BOOK OF CONSEQUENCES – Extra Bathroom Use

First, write:
1) I broke the rules by .
2) What caused the problem (why did you do it)?
3) List 3 ways to avoid this problem in the future. Circle the best one.
Then, copy the following.

I am guilty of having to take an extra trip to the bathroom this week. Like a toddler, I must still work to control my bladder, and keep it from controlling me. Like a small child, I let simple bodily functions dictate the way I behave, rather than exerting some control over these things. In the future I will do what I can so that my bodily functions do not stand in my way of being a good student in class.

I remain,

BOOK OF CONSEQUENCES – LACK OF INTEREST

First, write:
1) I disappointed Mr. __________ by ___________.
2) What caused the problem (why did you do it)?
3) List 3 ways to avoid this problem in the future. Circle the best one.
Then, copy the following,

I am guilty of showing a lack of interest in some part of life. By showing a lack of interest in any part of life, I have taken a step closer to death. What separates me from other animals is, in large part, the power of my mind, my ability to think, reason, consider. By showing a lack of interest in my class, I have turned off a part of my mind, I have subjugated myself to unthinking reaction, I have become in part inanimate, like a signpost. I do not wish to live like a signpost. I was not created as a signpost; I am a human being. Therefore, in the future I will chose life rather than death, and find the joy of curiosity and this wonderful world.

I remain,

BOOK OF CONSEQUENCES – DISRUPTING CLASS

First, write:
1)    I broke Mr. _____________’s rules by          .
2)    What caused the problem (why did you do it)?
3)    List 3 ways to avoid this problem in the future.  Circle the best one.
Then, copy the following,

I am guilty of disturbing other groups and keeping them from learning.  By keeping them from learning, I have decreased the knowledge of the classroom and increased the chaos.  Order is the struggle of mankind against nature, and I must strive to maintain it against the disruption of entropy.  I have made us loose precious time, and I apologize to myself, to my teacher, and to my classmates.  In the future, I will help us to stay on my teacher’s track so that I do not inhibit our growth, as we strive to fulfill the human potential that within us all.

I remain,

BOOK OF CONSEQUENCES – Eating in class

First, write:
1)    I broke Mr. ___________'s rules by          .
2)    What caused the problem (why did you do it)?
3)    List 3 ways to avoid his problem in the future.  Circle the best one.
Then, copy the following:

I am guilty of eating in class.  By doing so, I have brought upon my head the envy of the other students and teacher in the class, for I have tempted them with the desire to eat.  No longer should I consider myself above the law.  In the future, I will keep my candy, food, or gum to places outside of the classroom unless I have enough for the whole class, and thereby do not create any envy on the part of my classmates and teacher, for the whole class is satiated.  During these precious classroom hours, our focus will be on learning, and not my snacks.

Sincerely I remain,

BOOK OF CONSEQUENCES – HEAD DOWN IN CLASS

First, write:
1)    I broke Mr. ____________’s rules by          .
2)    What caused the problem (why did you do it)?
3)    List 3 ways to avoid his problem in the future.  Circle the best one.
Then, copy the following:

I have put my head down in class, and have run the risk of sleep, of dashing off to meet Morpheus, who will perhaps trick me with dreams and deprive me of the knowledge of the classroom.  Moreover, by sleeping in class, I run the risk of starting a bad trend among my classmates, who might be envious of my actions.  So I must remember the sayings of wordsmiths Shakespeare and Nas:

Romeo: Peace, peace, Mercuio, peace!  Thou talk’st of nothing.
Mercutio: True.  I talk of dreams,
Which are the children of an idle brain,
Begot of nothing but vain fantasy,
Which is as thin of substance as the air,
And more inconstant than the wind, who woos
Even now the frozen bosom of the north,
And, being angered, puffs away from thence,
Turning his face to the dew-dropping south.
-William Shakespeare, Romeo & Juliet

I never sleep, ‘cause sleep is the cousin of Death.
- Nas, “The Message”

I remain,

BOOK OF CONSEQUENCES – INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE

First, write:
1) I broke Mr. ______________'s rules by .
2) What caused the problem (why did you do it)?
3) List 3 ways to avoid this problem in the future. Circle the best one.
Then, copy the following:

I am guilty of saying something inappropriate in the classroom. The classroom, like the job place, is not a place where we can use any language we please. Society is a place where we all must find a place in order to survive (Aristotle defined a fool as “someone who does not go to the marketplace,” in other words, a person who tries to make it all alone with no other people). I must be able to go to job interviews, I must be able to avoid inappropriate language at work, I must be able to function in society with some SMALL limitations on your language. And thus, I will in the future avoid using such terms deemed inappropriate by society. I will join the common marketplace.

