Course Expectations & Procedures

Working in a computer room creates a unique situation. Students arrive into the lab with varying degrees of computer experience, different learning styles, and various levels of interest in the course material. The role of your teachersis to create an environment that ensures the success of all students, and encourages students to reach their full learning potentials.

I know it sounds like a lot of rules, but remember, your job is to learn while our job is to help all students in this class complete their courses to the best of their ability. We cannot allow your behavior to have a negative impact on the learning of anyone in the room. With your cooperation in following these rules and expectations we can all have a wonderful and exciting semester.

 

My guiding principle is to "Respect others, the equipment, and the classroom environment at all times!"

 

To help you succeed at your job of learning, certain classroom procedures must be followed.

  • Maintain a quiet and respectful environment:
    • Always behave in a way that is friendly, helpful and genuine. Treat everyone in class as you would like to be treated.
    • Bullying, rudeness, racism, and sexism will not be tolerated in any form.
    • Stay in your seats. For the most part, students are working independently and there is seldom a need for students to discuss work or to collaborate on projects. No one should be out of their seats wondering aimlessly around the room. If you need assistance, ask the student on either side of you, or ask teacher or a designated student for assistance.
    • Be helpful to others if they don't understand something. When assisting your peers, keep in mind there is a huge difference between explaining or showing someone how to do something, as opposed to doing it for them. Think of it this way, one involves teaching and learning, the other involves doing the work for them and puts you into the dark side of plagiarism and cheating. 
    • Do not touch anyone else's computer!!  Demonstrate to others using your own computer, or point at their screen if they need help, but don't use their computer.
    • Do not open other people's files or documents.
    • No running nor horseplay in the class at any time. Keep your hands, feet, and personal belongings to yourself.
    • When a teacher or  fellow student is addressing the class, stop what you are doing, remove your hands from the keyboard, take off your headphones, and turn to face the person speaking, giving them your FULL attention.
    • At the end of class, you will be dismissed by the teacher, not the bell.  Stay working in your seats until you are instructed to pack up and leave… don’t pack up early!!
    • Do not leave your iPod, cellphone, or MP3 device unattended. Neither the teachers of this course or the school are responsible for your belongings if they are stolen or damaged.
  • Attendance:
    • Regular attendance is absolutely necessary for your success.  If you miss class or are late for whatever reason, you will be expected to make up the uncompleted work. As experience shows that most students will not make up the time at home, you may be asked to attend a make-up session. Your attendance will have a dramatic impact on your work habit mark, which can determine whether or not you receive a Passport to Education Scholarship.
      • S = 3 – 5 absences or lates that have not been made up
      • N = 6 or more absences or lates that have not been made up
    • ​Tests and quizzes must be taken on the same date as the rest of the class.  If you are absent, a parent or guardian must phone or e-mail either Ms. McKay or Mr. Hubbick with a valid excuse. (Phoning the office and reporting your absence is not enough, we must be contacted directly) No excuse = zero.
    • We suggest that you find a classroom buddy who you can contact for missed assignments or help. Remember to put their name, phone number, and e-mail in your agenda.
    • To avoid distracting others, arrive on time and get to work immediately. If you arrive late, wait in the hall, and quietly get your materials (books, pen, etc.) out and ready so that you are not disrupting others while digging through your bag for these things.  When you are invited in, get to work quietly, and if there are any special instructions, we will give these to you and collect your note of excuse.
  • Supplies:
    • ​Students are expected to bring the following materials to class each day: binders, paper, headphones, pens and pencils.
    • Ensure that you keep a neat and well-organized binder containing your notes, handouts, quizzes and tests, and written activities. Most tests and quizzes in this class are open book, so be sure your book is well organized and you can find information quickly and easily.
    • Be willing to share your supplies with your peers.
  • Avoid Plagiarism and Cheating:
    • ​Do not give into the temptation of going on a copy and paste frenzy when completing assignments.
    • Copying anyone’s published work, whether from a written text or downloaded from an Internet site, is an act of plagiarism and will be reported to your parents and to the administration. 
    • Copying test or assignments from a classmate who is currently taking the course or has completed it in the past will be dealt with severely.
    • Don't fall into the trap of sending your work for other students to "look" at. It rarely turns out well for either party involved.
       
