Mr. Levine’s Class Rules

1. Mr. Levine’s Class Rules Everything You Need To Know But Were Afraid To Ask 2009-2010 School Year

2. Who I am? Possess both a BA and an MA in History from Syracuse and Columbia University. Currently writing my doctoral thesis for my Ph.D at Columbia University. A dedicated teacher whose job it is to educate and prepare you for the 8th Grade Social Studies Exam. A firm, fair and consistent teacher who will listen to you as an adult as long as you follow one simple rule-LET ME DO MY JOB!

3. The Course • 8th Grade American History covers the period of time from the end of Reconstruction to the election of President Barack Obama. • My job is also to review the 7th Grade American History course that Mr. Grinnard covered last year, which is the focus of the first few days of the school year. • As you can see, I have to cover 400 years of American History in ten months while dealing with the constant ELA/Math Exams.

4. 8th Grade US History 1865-Reconstruction 2009-Barack Obama

5. Had I not failed 8th Grade, this would have never have happened. What is the difference between 7th and 8th Grade?

6. The Difference Between 8th Grade and 7th Grade • In 7th Grade, whether or not Grinnard passed you made no difference. Our standards have become so low all any 7th Grader has to do is pass the ELA/Math test with a 2 (which isn’t even passing). • In 8th Grade, you can pass the ELA/Math tests however, you have to pass the four major subjects like Social Studies and Science. • So guess what, this is a wake up call 804 and 805. Choose to do no work and enjoy summer school. • Don’t believe me….

7. Here is the article to back me up.New York Times March 18,2008 The policy requires next year’s eighth graders to pass classes in core subject areas and to score at a basic level on standardized English and math exams to be promoted “In the end, passing kids through the system without making sure they’re ready for the next grade level is not a formula for success,” he said. “Our job is not to move a kid out of middle school; our job is to move a kid from middle school to high school, prepared for high school.”

8. Guess what kids, you NOW have to pass the course Last year, sixteen students DID NOT listen to the mayor and they spent six weeks at Petrides relearning the course.DON’T BE STUPID, GRADUATE!

9. Hey Mr. Levine, what do you expect of you students when they enter your class?

10. What I expect of my students? • In my opinion, my class is demanding, I expect you to do all work assigned to you. • I expect you to try your best. I expect that you will leave my class smarter than the day you walked in. Your grade is determined by you and not me. If you want to lose Great Adventure, prom or graduation, don’t blame me. It may be my class but in the end its YOUR GRADE. • To respect the fact that I work hard to teach you. If you wish to be immature or disrespectful try to understand there are more students here to learn than listen to your foul mouth, disrespect of the opposite sex and general behavior issues. This is school and not the street, if I want to listen to rap music, I’ll put on my iPod. • Not to fail my class. If you are absent or late or you need some information, I have a website for you to use. www.yomisterlevine.weebly.com

11. How are your grades determined? I could have been a better President if I didn’t run straight C’s at Yale. I once said, “Is our children learning? So please for the future of this country, learn how your grades are determined or I’ll get my brother Jeb to run against Obama in three years.

12. Your Grades are determined by: • Homeworks • Every student gets a homework sheet. The sheets will be online and also posted in the class. • The homeworks are treated as a unit grade and not daily assignments. Every unit has ten assignments. There is a due date for the assignment. • On the due date, I expect all ten homeworks for the unit completed. You do not have to write the questions but the answers must be in full sentences. Please staple the homeworks. TRY NOT TO WASTE PAPER-WHEN ONE HW ENDS SKIP A LINE AND START THE NEXT HW. • DO NOT TURN IN INDIVIDUAL HOMEWORKS. • Completion of all ten homeworks results in a grade of 100 for the unit. • Homework is worth 30% of your grade.

13. People accused me of not doing my homework for picking Sarah Palin, but 53% of the United States forgot to do their homework on November 4th and now Obama is talking a $9 trillion dollar deficit for all you to pay. Never forget to do your HW.

14. Your Grades are determined by: • Tests • Tests are given for every individual unit. The quarterlies and midterms are based on individual units. There are three-to-four exams every marking period. The quarterly/midterms are the only grades that count twice. • The test is based upon the 8th Grade NY State Social Studies Exam. The tests are in three parts-multiple choice question, constructed response and a DBQ. • There are reviews before every test. Reviews are based on your effort and not mine. I HAVE CANCELLED REVIEWS. If this happens, there is a link on www.yomisterlevine.weebly.com which will show you the review questions for the unit. • There is no single test which means you can not cheat. I am known to give up to five different versions of a single test and that’s because I have software which can do this for me. • Tests are worth 50% of your grade. This percentage is lowered if you consistently turn in your homeworks and projects on time.

