Blog

2020-2021

Hello!

This will be a truly remarkable year that will require an extraordinary team effort (teacher-student-family), clear communication, bravery, and a lot of hope. You can expect 100% from me, and I will consciously make an effort to provide an 8th grade ELA 8 year that is one of balance for your family and mine. Collectively, we can do this (Distance Learning) with persistence and patience! Thank you for trusting me. - GGMc

My Family: Gretchen Gies McLaughlin (coral dress), my Mom, two daughters (11 and 9) and my husband (behind the camera).

Happy New Year-2021!

In response to Parent and Guardian suggestions, my public Blog will be suspended until further notice. Readers appreciated the 24 hr. access, but requested an easier means for a two-way avenue of communication. Therefore, I will fall back on my weekly secure email update. Please expect an email from my smmusd.org account at the end of each Spring Semester week.

Thank you for your feedback!

-g

Week #17 Update - The End of Fall Semester 2020

We did it! Credit is due to supportive families and enduring students who made a consistent effort to "try your best"! Below is the Winter Break "homework." We talked about the figurative meaning of "Be light." I also introduced students two three upcoming writing contests and two design challenges. Ask about these opportunities. :) Wishing you a safe and happy Holiday Season.

Week #16 Update

We have almost made it through the Fall Semester of Distance Learning and there is much to celebrate!

I'm so proud of the students who applied their learning!

Adele is published in the Santa Monica Daily Press!

I hope I can celebrate more student journalists!

To echo one of my consistent themes, this is a tough time for everyone: Families, Students, and Teachers. I know, from experience, that a best effort to stay focussed and keep communication lines open makes a big difference. Here are two public announcements before my busy weekend of updating GoogleClassroom and Illuminate:

16 students have documented 1,000,000 words or more!

Thanks to our PTSA, I'll be mailing the Million Word Club (MWC) stickers to students this weekend! Students have until June 1 to prove their accomplishment (ask about the updated MWC Document (Ongoing, Fall). Typically, students have about 500,000 words which includes the two longest Summer Reading books and anything they've read and recorded since ELA class started. Congratulations! (The gold seal will be applied to students' Promotion certificate in June. )

12/14-12/18 Schedule

Book Club Opportunity!

Week #15 Update

I hope you have heard all about how we wrapped up our “Anne Frank” unit--Monday’s virtual tour of the Holocaust Museum Los Angeles and in ELA we welcomed a live Survivor to recount her/his oral history.

I am so very thankful for the Holocaust Museum of Los Angeles (HMLA), our partner, for the virtual docent-led museum tour on Monday, 11/30. 317 participants were in attendance--including students, teachers, and parents!

Then, every Lincoln ELA 8 student heard a first-hand Survivor's testimony. I hope this rare experience made a showing in your family conversations. We all took away powerful messages about about hope, perseverance, power, compassion, education, family, and most importantly what is just. Here are some responses to a question in GoogleQuestion that asked students about the most important theme/take-away:

Ms. Lya Frank: "Remember to be kind to one an other."

"Everyone should aspire to be an Upstander."

Mr. Joe Alexander: "Never give up; keep on going no matter what."

Ms. Eva Brettler: "Always have compassion for and offer

generosity to others."

Ms. Louise Lerner: "Spend time with, learn about, and appreciate family; family shapes who we become."

I am still hearing positive accolades from students. Thank you for continuing these conversations at home.

Then, by great fortune and some more behind-the-scenes work, we welcomed SMMUSD Public Relations Officer Gail Pinsker to Office Hours. Volunteer attendees learned about a press release, including the structure; and she provided us an example of her work which made it into the SMMUSD community's email inboxes Wednesday afternoon. To date, we have at least four students who have crafted newsworthy press releases which will be distributed to local media. I am so proud of our students and am full of gratitude for Ms. Pinsker's time and expertise!

On a note of gratitude, ask your child about the ways expressing and receiving appreciation improves our well-being! (Hint: Greater Good magazine article, below...)

-g

Four Ways Gratitude Helps You with Difficult FeelingsResearch suggests that grateful people are more skillful at coping with stress and regulating their emotions.

Week #14 Update

I took a much needed break from blogging during the Thanksgiving Break. I was happy to give more to my family and my own well-being. I hope you were able to take a break as well. Thank your for your kind words following my informative 11/25 email!

