone to pick up at the office. For vacations during school, get Travel Study Contract from office ahead of time and take it around to all of your teachers.

Unless you're in a coma, you're always responsible for what's going on in your class...whether you're actually there or not. 'I didn't know" is NEVER an excuse.

 What Happens If I Get Put In The Dungeon?
You're in The Dungeon because you're missing two or more assignments. While in the dungeon, you lose all privileges + you get every dirty job in the class + lunch detentions + anything else I can think of! The point is... do your work! You will be released from 'captivity' and returned to your normal status as soon as your missing assignments have successfully been completed.

 Access To Teacher

 When we're all busy working together in class, it's often difficult to get lengthy special help when you need it. But, I can work with you at other times:

1. Before school (see below)
2. By telephone (you have my home phone number)
3. By e-mail (any e-mail link on this site goes straight to me at home (and you should put my e-mail address in your permanent address book on your computer); I always answer, and I always answer soon.

 Access To Room
 The room is normally closed at lunch and after school, but it's open before school, starting at around 7:10 AM. Students are encouraged to come in and 1) get help, 2) study, 3) do homework, 4) do extra credit, 5) work on the web site, and/or 6) help with odd jobs in the room. If I have after school tutoring (M-Th), you're welcome to come in then as well.

 Why Are My Grades Low?
 Your grades come from your tests and your homework. Are you getting C's or better on your tests and completing all your homework satisfactorily? Yes? = no problem. No? = use the strategies below:
 
FOR LOW TESTS:
 
- You have to study first! It doesn't come to you by magic. But, the 'studying' is based on paying attention in class and doing your homework. THEN...
  1. 1. Go over the material by yourself until you feel that you know it.
  2. 2. It often helps to study with a friend in the class.
  3. 3. Use the interactive quizzes on the web site as an aid
- Then get someone at home to quiz you so you can see if you REALLY know it.
- Then come in before school for a couple of mornings before the actual test, and I will quiz you. Once you get a successful routine going, these last two steps won't be necessary anymore...but you can always come in in the morning anyway!
 
FOR MISSING or POOR HOMEWORK:
 
- If you're not completing your homework, that's a decision that YOU made. I can't help you with that until you change your attitude.
- If you're doing your homework but getting poor grades, I can almost guarantee you that it's because you're not following instructions.
  1. 1. Always be clear on WHAT and HOW you're expected to do an assignment.
  2. 2. Don't hand in work late (your possibly "A" assignment just went down to a "D-"....and I haven't even read it yet!
  3. 3. You need to be organized:
  4. - Your notebooks need to be neat and readable
    - No loose papers in your backpack
    - Your assignments and your due dates need to be written on a calendar
    - You need to plan ahead, use your time wisely, and don't procrastinate!
....Or, maybe the mean ol' teacher is just out to get you! If you believe that, conference with me. If you still believe that afterwards, transfer out of the class.
[Otherwise, I happen to know that the teacher is partial to jelly beans!]