Two Word Summary of Mr. P’s Rules:

What does “Behave Decently” mean?

Follow all school rules such as uniforms, ID’s, etc.

CELL PHONES – I see it, I take it. Includes texting. Suspicious hand motions under the desk attract my attention.

Be courteous in dealing with others – e.g., do not interrupt when someone else is speaking and they will not interrupt when YOU are speaking.

RESPECT, find out what it means to me…

• I will treat you with respect even if I have never met you before, but it is your responsibility to live up to the respect I show you. To get respect, EARN respect.

• Treat others with the same respect you want from them. (If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.) No insults, even as a joke. I will never insult or make fun of any of my students, nor will I allow them to insult or make fun of each other.

What else? Laptops, Ipads, etc. – may only be used in

class with permission of principal.

Do not distract class by walking around at inappropriate times.

Eating/drinking only by permission.

Bathrooms – first and last 20 min. of class.

NO GUM allowed. My pet gripe – people stick it on the bottoms of the desks. Shows disrespect for the facility, and for me.

Anything else?Take pride in OUR school - place trash in cans, not on floor or desk. (Litter in India vs. none in

Sri Lanka – a matter of national pride.)

None of you are babies.

• I would like to treat you as adults. I expect you to act that way.

• You are only a few years away from college. I should not have to call your parents for discipline issues!

• If you have a problem in my class, I expect you to show me enough respect to see me first, NOT the dean, principal, etc.

ACADEMICS

• School policies regarding grading.• $25.00 lab fee if taking only one science

class. (See me if taking 2 science courses.)• Syllabus is the guide for the course.• My main means of communication is

through my school WIKI page (http://haynes.jpschools.org/school-wikis/haynes-wiki/mr

-prentices-wiki/). Also has a link to my JPPSS email address.

SCIENCE PROJECT• You must do a science or engineering

project showing cause-and-effect.

• Due date will be in December.

• All rules come from the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) and the Greater New Orleans Science and Engineering Fair (GNOSEF).

• Best projects will be entered in next year’s GNOSEF.

• Details will be in the course syllabus and on my WIKI page.

Okay, enough with the rules.

My question: WHO ARE YOU?

WHAT IS THE MOST

IMPORTANT

THING IN LIFE?

So far, I have been in 30 countries and taught in fourteen.

Cambodia

I want to focus on one country: Cambodia.

In 2009 my travels included a 4 day trip to Cambodia. What a spiritual vacuum!

My host Nick Haydon in his “tuk-tuk.” A more typical tuk-tuk.

30 years ago, Pol Pot came to power after the U.S. withdrew from neighboring Vietnam. He proceeded to kill one fourth of

his country’s population – every handicapped or educated person -- whom he felt were useless.

In the capitol city of Phnom Penh is a memorial to the “Killing Fields” where

so many millions were murdered.

They would be locked in small sheds, knowing that

the next time they came out would be to die.

Most would be beaten to death or suffocated, while

loud music played to drown out their screams.

At least 20,000 bodies were buried at this site, later turned into a memorial for the Killing Fields.

Children playing next

door have no idea what

happened just across the

fence.

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN LIFE?

The ONLY things that could comfort them would be:

(1) Their relationship with their concept of God (a higher power), and

(2) Knowing that their life had a purpose.

What are you doing to find YOUR purpose in life?

Those waiting in the sheds to die in a few minutes could not take any comfort in their

education or wealth.

When you come to your last day on earth,

will you be sure that your life counted for

something?

Though education is not THE most important thing in life, it is

important.

(Besides, I am a professional educator who gets paid to

teach science!)

Let’s start thinking about science.