Classroom Expectations

ELAtion Nation is a welcoming place where all students and teachers are respectful of themselves and others, and where diversity in culture, identity, and ideas is celebrated. Every citizen of ELAtion Nation will get to share their name as well as the pronouns they use, and it is expected for all citizens to respect the names and pronouns given.

Out of respect for our learning and fellow learners, students are expected to arrive on time and prepared for class with all course materials. Most importantly, students are expected to come with an open mind and willingness to learn. Part of that learning process is making mistakes, so keeping a growth mindset in mind when we make mistakes is important!

On the first day of class, we will create a ELAtion Nation Constitution together where students have voice and choice in defining what the classroom expectations are for all citizens of ELAtion Nation. This is how students will decide what conduct they would like to see their peers and teachers aspire to for the classroom to be a productive and safe place for all.

In class, students can expect to participate in peer-to-peer collaboration, group work, and writers workshops to foster community, practice constructive feedback, and encourage the cross-pollination of ideas. Students will be asked to think critically about the texts they encounter in class, and question what an author's implicit and explicit biases and underlying motivations may be. We also will keep in mind that we each bring our own implicit and explicit biases that affect the way we interpret texts as well as the world around us.

In cases of conflict in the classroom, ELAtion Nation follows a restorative justice approach, where we will take steps as a community to address the harm done in a non-judgmental way and work together to forge a path forward.