  • Work Space and Computer Use:
    • ​Students are to work at the same computer each day and save their course work into the folder corresponding to their block. Be sure to keep you files organized and named accordingly. Do not save to the desktop or to other people’s folders.
    • Never log-in to anyone else's account, only your own.
    • When you arrive in class, check the computer for any problems or damage.  Report your concerns to the teacher immediately.
    • Do not download applications, fonts, or other files without a teacher's permission.
    • Do not unplug nor exchange the mice, keyboards, nor any other computer equipment with other workstations'
    • Close all programs and applications before logging off properly at the end of class.
    • In addition, please remember that you are here to learn. Do not waste your time playing computer games, surfing the Internet, chatting or messaging online, downloading music, opening various applications, socializing, or going into other block’s folders, etc. Internet access can be turned off, and wasted time must be made up. 
    • Inappropriate Internet or computer use anytime on a school computer will result in the student’s access being removed.  This will mean that it is most likely that the student will not be able to complete the course.
    • Keep your work area tidy...  Do not write on the desks or tables... pick up all paper and scraps before leaving.
    • Your ability to manage your time and workspace effectively will impact both on your overall mark and on your work habit mark.
  • Cell Phones:
    • ​Cell phones are not to be used under any conditions, even to listen to music.  If students are caught using their cell phone, the phone will be confiscated until such time that your parent picks it up.
    • Any student caught texting will be sent to the office.
  • iPods or other MP3 devices:
    • ​We appreciate that some students prefer to listen to music while working. This is not a  problem provided you remember that you are not here to listen to music, you are here to learn.
    • No music is to be installed or downloaded onto the computers direclty.
    • We assume that if you put the music on your MP3 player, you really don’t mind listening to it. Our suggestion, take off the songs you don’t want to listen to, or create a series of play lists you select from in the first few minutes of class.
    • If we observe you wasting time sorting through music libraries, creating play lists, sharing headphones, downloading music, etc, you will lose this privilege of listening to music for the remainder of the semester.
    • Do not leave your iPod, cellphone, or MP3 device unattended. Neither the teachers of this course or the school are responsible for your belongings if they are stolen or damaged.
       
  • Food and Drinks:
    • Students are not allowed to have food and beverages anywhere near their computer workstations. These items are to be consumed on your own time during lunch or in between classes. 
    • Recognizing that some us do get thirsty, the only exception to this rule is bottles that have screw top lids and are stored in the cubbyholes between the workstations.
    • Put your gum in the garbage not on the floor or under the computer desks.
  • Being Excused to Go the Washroom or Get Supplies:
    • ​Students will not be permitted to go leave the room within the first 15 minutes and last 15 minutes of class. 
    • If you must go, you will be required to use your own agenda book in order to be granted permission to leave.  You will not be allowed to use anyone else’s agenda. If you do not have an agenda or you have been excused more than 3 times in a month, you will be required to donate $1 to the Children’s Miracle Network Fundraising Campaign.
    • Wait for an appropriate time (not while someone is addressing the class)
    • You are expected to return within 5 minutes.
  • Use Teachers as a Resource:
    • Having problems understanding an assignment? Can’t figure out what a question is asking? Do you need suggestions on how to make your assignment better? Is your computer or the Internet not working properly?
    • Ms. McKay and Mr. Hubbick are here to help facilitate your learning. So come see us, e-mail us. 
       
  • Extra Lab Time
    • Remember, the lab is available at lunch and after school.
    • This provides a great opportunity to come in and get individual help on assignments, to complete assignments on time, to make up missed classes (so you don’t lower your work habit mark), and to enrich your projects to get an even higher mark.
       
  • Be the Driver on your Path to Learning:
    • Regardless of your ability level, we all have things to learn. Your ultimate success and how much you actually learn in this course is up to you.
    • Life would be really boring if we all learned the same things at the same pace.
    • Ask for help if you don't understand something. Don’t be embarrassed. Come in and get that extra help before the snowball becomes a mountain that seems too big to overcome.
    • If you already know lots about computers or a particular topic we are learning in class, challenge yourself to learn something new to add to your assignment, or to take your learning in a new direction. Meet with Ms. McKay and Mr. Hubbick to get assistance with ways to enrich your learning.
    • If you finish your work early, quietly work on any outstanding class work, or find ways to enrich your assignments even further. It is important to sit quietly, allowing your classmates to work without disruption.