8th Grade Language Arts Expectations and Information Q&A

Welcome New 8th Grade Students and Parents!

Who is My Teacher?
I (Mr. Tim Wasem) am an 8th grade language arts teacher here at T.A. Dugger. I am a graduate of Milligan
College (B.A. 2010) and have my Master of Education in Secondary Education from East Tennessee State
University. I am very excited to spend this year as a guide and mentor. Additionally, I hope this class will
provide meaningful and lasting learning experiences.
What are Mr. Wasems expectations?
I believe that every student is unique and has something to offer to this school. All of my students will be
expected to put forth their best effort in everything that they do with a positive attitude. Being prepared,
organized, and responsible will be a great way to accomplish your goals. All students need to respect the
differences of their fellow students and interact with a helpful attitude and an open mind. The information
included within this packet will help you get off to a good start!
How do I contact Mr. Wasem?
Please feel free to contact me at anytime, and the best way to reach me is through e-mail (wasemt@k12tn.net).
You can also call the school (423-547-8025). Let me know if you have any questions or concerns about your
childs educational experience. Students who use Twitter can follow me @MisterWasem. My policy is that I
will not follow the student in return, as I dont need to see their personal Tweets. I use this account to post
interesting articles I think the students would like and to answer questions.
Classroom Rules and Expectations
1) Respect yourself, others, and classroom property.
2) Be on time, organized, and prepared to learn.
3) Listen to others and all directions.
4) Learn to cooperate with a positive attitude.
Grading Procedures
Homework/Classwork/Quizzes
Tests/Research Paper/Projects

Count 1x (100 points each)

Count 2x (200 points each)

Classroom Rituals and Procedures (How we do things in this class!)

Entering the Classroom:
Please come in the classroom with minimal noise and in an orderly manner before the bell rings. Quickly find
your assigned seat and begin working on the morning activity. Well typically begin the day with a time for
Sustained Silent Reading (SSR). A bellringer will occasionally be posted on the Smart Board. This could be a
journal prompt, critical thinking question, literature analysis, grammar challenge, etc. So be ready to work!
There should be no standing around, chatting, wandering, or slamming of books on desks. We will usually have
Daily Oral Language (DOL) every morning after the bell ringer.
Be On Time:
This policy is very simple. If you arrive in my classroom anytime after the scheduled start time you will be
counted as tardy. Three tardies equal one unexcused absence. This policy is laid out in your student handbook.

Organization:
Come to class with all required materials, and do not interrupt the class by loudly asking other students for
supplies. If you forgot paper or pencil, you may borrow from the student supplies table or from a neighbor.
However, I will require your student ID to be in my possession until you return the item that was borrowed.
Please do not touch or take anything off of the teachers desk. Keep all papers/worksheets in your binder for
quick reference later.
Language Arts Binder:
Bring your binder everyday to language arts class. In your binder you will need 5 dividers, and each section
will need to be labeled as follows: 1) Grammar and Editing 2) Notes 3) Novels 4) Writing 5) Personal
Dictionary. Each section will need plenty of loose leaf paper for writing. Often you will need a piece of loose
leaf paper for your bellringer. It is required to keep a highly organized binder for easy access to skills covered in
class. This binder is a tool to prepare you for upcoming tests and projects. If you have an organized binder, you
will have a great study guide.
Daily Oral Language:
DOL is a daily practice of grammar and mechanics skills, and students will copy a sentence into their
Grammar/Editing section each day. These pages should be labeled at the top with the weeks number. Every so
often we will have a quiz on all the skills covered, so it is important to keep the pages for reference.
Turning in Classwork/Homework:
All homework will be collected during the first half of class. Homework should not be worked on during IR
time. That is perhaps the most important time of our day, and Ill take away any work during this time. Also,
please put your name on everything you turn in, or it will be recycled.
Late/Absent Work:
If you are unable to meet a deadline, you will lose points on the assignment. I expect all projects, homework,
etc to be turned in on time. Its that simple. There are always exceptions, but please do not ask me about
extensions during class time. If you miss a day of class, its your responsibility to fill out a Absent Work Form
from my desk, fill it out and return it. Ill return it to you ASAP.
Finishing Classwork Early:
Many students say Im done, after finishing a class activity. This is a fallacy. There is no Im done. If you
finish early, I have three options: read your SSR book, assist other students with the material, or write a letter to
someone. Sleeping, laying your head down, working on homework for other classes, or chatting with others is
not permitted.
Group work:
There will be multiple opportunities for group work in this class. I believe that cooperative groups enhance
learning through interaction and sharing of ideas. Here are some requirements for being a group member:
-Stay on task/No idle chatting
-All talking should be slightly above a whisper (six inch voices)
-Do not roam around the room or interact with other groups
-Give each group member respect and courtesy
Class Discussions/Instruction:
We will have many discussions in class because I think that your thoughts and opinions are very important.
However, if you want to participate you must always raise your hand. If everyone blurts out answers, it will be
impossible to hear your classmates valuable insights. Never ridicule, mock, or put down other students in
my classroom. In order to keep the class discussion flowing smoothly, I will give you a signal by raising my
hand. When my hand goes up, you will immediately stop talking and begin listening.

