I am committed to creating a safe environment of mutual respect and consideration in my classroom. My goal is to facilitate the growth of my students into responsible members of our local and global community through a challenging and enthusiastic experience.

Good morning, I hope all is well.  Welcome to all of you.  This may be the new normal for a while.  I trust you all had a wonderful extended spring break.  I know there are a lot of questions and uncertainties out there right now.  I don’t have all the answers but as I get them I will relay them to you the best I can as I get them. 

Coach Jackson, myself, and the entire US History team have been working to create a new learning environment the best we can. We will be placing learning activities into Google classroom with an attached code. We will be doing the Google Meets as a class for an undetermined amount of time; “this too shall pass”.  WOW! You guys are living through an unprecedented time in history, in American History as well as World History.

Just know that you are not in this alone. Together “we shall overcome”, to quote a famous Texan, President Lynden B. Johnson.  We will get through this together, but it is going to take all of us being diligent and working through this crisis.  There is a lot of fear: disease, jobs, bills, food and ‘what’s going to happen’…

We will be the constant for you.  We will be here Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday for a short period of time during those days to offer an escape, to look back in time and see how our country has dealt with issues and problems in the past.  Welcome back to American History.

Sincerely,

Todd Moses/Marcus Jackson

US History

Atascocita High School

Room Arrangement:

The student desks are in rows to guide partnerships for immediate sharing and teacher accessibility during the initial lessons. The teacher desk is situated in the back of the room to ensure consistent, active monitoring. The student desks will be organized in sets of throughout the room for small group discussions and activities.  Documents are available on the walls around the room and on the bookshelf for comparisons and research.  Reminders of instructional strategies are also presented on wall posters for student viewing. Space is left available on the walls for academic vocabulary activities to be posted throughout the year. A student workstation is located in the back of the room with common school supplies.

 Classroom Rules:

The Non-Negotiables of this classroom are to guarantee this is a safe and secure environment in which students can feel comfortable enough to share their opinions, questions, and concerns. The Non-Negotiables include the following:

1.         Respect the space & property of your teacher & fellow classmates

2.         Be prepared mentally & physically

3.         Be respectful of yourself & others

4.         Be engaged & always try!

These classroom norms are listed on the course expectation sheet that is given to the students on the first day. The norms are also available on the website in multiple areas. The Non-Negotiables are clearly posted in three areas within the classroom for consistent reference. Students will also be expected to raise their hands for questions or comments to minimize out-of-turn talking.

Classroom Procedures:

At the beginning of each class, the students will have a warm-up of questions referring to the previous day’s lesson for continual review. Warm-ups will be collected at the close of each unit for a formative grade. Basic factual content will be presented in a lecture and/or open dialogue format. Further applications and analysis will be completed through map comparisons, small group discussions and activities, sketch and mental mapping, technological interaction, and Socratic discussions. The students will be engaged in numerous analyses for relevant local and global decision-making. Formative assessments will be given in the form of exit tickets, unit and vocabulary quizzes, map creation, and analytical activities. A summative test will be given concluding each unit to assess factual content and the ability to apply appropriate U.S. History knowledge.

Encouragement & Response:

Positive reinforcement will be maintained for individuals, groups, and classes consistently exhibiting correct behavior and adherence to the Non-Negotiables. Positive reinforcement can be given in the form of increased group activity opportunities. The greater trust provides more chances to demonstrate their responsibility and skill abilities. In layman’s terms, the more correct behavior and skill the students accomplish, the more they will be allowed to do.

Responses to negative behavior and disrespect will be consistently administered as needed. Disrespectful and inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated in this class in order to guarantee a safe and cohesive learning environment. Negative behavior will be immediately addressed and then handled individually in the following order:

1.         1^st Offense – Warning (in class or privately depending on the negative action)

2.         2^nd Offense – Parental contact to discuss possible causes and changes needed

3.         3^rd Offense – Referral is written and the student will be sent to their Principal

4.         Immediate Parental and Principal contact can be issued for severe behavior

 Please note that I use every occasion and effort at my disposal for teachable moments. A student whose behavior is based on a lack of knowledge and understanding of the material will have every opportunity available to them for correction. A student reaching the point of a written referral has displayed a blatant disregard for their class and personal accomplishment. Even students with parental and principal contact will still be given the opportunities for behavior and academic corrections