Among my observations from math classes, I realized one common trait among most of the students: math is hard. I’ve heard this sentence multiple times, but I never under I’ve went through math anxiety, and I see math anxiety within every classroom. Thus my rules are designed to make students succeed not only in my class, but in every class.
So my rules (I’ll admit-I copied Mary Cieslo’s method of designing rules) are designed to be mnemonic, yet potent. Teachers cannot stress enough how important it is for students to show their work. However, most students don’t like to show their steps, and it’s very frustrating for teachers when it comes to grading homework.
I’m also quite surprised that most students don’t complete homework. In all of my classes, homework is graded based on participation. It’s frustrating when students don’t complete the homework-they’re almost free points (my teachers do, however, know when a student fakes participation).
In short, my rules stress common student errors. My goal in education is for students to overcome the thought of failure. I understand that math can be stressful, and so my rules should help them in education. Assuming the student is very bright, a student is the best resource when it comes to learning, and so my rules stress that point. Last but not least, rules should govern appropriate student behavior, because sometimes students forget when they’re acting inappropriate (hence the fourth rule).
Jody’s Rules:
1) Make work matter (show your work)
2) Apply your best (work on every problem assigned)
3) Teach each other (don’t be afraid-get help from peers)
4) Hear what others say (respect each other)
The following website provides a personal instruction (it is based on a teacher’s experience in education) of how to write rules and procedures:
https://ows.edb.utexas.edu/site/melisas-website/classroom-rules-and-procedures