Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.
--A. A. Milne
--A. A. Milne
First things first: Let's get organized and in the mindframe of creating a publication. Below, you'll find out about our daily class procedures, a couple of things you'll need in class, recurring class activities and policies in place for the semester and your GPA to run smoothly.
Let's not forget the most important thing, though: Students must bring a permission form home to get signed by their parents/guardians. A signature indicates that parents and students a) understand class expectations and procedures, b) approve student name, picture and work will be posted online and c) will replace/repair any equipment that is damaged or lost while in possession of student.
CLASS RULES
1. In seat, ready for gathering when tardy bell rings. At the beginning and end of every class period, we will gather to prepare for and close the daily activities. Please be seated when the bell rings and be ready to begin the gathering activity posted on the board.
2. No food, drinks or trash in the classroom. Eating in class, other than designated days, is not allowed. Bottled water is permitted away from the computers.
3. Keep hands and objects to self. Students must keep their hands to themselves. Please respect classmates' personal space and belongings.
4. Follow directions and exhibit good manners. Students must be on task. Students must respect their classmates by using proper communication and actions.
5. No talking when teacher talks. Students must not talk during teacher instruction.
Because students are at an advanced magnet school, there is an expectation of being well-mannered and mature. I enjoy calling and emailing parents, so when I contact yours, I would love to brag on you! In the instance students fail to follow procedures, one or all of three things will happen: warning, a call/email to parents, and/or a discipline referral.
MATERIALS NEEDED
1. Ear buds
Students need to have a set of headphones for various reasons. Students will be podcasting and will need to listen to audio, transcribing interviews, watching design tutorials, and there might be the occasional class period where you can work while listening to music of your choice.
2. One magazine of your choice
Find one that you think most represents your personality and design taste. Please make sure the magazine is age and school-appropriate. Some places to look for a wide variety of magazines are Half-Price Books, Borders, Book People, Target, Wal-Mart, and Barnes and Noble.
CLASS ACTIVITIES
a. Gathering
At the beginning of each class, we will have a gathering activity to start the day to get ourselves in the right mindset for what’s on the agenda. These activities could be to read a post on the class blog, visit a website for review and discussion, meet with your group to goal-set for the day or week, or participate in a Read and Share. (See below.)
b. Read and Share
Reading text within an industry is one of the ways to keep design and magazine writing relevant to you as you progress in this class. EZINE subscribes to blog and RSS Feeds from various resources, including Logo of the Day, Grammar Monkeys, Smashing Magazine, The Font Shop, as well as student blogs created during the semester. We also share articles of relevance and interest outside of the blogs listed above. Please see my Shared Items to read the latest happenings in visual communication and online writing.
c. Designer's Notebook
Each student will create a designer’s notebook to house design assignments. The designer’s notebook will serve as a place for students to experiment and plan as they work toward the final magazine design.
d. Work Log & Budget Meetings
On heavy work weeks, students will conduct a budget meeting as the gathering, which is a meeting of the magazine staff to discuss pressing tasks that need to be completed by a certain deadline. Groups will also be accountable for completing work logs outlining completion of daily and weekly tasks.
e. Music Days
Students are not permitted to listen to music during class. However, there will be some Work Days where music will be played in the classroom for everyone to hear. Groups will have designated days to pick their genre of choice.
f. Equipment Checkout
Students have access to digital cameras and digital recorders to aid in the development of the magazine and blog. Students may only use equipment if a signed liability form is on file. Students are responsible for any damage to equipment while in their care. Equipment may only be checked out for 24 hours at a time.
g. Google Product Use
Students will use Google products to communicate and house assignments. Please read ORGANIZING THE WORKPLACE for more information on how Gmail, Blogger, Google Calendar will be used in the lab.