Week # 13 Update

What a success! I hope you had a chance to ask your child about our most amazing virtual theater experience. Santa Monica Repertory Actors, Producer, Director, and Tech. pulled off this most excellent performance while working from "home"--Santa Monica, West LA, Culver City, the Valley, and as far and wide as Western New York; Dallas, TX; and Ashland, OR. So many thanks are due including past Santa Monica voters who approved Measure R, The Broad Stage Education and Community Programs, Kiwanis of Santa Monica, Assistant Principal Vy Andrew for helping to coordinate the logistics, and all Lincoln and JAMS teachers who "gave up class time" for this worthy experience. Thank you!

Please note, next week just have two days of Zoom learning next week. Here's the change:

Monday, 11/23

Blocks: 2, 4, and 6 (Use our block Zoom link.)

Tuesday, 11/24

Blocks: 1, 3, and 5 (Use our block Zoom link.)

Several students and families are asking for learning opportunities to extend or improve one's ELA performance. If you need your child to be academically productive and occupied when we are not Zooming, I’m reminding everyone that the significant Distance Learning Journal (Ongoing, Fall) will be due soon after Thanksgiving. We are also in the middle of our Dystopian or Science Fiction novels and should be done by December 7th. Happy writing and reading! (See below:)

Do some extra (or catch up?) writing over Break!

You will be turning in this work soon after Thanksgiving Break. Your dedicated efforts will be rewarded!

Do some extra (or catch up?) reading over Break!

Please finish your Dystopian or Science Fiction novel for December 7 so we can dig deeply into theme.

Finally, I am looking forward to our virtual, live, docent-led tour of the Holocaust Museum of Los Angeles during Asynchronous time on Monday, November 30th. (See Weeks #11 and #12 updates below.) I hope you can join us from 1:15-2:15. Please ask your child, on Monday the 30th, for the link.

Please stay safe and healthy this weekend and into the Holidays.

Kindly,

Gretchen

Week #12 Update

As you may know from my previous weekly updates and Lincoln Middle School communications, all 8th graders in Santa Monica will view live-streamed integral scenes of "The Diary of Anne Frank." I have been working with the Santa Monica Repertory Theater and The Broad Stage to bring my students this unique, first of the kind, educational theater experience to complement our in-class reading and discussion of the literature.

Please realize that this opportunity will not impact Monday's live nor asynchronous learning minutes. From 9:00-11:50, students will watch the live-streamed event with their "ticketed" teacher. (For most students, they will be with their First Period teacher.) Please encourage your child to log on a few minutes early to check any new postings in one's GoogleClassroom and/or a smmk12 email with a new Zoom link. After lunch, per usual, students should log in to all their classes for posted Asynchronous learning tasks to be completed by 3:15 or otherwise noted. We are looking forward to this enriching experience and appreciate your awareness and support at home.

Please, also, be on the look for our next confirmed event hosted by the Holocaust Museum of Los Angeles (HMLA). On Monday, November 30th students (and families too!) are invited to log into to our virtual, live, docent-led tour of the Holocaust Museum of Los Angeles. This heavy, but important educational experience will help students see and better understand the historical context of our Anne Frank reading.

THEN, in partnership with HMLA students will hear a live Survivor share her/his witness of survival during English class (December 1 or 2). Again, we welcome you to share the screen with your child if you are lucky enough to be at home safe and can carve out some time. Our annual day with Survivors is my ongoing and personal commitment to bring our students stories of determination and hope in spite of despair. I hope you can join us.

Week #11 Update

What a week!

I was exhausted on Friday and did not have the energy to be my self-designated PR officer! I hope you heard about our "acting workshop" planned and facilitated by the Santa Monica Repertory Theater. Great thanks is due to Educator Director Sara Mayer-Fried and Executive Director Tanya White who facilitated each workshop. We had fun with Ms. Wilson's students and explored some of the “characters” students will see on stag Monday, November 16. All Santa Monica 8th Graders will experience the virtual theater, with great thanks to our partnership with The Broad Stage and Santa Monica Rep. (Information forthcoming soon.) Here are a few voluntary, end-of-workshop screenshots:

Image--Coming soon!

Image-Coming soon!

I am so proud of the students who participated by using emoticons, dropping answers in the chat, had their cameras on, moved during the "games", and even volunteered to read aloud! These are tough times to learn and I’m impressed with their ability to set aside any inhibitions and engage. I loved the character shifts and even voice experimentations. We had some collective laughter--with our mics muted, of course! Thank you for making the last two days of the week fun for me, as well!

At one point Ms. Mayer-Fried acknowledged the class-appropriate silliness with this comment: “Sometimes the only way we can get through difficult times can be through humor.” I’d stress, and emphatically add, that it would do us all a little bit of good to laugh at one’s self a bit more often. I sure do take myself and job seriously, sometimes to the detriment of my spirit. So, here’s the public declaration that the Thursday/Friday block calls for “sock day.” Cameras should be on and directed at your socks!

