Post date: Sep 17, 2017 7:46:31 AM
Hello Room 25 Families,
First and foremost, I want to thank all of you parents who have come to teach/show something to the class over the past (and coming) few weeks. The class and I are so very fortunate to be able to observe your passions, learn from your expertise, and get exposure to so many new things. There have been times when I've looked around the classroom and observed complete engagement/interest from all (!) of the kids, and it just thrills me. There is no way that this month of all-homeroom time would be as educational and interesting without the contributions you're making!
So, It has been a month and a day since school started. In that short time I feel connected to this group of kids. I'm much more optimistic now about the places that our time together will take us and the routes we will likely use to get there. Yes, there have been some bumpy parts as the kids and I negotiate expectations of each other and 8th grade, but the cohesion now outweighs the discord and I see some excellent progress for all of us. I feel that a tight team atmosphere and lots of high-level learning are waiting in the wings. Thanks, parents and kids, for your positive response to the concern that I expressed weeks ago -- changes are evident!
Looking Back and Ahead:
Science: The theme for last week and this week was/is measurement. The kids learned the logic and advantages of the metric system as well as how to use/read the scales a triple-beam balance. Next comes the graduated cylinder paying attention to units and increments. The concept of significant digits, a.k.a. the "ish" factor, can confuse some kids, but I hope that tomorrow's lesson on that topic will be effective. Later in the week I will introduce them to the even more mathy practice of dimensional analysis and by the end of the week we will also embark on the first steps of their Fall science experiments.
English:
Photo Essay: This is the second writing assignment for the kids, and much easier than the first, actually. They tell an autobiographical story and enhance it with photos.
Books List: Literature circles, aka book clubs, will be starting in three weeks and in preparation I've had the kids fill in their row of this huge spreadsheet, indicating some of the books they've read and how much each kid would recommend a particular book to a peer. We've got a wide range of readers in the class, so there will be great variety in book clubs BUT I do intend to organize the book topics by theme or genre.
Let me take a tangent here to explain something about due date for multiple-day assignments like this one. Instead of giving a due date for the final product, which many kids often translate to a "put it off until the night before" date, I set due dates for the components that make up the project rather than just the final product only. The goal is to emphasize that writing is a multi-step process rather than a final-copy product.
Social Studies:
Our current topic is about the expeditions that Europeans made to the Americas and the reasons for emigration from Europe, colonialism, and the opportunities/hardships encountered in new lands. Because they kids seem to see the good and bad sides of such exploration, I think that they have a good understanding of this part of history. This coming week we we'll actually be skipping quite a bit along the timeline in order to progress into the push towards independence from Britain. By the way the current events conversations are getting better. I've read the kids' papers carefully and for some it is evident that many good discussions occurred!
Other Things:
First: I've been storing assignment scores in PowerSchool and the log in information should be the same as last year (When I get them from the office. I'll send home letters that explain how students and parents can access assignment scores online). Whether or not your family invests in assignment scores and overall grades is, of course, up to you; I just want to do my part to make the information available to you and the kids. IF you do access grades, perhaps the following things can keep conflict to a minimum.
1. Search for assignments that are a "0", indicating that the kid didn't do it (or didn't turn it in) and I am keeping them accountable.
2. Kids and parents, agree on a "hands-off" percentage (or criteria) threshold for each subject; as long as kids keep grades above that, they maintain autonomy.
3. Browse the "assignment redo" and "test recovery" pages under the "procedures" page of my site.
4. Try not to over-check or over-emphasize grades (both parents and kids). General trends are worth addressing but try not to micro-manage.
Second: I try to build a daily schedule that creates important classroom experiences at a brisk but not burdensome pace, but in that process I sometimes overlook certain things or miss the mark completely. Although clean and clear communication is very important to me, I sometimes don't take the time to make sure that everyone is heard. So if there is anything that is bothering you, please find a way to tell me.
Last: Kids, I want to encourage you to be as inclusive as you can with your peers, and define "peers" as broadly as possible. There are tight groups in this class and I wan't you to reach out a bit more to those who aren't in your go-to-squad. This can include people coming from other 6-7 loops, people from other 8th grade classes, and even from other grade levels. Be inviting, push your comfort zone, and be boldly inclusive.
Calendar:
-September 22 (Friday): Teacher Learning Day (no school for kids)
-September 22 - 24: 8th grade camping trip at Mount Madonna County Park (Valley View loop 1)
-October 2 (Monday): Parent Workshifts start
-October 9 (Monday): Selectives begin
-October 9 (Monday): Chemistry intensive with Mr Dowling starts (calendar)
-October 16 (Monday): Room 25 to Henry Cowell Redwoods and Mount Hermon Ropes Course
-October 13 (Friday): Middle School Dance
-October 20 (Friday): Teacher Learning Day (no school for kids)... and Amy's birthday!
-October 21 (Saturday): Fall Festival
-October 23-31: Fall conferences
-November 10 (Friday): Veteran's Day (no school)
-November 20-24: Thanksgiving Break (all week)
-November 27-29 (Monday to Wednesday): CalCoast Walkabout
-December 1: Middle School Dance
-December 13-14: Angel Island "Living History" overnight with Bonnie