TURNING ASSIGNMENTS IN
a. Electronic Turn-In
Students will share a Google folder in Google documents with lasaezine@gmail.com. All assignments must be in the folder to be considered on time. The document title must read: NAME_ASSIGNMENT_CLASS PERIOD or if it is a group document, GROUP NAME_ASSIGNMENT. When sending an email to instructor for a question, please follow the same protocol: LAST NAME_REASON FOR EMAIL. Failure to identify document or subject in the following manner could result in a loss of points if not easily found by instructor.
b. Physical Copy Turn-In
For assignments that aren't turned in electronically, each class period has a designated tray in the classroom. Some examples of assignments that are always turned in to the tray include rough and final drafts of written stories and other pieces edited for grammar.
c. Answering questions successfully
When answering a question or writing for an assignment that is testing your ability to analyze and synthesize a particular concept or situation, there are 4 things to keep in mind.
Please use complete sentences. This helps your instructor understand your complete thought and helps him or her assess your skill level more appropriately.
Elaborate sufficiently. If your instructor reads your response and needs to ask "why", you have not fully answered the question. Have you provided specific evidence for responses?
Watch out for vague nouns. These must be elaborated upon. Examples: many aspects, everything, a lot, many parts, stuff, many different subjects, etc.
Use spelling and punctuation correctly. Students lose one point for every grammar, punctuation and spelling mistake, regardless of the assignment.
MISSING CLASS
a. Absences
Students must come in during teacher's established office hours to receive makeup instruction. Students have one day after they return to contact their teacher and set a time to make up the missed instruction. If students know they will be absent in advance, they should make arrangements with me to get the work and we’ll decide a feasible date for turn in. If students didn’t plan on being absent, they should check the class calendar for anything missed. All assignments and lessons will be posted there.
Any work due on the day of an unplanned absence is due the very next class period. Students have one day to make up an assignment for each day of absence. It is the student's responsibility to contact the teacher for make-up work and modified due dates. If the student fails to reschedule/discuss modified due dates, the original date will be honored.
Students need to understand that, due to the nature of this course, make-up work for discussion classes may not be 100% equitable to attending the class itself; students take the onus for missing these classes upon themselves when they are absent. We suggest that students contact a trusted classmate as well as the teacher when they miss a discussion or lecture day, as a student would do in a college course.
If a student is absent on a test day or fails a test or quiz, they are REQUIRED to reschedule with the instructor to retake it within a timely manner.
b. Tardy Policy
Students should walk in quietly and sign the tardy binder when late. If there is a note, please give it to the instructor quietly and try to catch up. Students are only allowed 3 tardies per class, per semester before consequences occur. (Saturday school, make-up hours, discipline referral, etc.) If students are more than twenty minutes late, it’s an absence. And because Electronic Magazine is a double-blocked course, missing class counts as two absences. SEE TARDY POLICY IN STUDENT HANDBOOK.
LATE AND MAKEUP WORK
a. Late Policy
If students fail to turn in an assignment on the due date, 10 points will be taken off per day. After the third school day, the assignment can only be turned in for up to 50 percent of the original assignment. After 10 school days, the assignment will no longer be accepted.
b. Make-up Policy
If a student fails a test or quiz, they are REQUIRED to reschedule a retake the day following the absence, for a total worth of 70 percent of the original grade. The highest grade will be recorded. Points deducted for Late Work CANNOT be made up. Also, assignments that are not turned in by the last day the assignment is accepted CANNOT be made up.
GRADING POLICY
a. Percentages
This class will follow the grading policy as determined by the English Department at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy: Major Assignments 50% Quizzes 30% Daily 20%.
b. Honor Code
Students need to be aware of The Liberal Arts and Science Academy's Honesty Pledge. This pledge must appear and be signed on every graded assignment. Under the Honor Code, violations will result in one or more of the following consequences as determined by the Academic Dishonesty Committee: Zero on the assignment, ISS, Zero for the six-weeks, Lunch Detention, Saturday School, HSS. Upon the third violation during a student’s career at LASA, the student will be removed from LASA and returned to his or her home Austin ISD high school.
c. Time on Task
A large part of this class is independent and group work on the computer. On Work Days, students will receive Time On Task Grades. This grade is determined by the percentage of time spent working during three separate observations.
d. Extra Credit
EZINE offers extra credit during each cycle of the semester. The opportunities for extra credit are always the same. Points can only be added to major assignments and a maximum of 10 points can be received.