I remain,

BOOK OF CONSEQUENCES – Needing to leave class

First, write:
1) I broke Mr. __________’s rules by .
2) What caused the problem (why did you do it)?
3) List 3 ways to avoid this problem in the future. Circle the best one.
Then, copy the following,

I am guilty of not being like a prepared adult and having all my materials ready at the beginning of class or of not taking care of necessary personal business that ought not be the concern of Mr. ___________ and require him to take the time out of his busy class to write a pass for me. I am a responsible person, and soon will be responsible for much more than simply getting all my possessions to class on time. I will take this opportunity to improve. In the future I will make sure I get all my things done before class begins so that it will not be the business of everyone else in class.

I remain,

BOOK OF CONSEQUENCES – Making Fun

First, write:
1)    I broke ______________’s rules by          .
2)    What caused the problem (why did you do it)?
3)    List 3 ways to avoid this problem in the future.  Circle the best one.
Then, copy the following:

I am guilty of making fun of my fellow classmate.  This is an incredibly destructive behavior to engage in.  I have now made a classmate of mine suffer from embarrassment, and for what cause?  Do I now feel better about myself?  Perhaps, but only by tearing others down, a very cheap thrill, especially considering all the positive attention I could get from Mr. Goldsmith for doing my work well or for talking to him after class, or by asking him good questions.  I have been doing the work of evil in class, making others more shy in a class where it is IMPERATIVE that others feel comfortable.  For destroying class culture, I am truly sorry, and hope that I will never be punished for this mistake by being made fun of by others.  In the future I will keep my mouth shut if some joke at the expense of others comes to my lips.  I will be positive, and not negative, so that good may triumph over evil.

I remain,

BOOK OF CONSEQUENCES – Left book in inappropriate place

First, write:
1)    I broke Mr. ____________'s rules by          .
2)    What caused the problem (why did you do it)?
3)    List 3 ways to avoid his problem in the future.  Circle the best one.
Then, copy the following:

I have broken the rule of respect towards the classroom and the property of my school, my parents, my younger friends or siblings, and myself, for the book that I call mine is the possession of all whose blood, sweat, tears, and cash go into its purchase and existence.  This book was bought with taxpayer dollars, with money given to this school, and any scratch, tear, mark that I make in or on it takes away from those future generations that must rely on the school for books.  If I went to a private school, I would have to pay hundreds of dollars EACH semester for books.  Thanks to the generosity of the state and the taxpayers, I don’t have to pay a dime for a book unless I do something to damage it.  Therefore, I will continue to ensure that future generations will have the same privilege that I have by making sure that my book stays in good and proper condition.

I remain,

BOOK OF CONSEQUENCES – Not Reading

First, write:
1)    I broke Mr. __________'s rules by          .
2)    What caused the problem (why did you do it)?
3)    List 3 ways to avoid his problem in the future.  Circle the best one.
Then, copy the following:

I am guilty of the sin of not using this glorious time for reading.  The ability to read is a gift that I am granted, for not all of humanity has this ability.  Those who cannot read are consigned to a life of poverty of knowledge.  They cannot pick up a book or a newspaper or a contract and discover meaning to those words.  They are trapped in a world where letters are but scratches and do not contain the glory of thought, reason, meaning.  I wish to be in a world where letters are meaningful; I shall be a person of letters.  And it shall begin with reading during reading times.

I remain,

BOOK OF CONSEQUENCES - NOT PAYING ATTENTION

First, write:
1)    I disappointed Mr. ______________ by          .
2)    What caused the problem (why did you do it)?
3)    List 3 ways to avoid this problem in the future.  Circle the best one.
Then, copy the following:

I am guilty of not paying attention in some part of life.  By not paying attention in any part of life, I have taken a step closer to death because I might miss something that could help me have a life.  What separates me from other animals is, in large part, the power of my mind, my ability to think, reason, consider.  By not paying attention in my class, I have turned off a part of my mind to information that will help me grow into a well educated, focused person. I have chosen instead to be unfocused, preoccupied, sidetracked, diverted, a distracted person, if you will.  Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary defines distracted in archaic language as insane or mad. Even though I may not completely understand now, as a thinking person I concede that knowledge is power that I need in my toolbox to make a better life for myself and my family someday.  I live in the today. I am not insane or mad in any terms. Therefore, in the future I will choose life rather than death, and focus on the joy of curiosity and this wonderful world by paying attention to, and even writing notes on, the details my teacher is so gracious to provide to me.

I remain,

BOOK OF CONSEQUENCES – Not with rest of class

First, write:
1) I broke Mr. ______________'s rules by .
2) What caused the problem (why did you do it)?
3) List 3 ways to avoid his problem in the future. Circle the best one.
Then, copy the following:

I was not together with the rest of the class. This is detrimental to my grade for I miss opportunities to learn. In the future, I must pay attention, bring my notebook to class, and keep my papers organized so that I do not miss opportunities to learn. This is the path to being a good student.

Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle once wrote that the most pleasurable activity available to man is learning. I should not impair the learning of those around me. Rules exist to help things run more smoothly. If I have suggestions about better rules, I should put them in the suggestion box. Otherwise, I should play by the rules, until I can think of better ones, and communicate them to the teacher. No more broken rules for me.