This official declaration may seem random; but readers realize that the Frank and Van Daan families, in the play adaptation of “The Diary of Anne Frank” were forced to be in “stockingfeet” from 8:00-5:00 pm every day while hiding in the Secret Annex. So, why-not? I’m looking forward to a few more laughs during this pre-declared “heavy month.”

Holocaust Museum LA | Los Angeles Holocaust Museum LA | Inspire humanity through truth.

This is just a reminder, that we will be using reliable resources to understand the serious historical and political events that led up to the Holocaust. I thank you for your trust as we set the stage for our online viewing of “the play.” I am also working to provide all students with a docent-guided virtual field trip “to” the Museum of the Holocaust Los Angeles. We will culminate this unit with an intimate experience hearing a Holocaust Survivor’s Witness. More details will be provided after Thanksgiving.

Thanks for your patience as I work hard to arrange these experience for our school community. Sorry it took me some time to post (sans pictures). Truth be told, I needed some time and perspective for my Week #11 re-cap. Thank you kindly.

Take care and stay well.

-g

Week # 10 Update

Happy Halloween! Edgar Allan Poe made an appearance this week! Students should know a bit more about his life and “The Tell-Tale Heart.” Students should also be nearly done with their Mystery / Detective / Horror book (October’s Million Word Club challenge), so ask about that plot too! During Asynchronous time (1:00-3:15), students will be introduced to the culminating October Book Club.

Self-Compassion for Parents with Stefanie Goldstein, PhDIn this video Stefanie describes the differences between sympathy, empathy and compassion. She then describes self-compassion and leads a Self-Compassion Break practice…

November is here and it’s already feeling heavy...It feels like each and everyone of us is “evolving” or “pivoting.” As much as I try to put on the happy, positive classroom persona, I have felt overwhelmed. Partly for the sake of myself, my loved ones, and your children, I chose a mindfulness seminar for my District-supported Professional Development. I can say it’s helping a bit, so I wanted to pass along a resource. IF you are interested, here is a mindfulness resource for YOU--the parent/guardian.

With respect to curriculum, this month is heavy as well--We will begin the play adaptation of The Diary of Anne Frank which requires us to build a historical context around Hitler’s rise to power. Please trust that I support students in their discovery and understanding of this tragic period in human history.

But, to lighten the mood, I am excited to announce we will have a virtual field trip to see the play! Our behind-the-scenes collaboration with the Broad Stage, SMMUSD, and the Santa Monica Repertory Theater will help enrich our reading of "the play." And, next week, we will be working with the Santa Monica Rep. theater professionals to learn what actors do to bring a character “to life” on stage. Please carefully read this letter (sent to the “Primary Contact” via email) with your child, as it shares with you details about the fun and collaborative theater workshop. This workshop (on November 5 or 6 in ELA 8) is news for all students. Today I received the “green light” to share this information widely; I am excited for us!

I have more to share about the rest of the month, but for now this is it. As usual, please reach out if you have any concerns. Thank you, in advance, for supporting November’s Million Word Club focus: Science Fiction / Dystopian fiction. Right?! This month is heavy!

In loving kindness,

Week #9 Update

Wishing your family health and safety as we continue teaching and learning remotely. PJ Day was a hit because, as someone remarked, “Every day is pajama day, Ms. GGMc!”. Thanks for playing along. :)

A review and looking ahead:

Last week’s Interim Assessment Benchmark (IAB) practice test is revealing that many students are struggling to infer the theme within a short story. To address this weakness, next week I will be strategically (re)teaching theme and inference within the context of the Collection 2 of the Close Reader. Also, since science fiction and dystopian fiction is often theme-heavy, I am flip-flopping November and December’s independent reading genre for Million Word Club. If you’d like to plan ahead with your hold requests with the Lincoln Library (Monday pick-up) or the Santa Monica Public Library, then take note. (I will provide some links to recommendation lists in GoogleClassroom.)

November (Independent MWC Reading)

Science Fiction / Dystopian Fiction

Show book on Nov. 9th and finish by December 6th.

December (Independent MWC Reading)

Auto/biography/Memoir

Show book on December 7 and finish over Winter Break.

I hope to gain more of a critical understanding of students’ abilities to analyze literature and succinctly respond in one paragraph. The Fall District Writing Assessment will be administered during Block #1 of Week 10. This information will, as well, help inform my instruction.

