welcome students! to 8th Grade English Language Arts

I’m Mrs. Ruiz. I am married with 2 kids. I am from Texas. I have 15 years of teaching experience.

I love teaching 8th grade! Reading and writing are my passion and I intend to make you EXCELLENT readers and writers this year.

Let’s get down to buisness You will need materials for this class. 1. Binder or folder 2. notebook paper 3. Your tablet 4. PENCILS

Class Rules 1.Appreciations, No Put Downs! It’s number one for a reason yall. Be nice to each other. One kind word can make someone’s day. Find something about your classmates to appreciate. Focus on the positive.

Class Rules 2. Participation Duh! You have to participate and do your work if you want to PASS and LEARN something this year. NO SLEEPING. SLEEPERS WILL BE made to stand, given detention, or Issued a refferal.

Class Rules 3. Mutual Respect If you follow ALL the other rules then you are showing mutual respect. Respect the Teacher Respect your Classmates Respect School Property

Class Rules 4. Attentive Listening When the teacher is speaking, you are SILENT. When a classmate has permission to speak, you are SILENT.

Class Rules 5. Raise Your Hand Always raise your hand for permission to speak. NO SHOUT OUTS !!!

Class Rules 6. Bring Your Materials Bring your tablet, binder, and a pencil each day. That’s all you need!

Class Rules 7. Be On Time You got this. 3 tardies= one absence. It ain’t worth it. 20 absences and you will have to make up days in Saturday school.

Class Rules 8. Stay In Your Assigned Seat This is a HUGE one for Mrs. Ruiz. This is for your safety and mine. This is also for classroom management. We need order in here if you are going to LEARN anything this year and you WILL LEARN. Don’t complain about your seat or ask to be moved. Deal with it.

Class Rules 9. Pay Attention To Voice Levels Level 0= Silence Level 1= Whisper Level 2= Inside Voice Level 3= Presentation Voice

Class Rules 10. Do Not Move Furniture You may be tempted to move a desk because you do not like it, but think about the person who you are giving it to. By moving the furniture, you are disrespecting me because I have asked you not to do that and you are putting your needs above someone else’s. That’s called being selfish.

Class Rules 11. No personal devices allowed in class.

Discipline Failure to follow the rules will result in the following consequences… 1.Verbal warning from teacher 2.Parent phone call and detention 3.Referral

Detention Detention will be held Thursdays from 2:

Procedures 1.Entering The Room a. a LEVEL 0. b. Have your binder and a sharpened pencil READY TO GO WHEN THE BELL RINGS. c. Be in your assigned seat or you WILL BE MARKED ABSENT. d. Seating charts are posted so no excuses and no complaining.

Procedures 2. Warm Up a. There will ALWAYS be a warm up for you to begin class with. b. As soon as you enter class, get your binder out, get a sharpened pencil out, and BEGIN THE WARM UP. c. This is school. You are here to learn, not play.

3. Class Assistants Each week I will choose students in each class period to assist me with various jobs: answering the door, passing out handouts, straightening up the room, etc.

Procedures 5. Whole Group To Small Group We will need to transition to small groups at times. I do not want it to be chaos. Let me explain how I want this to work. Each of you will move your desk from a row to a small group formation WITHOUT talking. First, let me tell each of you where to put your desks for small group formation. Second, I will give you a signal to move and you will move your desk WITHOUT talking.

Procedures Whole Group To Small Group Transition Practice Time!

Procedures 6.Books and Dictionaries As you have noticed, each desk has a number on it. You will be assigned a textbook and a dictionary to use in class that corresponds with your desk number. This is a way for me to know who is responsible for any damage that may occur to textbooks or dictionaries.

Procedures Getting your attention… “I need your help”