I remain,

BOOK OF CONSEQUENCES – OUT OF SEAT

First, write:
1)    I broke Mr. _____________’s rules by          .
2)    What caused the problem (why did you do it)?
3)    List 3 ways to avoid this problem in the future.  Circle the best one.
Then, copy the following,

I am guilty of getting out of my seat without asking and moving about the classroom on other than official business.  Instead of raising my two fingers, I have taken it upon myself to create a touch of chaos in this classroom.  Chaos is the enemy of mankind.  We are creatures of order; we fight against entropy so that nature does not defeat our efforts.  Order is why we build buildings, write books, paint art.  I shall no longer work against order—I will strive to maintain it.

I remain,

BOOK OF CONSEQUENCES – TALKING AT INAPPROPRIATE TIMES

First, write:
1)    I broke Mr. _____________'s rules by          .
2)    What caused the problem (why did you do it)?
3)    List 3 ways to avoid this problem in the future.  Circle the best one.
Then, copy the following:

I have been running my mouth in class, despite the fact that, by my actions, I decrease the amount of learning that happens in the classroom.  By talking while others are talking, I first of all distract others from hearing what another (either the teacher or other student) has to say.  I show that person that I DO NOT VALUE his or her thoughts or ideas; I disrespect them.  In the classroom, all should have the right to speak at appropriate times.  Rather than destroying the principals of democracy, I shall control my desire to gain attention and do so only in appropriate ways and at appropriate times.

I remain,

BOOK OF CONSEQUENCES – TALKING AT INAPPROPRIATE TIMES

First, write:
1)    I broke Mr. _____________’s rules by          .
2)    What caused the problem (why did you do it)?
3)    List 3 ways to avoid this problem in the future.  Circle the best one.
Then, copy the following:

I have been running my mouth in class, despite the fact that, by my actions, I decrease the amount of learning that happens in the classroom.  By talking while others are talking, I first of all distract others from hearing what another (either the teacher or other student) has to say.  I show that person that I DO NOT VALUE his or her thoughts or ideas; I disrespect them.  In the classroom, all should have the right to speak at appropriate times.  Rather than destroying the principals of democracy, I shall control my desire to gain attention and do so only in appropriate ways and at appropriate times.

I remain,

First, write:
1)    I broke        by          .
2)    What caused the problem (why did you do it)?
3)    List 3 ways to avoid breaking this rule again.  Circle the best one.
Then, copy the following:

I have broken a rule.  It is not right that I break rules in class, for rules are the ways that society works.  Without rules, society would be a jungle, a realm (as Hobbes once wrote) of man against man, and life would be nasty, brutish, unpleasant, and short.  Certainly no learning would be accomplished, for instead of being able to spend time in contemplation or in study of the world around us and its ways, we would have to focus on pure survival, on the mere necessities of food, clothing, and shelter to stay alive, for we would live in constant fear that another man might come and take these from us by force.  This is why we need rules and laws to govern our society—that I may know trust in other men.  Even animals have laws: dogs and monkeys allow other dogs and monkeys to groom them, and there are rules that govern the wrestling fights that they have (for most do not grow to full-fledged battle).  No, indeed, laws and rules are natural, and rather than taking away our freedom, they give us the freedom to not live in fear.

I do not wish to contribute to a place ruled by fear.  Thus, I will not stand in the way of the learning of others.  Of my own free will I rise in the morning and come to school.  I could flee from my family or guardians if I wished, I perhaps could drop out of school.  But instead I chose to stay, and as I am staying, I might as well learn.  Merlin the magician said, “The best thing to do when you’re sad is to learn something.”  Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle once wrote that the most pleasurable activity available to man is learning.  I should not impair the learning of those around me.  Rules exist to help things run more smoothly.  If I have suggestions about better rules, I should put them in the suggestion box.  Otherwise, I should play by the rules, until I can think of better ones, and communicate them to Mr. Goldsmith.  No more broken rules for me.

I remain,

BOOK OF CONSEQUENCES – Out of Uniform

First, write:
1)    I have disrespected the school system by          .
2)    What caused the problem (why did you do it)?
3)    List 3 ways to avoid this problem in the future.  Circle the best one.
Then, copy the following,

I am guilty of coming to class without my proper uniform on.  Despite my feelings about the uniform policy, it is in place, and by coming to class out of uniform, I have demonstrated my disrespect to the entire school system, upon whose shoulders rests my entire education and therefore the array of choices I have available to me later in life.  Additionally, coming to class out of uniform builds resentment among my classmates, who also may wish to be out of uniform but are demonstrating more respect for their school system.

I do not wish to create an atmosphere of resentment and disrespect.  I realize that in the future, wherever I work, there will be expectations for the way that I dress, and I may as well develop the habit of proper attire now.  I remember that my uniform should consist of a solid gold or blue shirt (with no writing), khaki pants, dark shoes, and no headgear.  In the future, I will make sure to make the proper sartorial choices and will come to class in proper uniform.

I remain,