Post date: Aug 18, 2012 8:19:8 AM
Hello Parents of DCS Eight Graders (and students for which I have email addresses).
This is the first of a series of (usually) weekly newsletters that you will get from me throughout the year. Each time I hope to write about just a "Couple of Things" -- a summary of the week, a preview of upcoming events, general class issues, and maybe other random highlights. I try to keep it short, but not always successfully... I should probably call it the "Coupla-Three (or 4 or 5...) Things" Newsletter.
Item one on my list this time is about the responses that I've received to the questions I posted on the online form. As of today, thirty four of eighty one families have responded, each with a level of detail and insight that has really helped me get to know quite a bit about your kids even before the first day of school. If you haven't filled it out, please feel free to do so. Reading the results, I noticed some very common threads that I would like to reflect back to you as if you were one voice. First, what you value in DCS is the strong community, the developmental teaching, and the personalized attention that (you and) your student receives. Your students are quite smart with diverse talents and needs, but who all respond best to an engaging curriculum and meaningful, challenging work. You value a teacher who knows and cares about the students as unique individuals, has a good sense of humor, and can assert their authority when needed. You view technology as a double-edged sword -- a powerful resource with great potential, yet often misused/overused and/or not well connected to the curriculum. The views on thematic/project-based learning are varied. Lastly, as volunteering parents, you hope to do important work in the classroom and with the students. You expect and appreciate a clearly defined set of tasks that use your time well, take advantage of your talents, and allow you varying degrees of autonomy and independence. You prefer to leave the subjective aspects of grading to me. Thanks again for all the great input -- I will use it wisely.
Since selectives don't start until October, homeroom groups will be together full time for most of the days in August and September. During the mornings we will establish the academic routines and rotations (between English, science, math, and history) that will continue throughout the year. The afternoons, however, will be involve more team-building activities, a class-wide thematic unit on individuality & society, a few art/craft projects, inside and outside games, and a variety of other things that are of a more relaxed nature. This is valuable time for us, and facilitates the growth of interactions and relationships that will serve us all year.
The ropes course is our first field trip and provides powerful team-building and personal growth experiences at Mount Hermon in Felton (near Scott's Valley). Room 25 will go on Thursday, August 30; room 23 on Tuesday, September 4; and room 22 on Friday, September 21, The experience is truly amazing and I have high hopes for this year's group to push their own varied boundaries of trust, risk, vulnerability, and interdependence -- most of all, though, it is really fun just to play in the canopy of a redwood forest. The "Age of Sail" overnight trip is also a potent growth experience, set on a "tall ship" (Balclutha) in 1906 at the Hyde Street Pier. Room 22 goes on 12/29, room 23 on 12/6, and room 25 on 12/13. The (optional) Washington DC trip will take place over Spring break, and the 8th grade team will be working with students and parents to create a whole-grade trip during the Spring as well -- more on that later (but ASAP), of course.
The 8th grade supply list is quite comprehensive and those supplies should set the students (and us teachers) up for a successful year. There is a section for classroom supplies as well. One thing that has impressed me tremendously about DCS is the willingness of parents to help out and contribute generously of their time and resources, so if you have something to offer that is not on the list but could add value to the educational program, please let us know. Parent work day is on Saturday the 18th, and classroom coordinators are meeting with teachers on the 20th, so I know that we will be combining our efforts well to make your students' last year at DCS an excellent one.
As I mentioned in my last email, my website is a good source of information, including the year's curriculum, unit outlines, the daily schedule (with a photo-a-day blog of my summer), procedures/policies, and much other information. Browse it in your more bored summer moments, but when school starts I'm hoping that we will all use it heavily.
Last topic: Until 2 years ago at this time, I had never been in a school like quite DCS before. It is an amazing place with huge heart and amazing opportunities. It was a bit of a challenge at the onset of last year to rethink some of the assumptions and attitudes that have been pounded into me over the previous 20 years of instruction in large public middle schools with its almost blinding focus on policy, conformity, and academic achievement. I have rekindled some of the "innocence" of my first years of teaching and reveled in the excitement that comes with that freeing perspective -- building a new (to me) and open curriculum is exciting. The adventure continues this year and with it comes an eagerness to explore new things, the hope for some wonderful travel companions, and also a bit of fear of the unknown. Being a "mostly science" teacher will give me the chance to put more focus into the subject and (along with the science task-force and many helpful parents) create a wide and deep appreciation/understanding for science in the kids. As long as we (you and the students and the staff and I) work to our strengths, communicate clearly, and support each other, the journey will be as rewarding as the destination.
Thanks for taking the time to read my Friday evening ramblings and feel free to reply with any comments, suggestions, or additions.