We are gearing up for two mini-tests. The Independent/Main Clause quiz on 10/29 or 30, will test students’ note taking, practice, and foundational understanding of what a sentence is. Please ask: What are the five components of a main/independent clause? The November 2 Elements of Fiction quiz will build on students’ semester-long work with the our Elements of Fiction vocabulary. Ask: Can I see your ELA 8 notebook with definitions? Do you need help studying? How are you studying (Quizlet, old-school flashcards, Kahoot?)

As a reminder, October 29 and 30 are Lincoln Middle School “Minimum Days” which means class periods are shorter and students will have more time after lunch to attend to learning tasks for each teacher.

Thursday, October 30

1st Period: 9:00-9:50

3rd Period: 10:05-10:55

5th Period: 11:10-12:00

Friday, October 31

2nd Period: 9:00-9:50

4th Period: 10:05-10:55

6th Period: 11:10-12:00

Minimum Days are a great opportunity for students to ensure that they are earning the grade they desire for the 2nd Grading Period. The 2nd Grading Period ends, Monday 11/2.

As you know, I regularly update Illuminate. Click on each assignment and then cross check with GoogleClassroom work, will address most of your questions about “grades.” But of course, please feel free to reach out.

Stay safe.

Week #8 Update

It has been a week of extremes, both positive and ............................................negative--

Voluntary participation in Block #2 dress up days--Last week was ELA hat day with lots of baseball caps (go Dodgers!), cowboy hats, beach hats, and even some costume hats like a taco! This week I tried to motivate kids to show up early with a favorite/wild/crazy shirt or jacket. I loved seeing wild stuff like parent/guardian clothing from the 80s and 90s! (We might as well have a bit of silly fun!)
Cameras have been “on” more often!
Excited reports about independent free reading this month (Mystery / Detective / Horror)--Students should be ½ finished this weekend.
Productive and impressive self-selected group work, that includes collaborative skills, reading, writing, and some research. Eventually, students will gain some practice with the “Elements of Fiction” vocabulary, see some virtual volunteer opportunities, offer me Distance Learning/ Zoom advice via a survey, and have access to a list of great children’s literature books.
Great participation/advocacy during Office Hours (2:15-3:15 on Wednesdays)
Improvements, all-around, meeting deadlines: Exit Tickets due at then end of the period and 1 double-spaced Distance Learning Journal response by 3:15 on Block days
Solid (review) understanding of Main/Independent Clause (simple sentence) from 7th grade!
Successful "Great Shakeout" practice on 10/15 @ 10:15 in Period 1!

Persistent tech problems. (Please log out. Shut down. Plug in and Restart each night if possible. These simple actions should reduce issues.)
Too many students did not earn 100 Knowledge Points in ReadTheory.org (reading comprehension program) from Monday 10/4-10/12 which means they are not working Aysnchronously on Mondays from 1:00-3:15. (Take advantage of the credit opportunity I emailed you!)
Lots of questions about Illuminate. (Please click on each assignment to learn more! )
Some students still need to get their Close Reader and Performance Assessment workbooks from the LMS Library. We will need these texts next week! (So please plan on picking up these texts Monday between the hours of 12:30-3:15. )
Class time spent administering the District’s Interim Assessment Benchmark (IAB test). I will be able to glean some important information about students’ reading (literature) and writing ability, but we are getting tired of tests.

I have a tendency to see the "glass half empty," but clearly there is more positive. Let's choose to see the light through the dark.

Take care!

-ggmc

Week #7 Update, October 9

Curricular Update:

Monday was a rushed, but successful, first Book Club. Students visually and verbally shared their GoogleSlide that displayed their Cultural Identity in comparison (and in contrast) to their protagonist in the September Culture and Belonging book. Thanks for your patience as I work through those. It’s so hard to be on the screen at the end of the day. So, thanks for your patience as I work through these.

Students have chosen some thrilling titles for October’s independent reading requirement (20= min./day). I hope they can sleep at night with respect to the mysterious or horrific books they've freely chosen. :)

We are developing as writers. At this point, students have over 12 double-spaced pages in their Distance Learning Journals. More importantly, students are reporting that daily writing is getting easier. We are getting into shape!

This week we started our first grammar lesson. Students are taking notes in their ELA 8 notebook and will be filing electronic practice “worksheets” in their 8th Grade Grammar Folder in Drive. Please ask about the 5 elements of a simple sentence, also known as an independent clause.

