What New Students to Mr. Bigler's Class Should Know

Welcome!

Welcome to Mr. Bigler's class!

Besides my class expectations, here are some unspoken things that you should know about.

Flexibility

I am one of the most flexible teachers you will likely ever have. If there's anything you need, please ask. If I can figure out a way to say "yes," I will.

Birthday Tradition

On the school day closest to your birthday, (or at the beginning of the year / when you first arrive in my class if your birthday has already passed) let me know if you would like to hold fire. If so, I will let you scoop up soap bubbles filled with natural gas and light them on fire. It will make a tower of flame a foot or two high, but it will go out quickly enough that you won't get burned.

Bathroom Passes and Other Supplies

If you need a bathroom pass, I will point to the drawer where passes are kept. That is your cue to take out a pass, fill it out (except for the signature), and hand it to me. Note that there are also menstrual supplies in the drawer; if you need them, you can discreetly take what you need while you're getting out a pass and no one (including me) will notice.

If you need anything else (Band-Aids, Tide-To-Go, etc.), please ask.

Fidget Toys

If you need to fidget during class, you may bring a manipulative of your own or you may get a fidget toy out of the toy box. You must fidget non-disruptively (keeping the toys quiet and on top of or underneath your desk), and you may only have one fidget toy at a time. Fidget toys from my toy box must remain in the classroom.

Charging your Devices

There is a USB charger in the front of the room. You may plug in your phone or ear buds to charge them at any time during class. (Note that if using your phone or ear buds during class becomes a problem, I may tell you that you need to leave them by the charger during class.)

I have spare computer chargers that you can borrow. There are plugs on the ends of all of the lab benches.

Snacks

If you need a snack, I have a snack drawer. There is a requested donation, because I buy the snacks with my own money and the donations help offset the cost. There is also a limit of $1.00 worth of snacks at a time, because my intent is to feed students who really need it, not to be a convenience store. You can donate cash, or you can use CashApp, Venmo or PayPal.

Important: if you don't have the money and you need a snack, take one anyway. If you have the money but you just don't have it with you, you can give it to me the next class day. If you can't afford a snack, tell me that you'll give me the money next time, and then don't actually give it to me. This is totally OK—you pretending that you'll pay me later is how I protect your privacy.

Because LEHS rules do not actually permit food in classrooms, you need to:

• Ask every time you want a snack from the drawer, in case there is some reason I have to say no.
• Be discreet. Keep the food and wrapper out of sight as much as possible.
• Throw wrappers and all other evidence of food in the trash barrel. Make sure nothing is left on desks/tables, in drawers, on the floor, or in the sinks. This includes any trash left by someone else.
• Clean up any spills or other messes promptly. There are mice in the building, and we do not want to encourage them to live in our classroom. (I have a brush & dustpan if you need them.)

Water

There is a Brita water pitcher and cups in the cabinet to the right of the safety shower. You can get up and get a cup of water (or fill a water bottle) at any time during class as long as you can do so non-disruptively, unless we are doing a lab experiment where drinking water would pose a safety hazard.

There is a limit of two students at a time by the water pitcher or hot water dispenser. Do not loiter—get what you need and go back to your seat.

If the cold water pitcher is low (below the line), please refill it in the sink next to the safety shower.

Hot Drinks

There is a hot water dispenser and coffee maker to the left of the large sink on the side of the room. You can make tea, coffee or hot cocoa during class, as long as you can do so non-disruptively.

Ask Mr. Bigler if you are unsure about how to use the water boiler or coffee maker.

If the water reservoir for the hot water dispenser or coffee maker is low, please get the orange pitcher out of the drawer below the machine and refill the machine from the Brita pitcher. Ask Mr. Bigler if you are not sure how to do this. If supplies (coffee, tea, sugar, honey or milk) are low, please let Mr. Bigler know.

There is a limit of two students at a time by the coffee maker and hot water dispenser. Do not loiter—get what you need and go back to your seat.

I ask for a donation of 25 cents for a hot drink, because I buy the snacks with my own money and the donations help offset the cost. You can donate cash, or you can use CashApp, Venmo or PayPal. As with snacks, if you don't have the money and you need a hot drink, take one anyway. If have the money but you just don't have it with you, you can give it to me on the next class day. If you can't afford a hot drink, tell me that you'll give me the money next time, and then don't actually give it to me. This is totally OK—you pretending that you'll pay me later is how I protect your privacy.

Note that you may not take a snack or make tea or coffee if I am absent and you have a substitute. Note also that if snacks or messes become a problem, I will need to limit or remove access to the snack drawer and hot drinks.