Professionalism in the Classroom

 

Any professional situation requires that we treat one another with dignity and respect, as is required by the BCC Affirmation of Inclusion.  Each class session should be treated as a professional appointment that requires your complete attention and presence for the full time

 

In my classes I require that you observe the following professional courtesies:

 

1.  Please arrive on time every day with the appropriate texts and materials and stay for the entire class.  Late arrivals or early departures cause disruptions that are unacceptable to your colleagues.  Please do not come to class if you can’t arrive on time (within 2-3 minutes); the latest arrivals should sit near the door so that disruption is kept to a minimum.

 

2.  Please turn off all cell phones, beepers, and other noisemakers.  I get more student complaints about phones than about anything else.  Even a phone in silent mode causes distraction if you have to stop, find the phone, and check the message.  If you have an emergency and need to be available by phone, please arrange a special accommodation with me in advance.

 

3.  Text-messaging, surfing the net, listening to music, etc., are all signs that you are not giving the class your full attention.  Please avoid all such distractions in my class.  Others are trying to concentrate, and someone playing with toys is a disruption.

 

4.  Talking, passing notes, or other grade-school behaviors send very bad signals to your colleagues and should not occur in my classroom.

 

5.  Please be courteous to those asking questions.  What may seem a trivial question to you may be the one small point that keeps someone else from understanding the whole picture.  Remember that there is only one stupid question:  “I wasn’t here yesterday—did we do anything?” 

 

6.  Review the Arts and Humanities sheet on student expectations.  This document is a part of my syllabus.

 

7.  It is not a student’s right to sleep in class.  I will wake you and ask you to leave.

 

8.  I reserve the right to count partial classes (late arrival, unauthorized breaks, or early departures) as absences.

 

9.  Failure to maintain professionalism will result in a lowered participation grade.

 

 

If disruptive behavior occurs, I will ask you to stop it.  Second offences will be reported to the Dean of Students, who may take further action that can lead to your permanent removal from the classroom.