Q: My child tells me s/he has no homework tonight for English class. How can I be sure?
A: I do not assign an abundance of homework in my classes. However, if there is homework I will post it on the homework board in the classroom and on the the daily agenda/lesson found in the Canvas course card. If you want to know if your child has homework simply log into your child's class in Canvas as an Observer and you can see the homework assigned.
Q: My child's grade in Canvas is different than the grade I see in Q. Why?
A: Always refer to Q for the most accurate and complete account of grades in English class. Sometimes students turn work into Canvas and sometimes they turn in paper copies directly to me. The grades for the physical paper copies will go into Q but not Canvas. Always use Q as the final grade, as it captures ALL of the work we do in class.
Q: My child is getting a bad grade in your class. What should s/he do?
A: Typically, a bad grade means there is missing work. If you check Q, you will see if your child has missing assignments. Ask your child about these assignments. If your child is confused or has questions about the missing assignments have him/her come to class before or after school or at lunch/nutrition and I will happily clarify and answer any questions. I am on campus before and after school and during nutrition and lunch. If you notice your child is getting zeros on in-class assignments perhaps they didn't do the work, or forgot to put their name on their work. Encourage your student to check Q regularly and follow up on missing assignments as soon as possible.
Q: My child tells me s/he dislikes reading. What can I do to encourage them to read?
A: Often times students see reading as a bore or a chore because the material they are reading is not relevant to their lives. Try to find reading materials that match up with your child's interests. If they like skateboarding find a skaters magazine. If they like sea life, find books at the library about marine science. Let your child see you read for pleasure, too! I've provided a list of district approved high-interests books on this site. I also have a classroom library full of high-interest titles that you're student may borrow indefinitely!
Q: What can I do at home to support my child in school?
A: The fact that you're asking this question means you are already a supportive parent! You are awesome! Here are some suggestions to help support your student. Of course, every parent has their own parenting style but these are tips I've successfully used with my own two teenagers at home:
Establish a set time and comfortable place to do homework each night. Have supplies available for your student.
Monitor your student's cell phone use. You would be surprised how many students are exhausted in class because they were on their phones late into the night. Many of my students have actually told me they were tired because they were on Snapchat or YouTube until 3:00 am!
Let kids be bored sometimes. Boredom can lead to great ideas and creative thinking!
Make sure your child is getting plenty of sleep each night. Adolescence is a time of great growth and many changes. They need their sleep to rejuvenate and feel good the next day.
Middle school students need to know that they are the ones responsible for their grades. There will be hiccups along the way but this is how they learn responsibility. Usually a bad grade motivates a student to study more before a test, put their name on their work and remember to turn things in on time. These are all perfectly normal mistakes for 12-14 year old kids so don't get too stressed out! They will figure it all out at some point!