Seipert, Paul / Classroom Rules

Paul Seipert

My expectations for student behavior in the computer are very simple and general. They are based on the following three guiding principles: respect, participation, and solving problems.  I define each one of these guiding principles below.

Respect: All students are to adopt the attribute of respect in the computer. In the computer lab all students must show respect in four critical ways. First, students must show respect for themselves in the way that they conduct themselves and the work ethic and they adopt in the classroom. Second, students must show respect for their teacher. My students do not have to like me, although I would like them to, but they must respect me in the way that they speak to me and in the way that they conduct themselves in the computer lab. Third, students must show respect for their classmates. The best way that they can do this is by quietly completing their work and avoiding any negative comments about their peers. Fourth, students must show respect for the equipment in the lab. The lab represents a significant investment on the part of the school and community in terms of financial support and the staff in terms of time spent to maintain the lab.  As such students must leave the computer lab at the end of each period in the same condition in which they found it.

Participation: The computer lab is based completely on learning by doing.  Like most opportunities to learn, your student will get as much out of their time in the computer lab as they are willing to put into it. As such, I expect all of my students to be engaged in their projects. I also expect students to help each other when I call upon them to do so.

Solving Problems:  This principle really revolves around the idea that students are expected to think.  I am more than happy to help students, but I encourage and expect my students to try to solve problems independently. The main goal of myself as a teacher is to provide my students with the skills that they need to perform tasks independently.

As a final note, I would like to empasize my view that each classroom involves a social contract. I expect my students to follow classroom expectation as I have outiline, in return I will fulfill my obligations to the students and the community. My obligations include being respectful to students and parents. This includes maintaining a safe and funcitional envirnment in the lab and always being prepared with instructional materials. It also includes promptly reponding to any quesions or concerns on the part of partents.

Please email me with any questions.