15. Four tests a marking period times four marking periods equals….I don’t know but I know it’s higher than my chances of becoming President in 2012, you betcha’.

16. Your Grades are NOT determined by: • Pretests • At the start of every unit, you will take a pretest. • The pretests consist of 10-to-15 questions and will be multiple choice. • The grades DO NOT COUNT towards YOUR grade. • The tests are used to help you formulate your goals for the unit. In other words, WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO LEARN. • You must write three-to-four goals for each unit. These pretests will go into your portfolio. • Every student that DOES NOT take a pretest will be given a grade of 0. This WILL COUNT towards your grade for the marking period. • HONESTLY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE ME AGAIN IN 2010. (There is one student who I now have for four straight years.)

17. Your Grades are determined by: • Projects • Projects are worth ten percent of your grade. • There are a wide variety of projects. To make it easier for you to understand. Depending on the task, their grading value is different. • Every marking period, you will receive on the average of five projects. • Projects are due on the date assigned. Exceptions are for absence or parental note. • For every day, a project is late, there is a deduction of five points. NO EXCEPTIONS.

18. Major/Minor Projects • Minor Projects Include the Following Tasks • HW Units • Writing Projects-Given with every unit. • Document Based HW Assignments-Given with every unit. • 8th Grade Grade Units with Ms. Vetere/Camputaro/Mezzacappa/Lanza-Our hallways always are beautiful thanks to them. • Interdisciplinary Projects-Art Museum • Notes/Notebooks These projects will make up 50% of your portfolio. Every project is worth one point, so there are 50 minor projects for the 2009-2010.

19. Major/Minor Projects • Major Projects include the Following Task • Completion of an 8th Grade Social Studies Fair Project. This project is NON-NEGOTIABLE because it is part of your social studies portfolio. • The Fair project is 50% of your portfolio grade. Failure to complete a project (due in March 2010) makes it harder for you to graduate

20. Our dad does give a lot of work and he expects you to perform at your best but in the end….. ….you will remember him as one of your favorite teachers as long as you realize SCHOOL IS YOUR JOB!

21. Your Grades are determined by: • Attendance/Behavior • This is worth 10% of your grade. (Unfortunately, since I know many of you from lunch, I expect many of you to lose these 10 points. PROVE ME WRONG!!!) • Those of you with behavior problems, there are two grades for behavior S and U. • TWO VIOLATIONS OF BEHAVIOR AND YOUR GRADE IS A U. THIS IS NON-NEGOTIABLE.

22. Had someone taught us how to behave, we wouldn’t be spending money that we don’t have Ha! Ha! Ha!

23. Behavior Issues • INSUBORDINATION/LACK OF RESPECT-You don’t like social studies, that’s fine, enjoy summer school. Don’t tell me your opinion nor tell me what I can do to myself. • If YOU choose NOT TO LEARN, do us all a favor, DON’T BOTHER THOSE STUDENTS WHO WISH TO LEARN-TAKE A NAP AND MR. MURPHY WILL GIVE YOU YOUR SUMMER SCHOOL NOTICE IN THE SPRING. • I know many of you will say, “I don’t care.” Again, you know the difference between 7th and 8th Grade and let me state crystal clear…. It may be my class but in the end, its YOUR GRADE!!! • Remember, you have to pass my class to graduate. The Mayor says so and I work for him.

24. Behavior Issues • Insubordination • Cursing/The “N” word/Misogynism (Lack of respect towards women) • Food/Drink • Electronics • Passes-805-You have me period 8, you are not going period, end of discussion. Non-negotiable. • Movement

25. Even youuuuuuu can behave in Mr. Levine’s class!!! Crank dat’ attendance policy on the next slide.

26. Attendance Issues • 12 absences (without a note) is a failure-that is a school rule. (I know some of you may get sick or break a bone, but I’m just talking truancy/cutting. If you leave school early, just let me know.) 803, you have me period one, if you arrive period 2, you were absent-NON-NEGOTIABLE! • Every time you are late it’s a one-point deduction. Once you hit five, its a one point grade reduction. After five, it’s a five point grade deduction. • If you state that an AP/Dean held you and you are without a signed pass, YOU ARE LATE, TOO BAD! I will ask at the end of the day, and if you were with them, MY BAD and you are free.

