Tutoring and homework help occur every Tuesday - Thursday, 3:00 p.m. - 3:45 p.m., unless teacher meetings are scheduled. There is no tutoring offered on Mondays or Fridays.
In order to keep the homework load reasonable across all subjects, standard homework in 7th and 8th grade Literature class is to read 10 or more minutes every night. However, be aware that 10 minutes is a very short amount of time; students are encouraged to read as much as possible to increase their fluency and comprehension.
There are several things that research shows improve reading fluency and comprehension:
Read. Reading is just like any other skill. It requires practice. If you do not put in the time to read, you will not improve. You must practice reading to get better at it.
Read a variety of genres. Just like you need variety in your diet, you need variety in your reading. Read fiction and nonfiction. Read genres you already like and ones you are not familiar with.
Talk and write about what you read. Discuss with a friend or family member. Summarize the plot line. Debate why characters made the choices they made. Predict what will come next. Connect the situations in your book to your life and the current world.
Read texts that are slightly difficult, just right, and a little bit easy. The difficult texts will push your vocabulary and comprehension. The easier texts will increase your fluency.
Read extra and read often. Don't give up.
Read books that are actually on your reading level (reading level). Often, when we struggle, we think that if we tackle something really hard, then it will solve our problems. That doesn't work with reading. Steady practice and gradually increasing the difficulty of texts works best.
Listen to an audio version of your book as you follow along in your book.
Read a book with someone else. Read aloud to one another. Read the book separately and then discuss what you read.
Read texts you are actually interested in.
Practice imagining what is happening in the book in your mind. Pause every once in a while and imagine the things you just read, as if they are playing like a movie in your mind.
If something doesn't make sense, re-read and ask questions.
You will need your class notes, a personal reading book, and a writing utensil.
Google Classroom will have all class assignments and information posted a week in advance. A weekly literature class email is sent every week on Monday; if you're not receiving the email, contact Ms. Holm and she will put you on the email list. Read the class email.
Students may break up the required 40 minutes of weekly reading however they wish. They may complete it all in one night or split it into smaller chunks. I suggest reading at least 10 minutes every night.
Citizenship grades are determined by the following: classroom behavior: adherence to school policies (e.g. dress code, cell phone, gum, etc.), punctuality, homework completion, assignment completion, and assignments turned in on time.
Faculty Meeting is every Monday, from 3:15 - 4:15 p.m. Teachers will not be available during this time. In addition, teachers have numerous other meetings that are scheduled sometimes just a day or a few hours in advance. Please be aware that teachers are required to attend many meetings and may not be available for tutoring on short notice.
Yes, you can rework assignments turned in on time. Here's how you rework a Starter assignment:
1. By your name, write the word 'Redo' in a color different from the one the assignment was originally completed in.
2. Using the same color, make any changes required. Provide evidence if required. Check your work. Makes sure it is careful and neat.
3. Turn in your assignment. Remember, redo work is graded at the convenience of the teacher.
Here's how you redo RIC or CR assignments:
1. Complete the redo on the original assignment paper. Put your name and the word "redo" in a color different from the one you originally used.
2. Mark your new answers in the different color.
3. Draw a line from your new answer to the passage of text where the evidence for your new answer is found. Underline the evidence using the different color.
4. If your new answer requires an explanation, write that explanation next to the question you are re-doing. All new answers must have evidence and/or an explanation showing why they have been revised.
5. Turn in your assignment. Remember, redo work is graded at the convenience of the teacher.
Follow these steps (and in this order):
Oddly enough, the best way to improve any grade is to make sure that from this point on, you turn in all assignments fully completed and on time.
Redo any RIC/CR assignments that are below 85% accurate. Come and see me during tutoring for help.
Redo any Starter assignments that are below 80% accurate. Come and see me during tutoring for help.
Complete homework reading every week.
You have two school days for every day you were absent to complete your absent work. So, if you were absent for one day, your absent work is due two school days after you return.
Yes, with limits. Late work is graded at the convenience of the teacher. Late work will be automatically docked 50% and then graded for accuracy. Students who have a chronic late work problem will not be allowed to turn in late work.
Late work, absent work, and re-do work is generally graded every Wednesday. However, priority is always given to current, on-time work.
No.
You should go online and check your grades at least once a week. Grades are updated by the end of the day on Wednesday of each week, so Thursday is a good day to check grades. If you don't know how to access your grades or you can't remember your user name and password, the front office can help you. Remember that late work is graded and updated at the convenience of the teacher.