Bronx Theatre H.S.

W E B Q U E S T

Prepared by: John Turowski

Theatre Arts Department

Policies for the Classroom

Classroom conduct and self-discipline seem to be an ongoing problem in many classrooms. Students do not follow school rules, have difficulty completing their assignments, and seem to have a problem staying focused on the work at hand. What can we do about this in order to create a better learning environment, where everyone can participate in a meaningful way? Is there a solution, and if so, how can we find the best one possible? Let’s look at the following options:

1. Should the students themselves implement rules and regulations of their own making?

2. Should rules and regulations come directly from the teaching staff?

3. Should students be allowed to establish their own individual rules of conduct?

Let’s examine some of the approaches to this problem, see how they work in real situations, examine existing data related to this area, compile the information, and then try to select the best solution for our own school situation.

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Your task is to research the problem of classroom conduct and self-discipline using the websites provided in the Resources section to summarize your research on the six Public Policy Analyst worksheets. You will also produce a 2-4-page paper based on your research, and you will present your findings, including your own original solutions, to the class.

1. Use the websites provided below and the six Public Policy Analyst worksheets to research the problem of school conduct and self-discipline. Evaluate existing policies and/or approaches to this problem, and develop your own original policies/approaches.

1. Identify the problem.

2. Gather evidence related to the problem.

3. Identify the causes of the problem.

4. Evaluate the existing policy as defined by our school as compared to others.

5. Develop possible solutions that could be used in the classroom.

6. What would be the best solution for our classroom.

Note 1. Research the policies of different schools; high schools, colleges, universities etc. Ask friends, parents, teachers and Bronx Theatre administrators. Record the similarities and differences that different schools and people have. Keep organized notes, citations and records of your findings.

Note 2. Make up your own definition for your classroom policy topic. Try some of the web links below,- just to get thinking about it. Make sure that you keep a record of the resources that you use to create your definition.

2. Next, using the information you have gathered in your research, as well as the original policies/approaches you have developed, write a 2-4-page report that includes an analysis of the problem as well as the existing solutions to the problem.

3. Finally, you will create a 5-minute presentation based on your findings and ideas. Your presentation should include at least one visual (poster, diagram, etc.). Your presentation may also include two brief scenes, one showing the existing problem and another showing the solution to that problem.

Use the following websites to help you in your research:

http://www.bxscience.edu/

http://www.bxthreatre.org/index.jsp

http://www.east-china.k12.mi.us/sch/staff/dseddon/classroom_policy_page.htm

http://www.westga.edu/~bcluskey/ClasRmBeh.htm

http://www.humbolt.edu/~judicial/html/attendance_behavior.shtml

Task	Excellent	Good	Fair	Poor
Worksheets & Research	Problem well defined and well Researched. All 6 steps of P.P.A. are completely looked at and evidence of notes as well as research activity.	Problem identified; the research is adequ -ate. All 6 steps of P.P.A. are addressed .	Problem is iden- tified and research is done. All 6 steps are addressed.	Problem is identified but the required research is lacking. Work is basically not done.
Paper	Well organized. Demonstrates a logical format And sentence Structure. Also, Completely makes reference To all 6 parts.	Well organized. Sequence is not logical and the Sentence struc- ture is not clear. All 6 parts are addressed in a clear manner.	Well organized. but sequence is not logical and Sentences are not structured properly. Does not address all 6 parts.	Poorly organized Does not add- ress all 6 differ- ent parts.
Presentation	Problem is pres- ented in an in- teresting and authoritive way. Based on solid information and with clear and helpful visual - aids. Good questions Great discussion. A-1 participation	Problem is well presented. Visual-aids are\ used well also. Presentation also generates good questions and responses. Most members of the group participate.	Problem is pres- ented, but the group requires help in order to generate good questions. There is also limited participation in the group.	Teacher has to generate the discussion. Disorganized presentation. Poor group work

Thank you for the effort you have made on this webquest. Taking responsibility for your own conduct and self-discipline is a very important step in becoming a responsible adult. The policies that you will create together by doing the research on this webquest will be used in

our classroom for the rest of the year. In addition to this, the process that you have worked through on this assignment is one that can be applied to other projects and explorations both in, and out of the classroom. We can really improve ourselves and the world around us by developing critical thinking skills that will guide us for the rest of our lives. Thank you once again and good luck in your explorations.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thanks to the TIPS Program

The Instructors, Advisors, and Facilitators

N.Y.C. Dept. of Education