27. We come to work everyday to interpret the Constitution, even you can make it to Levine’s class How do you run your class, Mr. Levine?

28. Classroom Procedures • Walk in to the room QUIETLY! • As you walk in, please take your notesheet from the front of the room. (I will show you what desk the materials will be on.) • The room you are in IS NOT MINE, therefore, DO NOT move the furniture to your liking. • Take out a pen/pencil/marker/crayon. I DO NOT HAVE A PEN FOR YOU, I AM NOT YOUR PARENT. • IF YOU CAN NOT UNDERSTAND THIS SIMPLE RULE, YOU ARE IN TROUBLE!!!!

29. The Only People We Buy Pens For Are Ava and Sophia Not You. Go Ask Your Family For A Pen

30. Classroom Procedures-The Note Sheets • Once upon I time, I used to write the notes on the blackboard. I would erase the notes and rewrite them. My shoulder started to hurt and then I had a brilliant idea---TYPE THEM and then put the notes on www.yomisterlevine.weebly.com. • As a result, my shoulder got better, my students became happier and their grades got better. Parents actually knew their child was learning. • There is a catch: IF I DO WRITE NOTES ON THE BOARD, COPY THEM. DON’T BE LIKE THIS GENTLEMAN ON THE NEXT SLIDE…….

31. Mister Levine, do we at al-Qaeda have to copy what is on the board? PLAIN AND SIMPLE, IF THERE ARE NOTES ON THE BOARD, COPY THEM. CHANCES ARE THEY WILL PROBABLY BE ON A TEST!!!!!!

32. Classroom Procedure-The Note Sheets • What you will be seeing on the screen are your notes. If you have a computer, you can print up your notes and bring them to class. Trying to write these notes is not going to be easy because I change slides quickly. • What you have in front of you are questions that deal with the topic on screen. The number of notes you are writing are reduced to a minimal amount. • Most lessons are lecture based. I explain what is on the screen. I lecture, you read the slides and then we answer the question. • I DO NOT write the answer on the board. It is your job to listen and write down the answer. (This is how it is done in high school and college which I am preparing you.) • If you did not get an answer, more than likely it was a student’s fault than my fault. (I encourage those who want to learn to tell the dumb ones to shut up.)

33. Classroom Procedure-The Note Sheets • There are notebook checks. These checks are a minor project and compromise a percentage of your grade. Everyone gets one sheet. • Please buy a folder for your notes or a hole punch. • To receive a 100 for notebook check, your job is to keep your notesheets together. For every unit that we study, you will receive three-to-five notesheets. • There is a notebook check every three units. On average, you will have about ten-to-twelve sheets which in the past would have been thirty-to-forty pages of written notes. • To pass the 8th Grade test, I WOULD SAVE YOUR NOTES. Three years from now, in the 11th Grade, you will be learning the same things I will teach you. • If you lose your notesheets, you can download them from www.yomisterlevine.weebly.com.

34. Classroom Procedure-Answering Questions

35. Classroom Procedure-Answering Questions • Answering questions is the simplest method for me to determine if you are understanding the lesson. • RAISE YOUR HAND-I know this is obvious, but so many of you FORGET and this annoys me. • WHOEVER IS ASKED THE QUESTION ANSWERS THE QUESTION-Again, fairly simple, you have been

36. Classroom Procedure-Going To The Bathroom Sometimes I think about social studies when I go potty. I’m getting my toilet swag on!

37. Classroom Procedure-Going To The Bathroom • Period 1 and 8-NO BATHROOM-SCHOOL RULE/NON-NEGOTIABLE. Unless Mr. Murphy is notified that you are MEDICALLY allowed to use the bathroom (from your parent/doctor) and he tells me, YOU CAN’T GO!!!! Sorry 803/805, it’s a school rule and if you walk out, I HAVE TO WRITE IT UP. • Periods 3,4,5-DO NOT ASK ME TO USE THE BATHROOM UNTIL THE LESSON STARTS. • Please sign the P-Book when you leave the room. • Use the pass minimally unless you have a medical condition.

