Learning Strategies Class

Learning Strategies                                             Mr. Morris

2015 First TRIMESTER                                     ROOM 207

Course Outline: Learning Strategies is designed for students to get extra tutoring and support to increase academic success. This class will function as a structured study environment. I will put an emphasis on helping each student keep up on work and stay organized, while helping each student work on classes in all content areas. Learning strategies will also emphasize student accountability for homework tracking through the use of their planner to increase awareness of school deadlines and to develop habits to help the student govern his or her academic success.

Each day students will work for the first 10-15 minutes of class on a reflective mini-lesson which will involve lesson, discussion, and student input in a reflective journal.  Each student must have a bound, composition-style notebook to use only in this class.  All entries must be dated and the notebook will be graded weekly.  The lesson sources will mainly be:  Life Strategies for Teens, by Jay McGraw; How to Get Good Grades in Ten Easy Steps, by Linda O’Brian; and The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens, by Sean Covey. 

The primary emphasis for this class is to assist students to become more efficient and able to complete tasks from other classes. Students will be taught and graded on using their planners to clarify the work needed in other classes. The student will be responsible for communicating with his or her other teachers and coming prepared to work on the necessary items.  Students are expected to use this class time well and not accumulate excessive absences.

Parents please encourage your student to work seriously in this class because much of the student’s grade will be based on effort and participation.

Required supplies:  Students are required to have a planner. If you do not have one, please let me know. Students are required to bring the planner to class every day as well as bring all needed materials from other classes when they have identified assignments to be completed. Students must also have a bound, composition notebook for daily reflective lessons.

Grading:       30%  Student will be graded for progressing in the daily reflections as evidenced  by the notebook.  On days you are gone, you must find out the prompt on Mr. Morris’s website:  morristigers15.blogspot.com. Students can earn 200 points a day for a maximum of 1000 points per week form making progress on these assigned tasks.

20%. Students will earn either 0 or 100 Points for bringing in his or her filled out planner each day. Students are responsible for knowing what assignments that they have in their other classes and getting teacher initials for work that has been completed.

50%  Student will be graded for working steadily on assigned tasks from other classes. If it can be demonstrated that the student is caught up in all other classes, the student is required to bring a book to read quietly in class.  Students can earn 500 points a day for a maximum of 2500 points per week form making progress on these assigned tasks.

Attendance: Attendance is very important for all classes. This class is meant to help ensure success in other classes and should be attended regularly.

Tardy Policy: Any student is tardy when he or she enters the room after the class has begun. Penalties for tardies are as follows:

Tardy 4: Teacher contacts parent / 30 minutes after school.

Tardy 5: Administrative referral / 60 minutes after school.

Tardy 6: Student, parent, teacher, administrator conference.

Expectations: Students are expected to treat the teacher, other students and the materials with respect.

Students are expected to work every day.

Discipline: Students discipline will be handled according to District policy.

Classroom Conduct:

Respect others and respect the privacy of all class discussions.

Food and drink is allowed, but only if student is not using a computer.

All food/drink trash must be thrown away at end of class.

Food/drink will NOT be a distraction (ex. asking for food from somebody else, walking across room to get some, etc)

Failure to follow the above will result in loss of these privileges. 

Use appropriate language and behavior.

Cell phone usage on for academic purposes.  First offense, warning.  Second confiscation.   

Students using a classroom computer must check it out and then return it, plugging it back in for charging.  Failure to do this will lead to loss of privileges for three days.

I have read and understood the syllabus for Learning Strategies.

Student_______________________________________

Parent________________________________________

COMMENTS:

Please list the classes where you anticipate having the most daily work this trimester.

Reflections: September 9

What will you do differently to succeed this year?

Reflections: September 18

1.  Do you perform better in classes you like?
2. Do you get along with your instructors.  Why/why not?
3.  How are your attendance habits?  Why do you miss class/school?
4. Where in a room do you prefer to sit and why?
5.  How much do you participate in class?  Why?
6. How involved are your parents?  Why?
7.  How important are good grades to you? Why?

Notebook Check/September 19
1.  2 reflections
2.  All habits handouts
3.  Learning Style Assessment