Attention!:
If I lose your attention, Ill put a hand up in the air and count silently to 3. If I make it to three, that is one strike
for the day. After three strikes, Ill assign an appropriate consequence. If a class reaches three strikes on a given
day, they will only have two strikes available for the next class. If those two strikes are used, then the following
day willyou guessed itonly have ONE strike available. If that strike is called, then the class will receive a
long-term consequence. Dont waste my time, and I promise I wont waste yours.
Personal Dictionary:
Good readers are always learning new words. A skill we will develop this year is never letting an unknown
word pass by in a novel, story, or article. Students will keep a Personal Dictionary in their binder, where they
will record new words along with the definition. Every 2-3 weeks Ill check to make sure students are keeping
up with the practice at an acceptable pace.
Sustained Silent Reading (SSR):
Students will be expected to have an SSR book at all times. Its important to read advanced novels (as we will
in class) as well as reading casually in the genres you enjoy. Students are responsible for reading at least one
book per month, and after reading the book will complete a One Pager. This is a monthly assignment that
helps you to process the book in a meaningful way and allows me to make sure you are keeping up with this
hugely important part of life. Your reading progress and activities/essays will be counted as a test grade at the
end of the quarter. I have little patience for students who pick up a random book each day for SSR time. If I
notice this pattern, youll lose your freedom to choose until you prove you can stick with a book of my choice.
Checking out SSR books:
There will be a limited amount of books in the classroom available for checkout. It is recommended that
students utilize the school librarys extensive selection of reading materials. Students may check out a book
from the classroom in the morning before 7:40 or after finishing a class assignment/activity. If checking out a
classroom book, students must speak with the classroom librarian. The classroom librarian will be a student in
charge of the class library. He/she will sign out books out on the class library clipboard. A student may NOT
check out a classroom book without the class librarian. Please promptly return all SSR books to the class
librarian for other students to enjoy, and all damaged or lost books need to be replaced or paid for by the student
at fault.
Grading/Feedback:
You will receive your work back in a timely manner. Keep all work in your binder, so there is never a question
about grades. Please let me know if you have any questions regarding your grades, and I will send an update as
soon as I can. Every Monday I will pass out missing assignment reports to students who have failed to turn in
assignments.
Out of Area:
Please remain in your seat at all times unless otherwise directed. Dont be a wanderer. If you need to sharpen a
pencil, get paper, throw away trash, etc please do not get out of your seat while I (or another student) am
presenting in front of the class. These activities have to be completed at the beginning of class.
Traveling around the school:
As youve experienced every year in school, whenever you are in the hallways during class it is extremely
important to stay quiet. Our goal is to respect the other classes as theyre hard at work.
Hall Passes/Bathroom Breaks:
If you need to leave the classroom for any reason, wait until we are having individual or group activities, raise
your hand, and I will let you know if you can leave. All early dismissal notes need to be taken to the office
during homeroom. Please do not interrupt class time to ask to use the bathroom unless it is an absolute
emergency.

Phone Etiquette/Intercom:
If you hear an announcement on the intercom please stop everything you are doing and listen. This will help me
hear the message as well in case it is meant for me.
School Drills:
During a school drill (i.e. fire drill) stop all talking and class activities. Listen closely to the teacher in order to
follow given directions. Creating disturbances during a school drill is a serious offense, and may result in a
higher level of consequences.
What if I forget a classroom procedure?
Reading this list of procedures can seem overwhelmingdont worry! We will be spending time during the
first few days of school reviewing the class procedures, and I will remind you until all of these become routine.
Keep this packet in your binder for quick reference in case you forget something.
Thanks and I look forward to an exciting and enriching school year!
All the best,
Mr. Tim Wasem
wasemt@k12tn.net

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------CUT ALONG THIS LINE AND KEEP THE PACKET

I have read and understand the expectations and procedures for Mr. Wasems classroom.
Please return this portion by Wednesday August 13th..
Parent Name and contact information
________________________________________________________________________________________
Parent Signature

Student Name
________________________________________________________________________________________
Date
________________________________________________________________________________________