38. Classroom Procedure-Throwing Things Out You stand a better chance being hit by lightning or in an accident than you are to be a NBA superstar. Kobe, Kevin Garnett and I graduated high school even BEFORE we became superstars.

39. Classroom Procedure-Throwing Things Out • Rule #1: The NBA Rule-You are NOT LeBron James, PLEASE DO NOT TAKE JUMP SHOTS AT THE GARBAGE CAN!!!! • Rule #2: If you need to throw something out, STAY SEATED! Leave the garbage on the desk and I’ll throw the food/garbage out. • Rule #3: The room you are sitting in is NOT MINE. If a teacher sees that you are making a mess of the room, he/she will write you up and GET YOU IN TROUBLE.

40. Classroom Procedures-The Computer Who would think I would grow up and develop Microsoft? Imagine life without Microsoft? You would be outside playing.

41. Classroom Procedures-The Computer • The computer belongs to the school-DON’T TOUCH IT. • The projector belongs to me-DON’T TOUCH IT. • The thumb drive belongs to EVERY STUDENT I TEACH-DON’T TOUCH IT. If you steal the thumb drive, YOU ARE AN IDIOT of the highest magnitude. You have just made that much harder for you and your fellow classmate to pass the test which determines your promotion. WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO TAKE SOMETHING THAT ULTIMATELY WILL HELP YOU PASS MY CLASS, THE NYS SOCIAL STUDIES TEST AND GET YOUR TUSH OUT OF IS 61? • The computer CAN NOT go to the internet. Don’t bothering trying, IT WON’T GO ONLINE.

42. Classroom Procedures-The Website • The website for this class is www.yomisterlevine.weebly.com. • The website can be used as a resource for anything that occurs in my class. • There are links to class notes, handout sheets, review questions, writing assignments, projects, homework sheets, in short, ALL THINGS LEVINE!!!! • If you don’t have a computer and you need materials, JUST ASK.

43. Contacting Me I am the reason why Mr. Levine does not friend request you.

44. Contacting Me • Yes, I am on facebook and My Space, but I will not accept your friend request until you graduate in June. Some of you have tried but you got the explanation. • You can get in touch with me at alevine923@yahoo.com or alevine8@schools.nyc.gov. • My cell phone number is 718-727-8481. Give it a call, I’ll be happy to answer. • The Yahoo address is preferred because I receive e-mail on my Blackberry. This will allow me to answer your questions in usually an hour. • Be patient! I always answer e-mails but there are times when I am doing something with my children or I am not home.

45. Online Grading System-www.engrade.com • If you have a computer and wish to see how well or terrible you are doing, I have an account on www.engrade.com. • When you go to the site (its free to join), click on the link which says students/parents. You will then sign on. • When you sign on, send me an email at either alevine923@yahoo.com or alevine8@schools.nyc.gov. • You will enter the following: engrade-yomisterlevine-secret code (001-151) • The secret code will be given by me. Once you sign on, you can see your grades. HOWEVER, you CAN NOT edit your grades.

46. Levine and Humor

47. Humor/Sarcasm • If you have had siblings who survived my class, they will tell you I’M FUNNY or MY JOKES ARE CORNY! • Please try to have a sense of humor. This is a skill which I find redeeming. If you are able to take a joke, all I can say is that roll with the punches. • Besides, I still laugh when dumb kids call me this…………..

48. People always seem to get me and Mr. Levine mixed up. Women love sexy men with really, really, really, really big foreheads. If Mr. Levine can laugh at his skyscraper forehead, then just take a joke.

49. Humor/Sarcasm • Please note that some of you will get nicknames. I will not give you a stupid or a demeaning nickname, but a nickname to help me remember who you are. • If you hear something funny, you are allowed to laugh. After a while, the joke is not funny anymore and ultimately, YOU STILL HAVE TO LEARN! • When the joke is not funny anymore, please remember that my job is to teach first and entertain second. • Also, I like to involve students in my explanations. Sometimes, I will zap you back into history and make you a character. If I do and I make fun of you, IT’S A JOKE! • Its very hard to teach social studies in an 8th Grade Classroom so I have learned that sometimes comedy can make an otherwise boring lesson become a little bit INTERESTING!

50. I know that Mr. Levine’s class is tough and his expectations high, however, by the time Mr. Levine is finished with you, you will have knowledge on just how great this country is. If you listen, YOU WILL PASS AND GRADUATE !