Welcome to class! We have a ton to cover so I'll just get right in to it. My name is Mr. Storm and I've been teaching computer science, business, marketing, design, and really anything else I want here at UMA for a few years now. I am a veteran of the United States Air Force where I was a Radio Frequency Engineer and I separated as a Staff Sergeant after 10 years of service.

I have an AS in Electronic Systems Technology and a BS in Social Science as well as over a dozen industry certifications in IT. Most of my day is filled with teaching but I also do some freelance web and graphic design work. I'm an author and game designer in my spare time as well.

Here is a link to my website if you'd like to see some of my work!

Now enough about me, let's talk about the classroom.

Class Rules

I have three major rules in the class room. These are the "Core Values" of the classroom if you will. They are "Be A Professional", "Be Responsible", and "Show Respect".

Be A Professional

A professional:

Is on time to class every day
Wears the uniform with pride
Uses "Yes Sir", "No Sir", "Please", and "Thank You" when appropriate
Does not blame, complain, or make excuses
Does not use the hall pass except in the case of an emergency

This class is a professional class. All work submitted in this class will be professional, meaning it will be free from spelling and grammar errors, school appropriate, and reflect your best effort. All communication, either spoken or written, will be courteous, concise, and effective. Again, spelling and grammar errors are not professional, even in conversation. Treat this class like a workplace. Communicate with your classmates as you would communicate with your co-workers. Communicate with me as you would communicate with your boss.

Be Responsible

Responsibility means:

Setting high standards for your work
Never turning in a rough draft
Completing assignments on time, every time
Taking control of your files
Never settling for "Good Enough"

Life, put simply, is a series of choices. Every action is the result of a choice. Responsibility means making the right choice. You can choose to do well in this class, or choose to fail, it's up to you. The sum of your choices will determine your success, but the important thing you need to understand is IT IS UP TO YOU, AND ONLY YOU! You take credit for your success and failure. It's no one else's fault. Not your parents, not your teachers, not your dog, you! It's a scary thought, but empowering as well. Once you realize that you are in control, you can make the right choices and build the life you want.

Also, save your work on the cloud. Don't leave your files on the computers in the lab, you've been warned.

Show Respect

Respect means:

No food or drinks are allowed in the classroom (other than water)
Clean up after yourself
Keep you hands to yourself
Use the computers for learning, nothing else
Do not distract the others around you

I get it, life is hard sometimes. It's especially hard being a teenager. We are all struggling to a certain extent, so why would you want to make things worse for the people around you? Why would you want to make life harder for the people you care about? Keeping your workstation clean means that someone else doesn't have to clean up after you. Keeping your hands to yourself and not distracting others means that they can focus on their responsibilities. I still get confused when I see friends distracting others in class. Don't you want your friend to be successful? Don't you want them to feel proud of their accomplishments? Then why are you making that harder for them? Why are you trying to ruin their productivity? I wouldn't want a friend like that! Respect, in this context, means that you recognize that there are other people on the planet and you act accordingly.

Class Procedures

This class may be a bit different than you are used to. That's ok, new is good. But, it takes time to get into a routine in a new situation. Here are the class procedures we follow in my classroom:

Class Entry

Before class starts you should be lined up in the hallway. You can talk, read, or stare at the wall; as long as you aren't blocking the hallway or making a ton of noise. Before the bell rings, I will call "Class Fall In". That is your cue to tighten up the lines (two columns), face forward, and put away whatever is in your hands. When the class is settled I will call "Class Attention". That is your cue to go the the position of attention.

Pro Tip: The position of attention is a very specific, and deliberate, position. Here's how you know you are standing at attention correctly:

Your heels are together, with your feet angled away from each other.
Your legs are straight, without locking your knees.
Your arms are slightly pulled back and pulled down the length of your body.
Your hands are cupped.
Your hands are flat against your hips.
Your shoulders are pulled back, your chest is out, your back is straight.
Your eyes are straight forward, you are not looking around, and your head is up high.

attention

Once the whole class is at the position of attention I will check your uniform for correct wear. Refer to the UMA Cadet Guide to learn more about proper uniform wear. When I'm ready I will call "First Element, File In". The column closest to the door will begin to enter the room. Each Cadet will put their cell phone in the designated area. Phones must be turned off during class. Once in the room you will stand by your chair at the position of attention. You are not allowed to talk at the position of attention, unless you are responding to attendance. The classroom should be silent.

Tip: If you try to get in the line after the bell has rung, you will be told to leave the line. If you are tardy, you do not get to enter the classroom until after attendance is taken.

When I enter the room, I will call attendance. The only words you are allowed to say are "Here Sir". If someone is absent, you do not need to give them an alibi. Once attendance has been recorded, I will lead you in the UMA core values, then you will take a seat.

Classroom Behavior

From that point on, you are in charge of what you are learning. If you decide to complete class material, great! If you are ahead in class and want to learn how to make video games, how to design web pages, how to make music, ect., go for it! As long as you are being PRODUCTIVE I will not bother you about how you choose to spend your time. There are a few exceptions though. Here is a list of some of the inappropriate activities you will be expected to avoid in the computer lab:

Playing video games
Watching YouTube videos with no educational value
Looking at memes
Scrolling through "time wasting" websites such as Reddit or Imgur
Chatting

Here's a quick rule of thumb; If you are comfortable justifying your behavior in front of me, your parents, and administration, then go for it. I, however, will be the final arbiter over the legitimacy of any "learning" activity in the classroom.

While you are working, I do allow conversation as long as it is quiet, and school appropriate. The minute it begins to distract others or becomes inappropriate I will shut down the conversation. I do not have a seating chart but I do reserve the right to move you around the classroom if I feel it is necessary.

Food and drinks are not allowed in the class room unless it is water in a sealed container. We work in a computer lab, 'nuff said. That includes gum. You are not allowed to chew gum in my classroom. Again, gum is prohibited in the classroom. Did you get the message about the gum?

Anything you bring into the classroom needs to leave with you. Please do not leave your mess for others to pick up.

Cell phones are not to be used in class. If you do not place your phone in the cell phone holder, I take your phone, no exceptions. You will receive a Class 1 violation and your phone will be given to the office. You will need to pick it up after school. If it happens often, the office may require your parents to pick it up.

You are expected to be productive until you are released. Even if we have two minutes left in class, I expect you to be learning. There should be no wasted time in this classroom.

Hall Pass Policy

I have one hall pass in this class room and it can only be used by one person at a time. In order to use the hall pass you must sign the accountability roster. You will only have 5 minutes, after that I will come looking for you. If you abuse the hall pass, you will lose your rights to use it during class.

Now, let's say you are sitting in class, you're a bit bored because you aren't managing your time wisely, and you decide you want to take the hall pass and go sit in the bathroom looking at memes on your phone for 10 minutes. This is a giant no-no. You are NOT allowed to take your phone with you when you use the hall pass. Hall pass use is for emergencies only.