Meet Mr. Barnes
Welcome to Mark Barnes' language arts class at Memorial Junior High School
This page will tell you about your teacher and his class
Mark Barnes started teaching in 1992 and began his career at Memorial in 1994. He has a BA in communications, a Masters Degree in the Art of Teaching and Learning and a license to teach English/language arts in grades 7-12.
Mr. Barnes has taught grades 7, 8, 10 and 12 in reading, regular language arts, college prep language arts, advanced language arts and study and life skills. He also teaches technology integration to educators in 5 courses through Lake Erie College and Notre Dame College. Mr. Barnes is a internationally-recognized education speaker. He recently helped organize the Global Reform Symposium, which attracted nearly 5,000 educators from 100 countries.
A published novelist and freelance writer with hundreds of writing credits, Mr. Barnes' newest book, ROLE Reversal, about a new, progressive education system, is due in 2013.
During Mr. Barnes' time in the South Euclid-Lyndhurst Schools, he has been a department head, an academic team leader, and a curriculum writer. Mr. Barnes is also a STAR Discovery Educator, meaning he is recognized by the Discovery Education Network as a leader in K-12 technology literacy and technology integration.
In 2010, BarnesClass.com was recognized by Indiana University's education department as one of the Top 10 classroom web sites in the United States.
Mr. Barnes is the creator and main contributor to the Web 2.0 how-to video web site for teachers, www.learnitin5.com.
Mr. Barnes resides in South Euclid with his Wife, who teaches at Greenview, and two children.
Read Mr. Barnes' education commentary at: his educational blog, ROLE Reversal. Follow him on Twitter: his professional account @markbarnes19 or his classroom account @barnesclass
Contact Mr. Barnes at: barnes@sel.k12.oh.us
Language Arts Class Information
All class activities, handouts and presentations are available here at www.barnesclass.com. Please refer daily to the syllabus and presentations pages on the top navigation bar.
Daily class materials:
- pens
- composition notebook (remains in class)
- a novel/nonfiction book you're currently reading for our Reading All Year project (RAY)
Our class is a Results Only Learning Environment (ROLE)
- Results only means that our class is project-based and is driven more by final results of a learning unit than by daily routine.
- We will focus on meeting learning outcomes together, but the students will play all of the important roles in their own learning.
- Any out-of-class work will take place over extended periods of time, meaning there will NEVER be homework.
- Students are asked to read outside of class daily.
- Students are asked to read outside of class daily.
- A ROLE is based on Type I behavior, meaning students are expected to be intrinsically motivated. We will discuss and cultivate intrinsic motivation on a continuous basis.
- On some activities, students will grade themselves. (I will, of course, coach them on how this is done.)
- Although extension and enrichment activities are always available to enterprising students and those needing extra help, there is absolutely NO extra credit in this class.