This Weekend:

Beyond the Reading, Writing, Listening & Speaking, and Language Standards weekly re-cap, it is very important that students update their smmk12 Zoom Settings. It is my understanding that SMMUSD sent this message widely. Just in case, here is an image that will help students set up for success in Week #8:

Looking Ahead:

This month students will be participating in two different assessments: the IAB for Reading Literary Texts and the District Writing Assessment, which will target argument writing. These assessments are aligned with the skills we have been focusing on throughout the school year, so students should feel confident with the material; however, because developing test taking skills is an important component of success in middle and high school, the students will be participating in lessons over the next few days that focus on familiarizing students with the language of tests. These assessments will be administered during our regular class blocks, and I will be present to troubleshoot any technical issues. I cannot answer questions about content, however, so once students begin the assessment, it will be a quiet work period.

As always, please reach out if you have questions or concerns. I also appreciate the positive feedback some of you have passed along!

-ggmc

Week #6 Update

Just last night we walked by our school and I was struck by this PTSA banner. Thank you.

I need you to know that I love my community. Thank you for your support at home. I continue to do my best to be consistent in my Zoom block expectations (work is to be done in class or finished between 2:15-3:15) and encourage free choice reading for the Million Word Club Challenge.

This week students should have finished and logged their September book and are now looking for a good October book (Mystery / Detective / Horror). Ask your child about this selecting--Have they taken advantage of the Lincoln Library or SMPL curbside pickup option on Monday, 10/5?

As writers, we are still building stamina through literature and life connected prompts. The Distance Learning Journal is a private, long-term endeavor. Ask about the feedback I've provided (or will finish this weekend for 3rd, 1st, and 5th), but realize this is a private practice place to practice "getting ideas down on the page." We don't improve as writers, if we don't practice! I am hoping this low-stakes journal will pay off when we move into a unit on narrative writing at the end of next week.

Finally, I hope you are using Illuminate as one other tool to see your child's progress. The first, of three, grading period has ended so you can view and print your child's Progress Report. Please be reminded that the progress report shows one's ongoing attention to in-class learning tasks, Exit Tickets, and effort in the Distance Learning Journal.

Confidently I can conclude that successful students are following my advice: Listen. Try your best. Stay organized.

Please follow these directions to view and/or print the 1st Progress Report:

Finally, please take the time to note the Citizenship and Work Habits marks I offered after the first six weeks of class. Work Habits, as you can realize, is about a student's dedication to learning and achieving. Most students earned a "G" or an "E" (Good or Excellent, respectively) for their dedication to complete learning tasks on time. Again, I love my (classroom) community!!!

The Citizenship mark, in this Distance Learning environment, is about the student's positive engagement in class. Students who earned an "E(xcellent)" or "G(ood)" consistently engage with their camera on, contribute in Breakout Rooms, ask/answer questions in the whole class Zoom Room, and/or offer to demonstrate through the screen sharing feature of GoogleClassroom. Thank you for your efforts; I so appreciate you!

Please stay well and cool this weekend. I look forward to your child's easy (1 slide) and clear September Book Club work on Monday.

Kindly,

GGMc

P.S. I always seek your two-way communication. Thank you for your patience as I work hard to reply to you within 48 hours.

Week #5 Update

We are finally falling into a Zoom groove! Most of the time, it’s a desirable groove: predictable, safe, and manageable. Most students are attending to daily deadlines (in class), writing more in the Distance Learning Journal, turning on their webcams so we can “see” each other and engage, and some are reaching out for help (Wednesday Office Hours). THANK YOU for encouraging these work habits and citizenship behaviors.

We are staged to dig deeper in the “Narrative” which will include more in-class popcorn Read Alouds (R.L. 8), a deeper understanding of narrative vocabulary (Elements of Fiction), and the writing of a short story (W.8.3) around the topic of culture and/or belonging.

Throughout this month, we will build upon students’ understanding of English grammar with specific 8th grade systematic concepts that will be an on-going and spiraling practice of lessons that address the 8th Grade Language Standards. Warm-ups and practice are planned for Mondays (25 min. or less) with short grammar “activities” within the 80 min blocks.

As readers, students are wrapping up one book and should be looking for another. Right now, they are finishing their “Culture” and/or “Belonging” free choice book and will demonstrate understanding of character in an in-class book club on Thursday/Friday, Oct. 1st or 2nd. The following week (or sooner!) students should find another fiction book, at their level, and can be finished by November 1. This new book, for the new month should be within the following genre(s): Mystery/Detective/Horror. In addition to the Santa Monica Public Library’s curbside service, our Lincoln Library is now offering service on Mondays. Please have students visit their 8th grade Library GoogleClassroom (see tab on my webpage too) or the LMS Library program for more information.

To encourage independent reading (20+ min./ day), I’ve provided a thorough Million Word Club topic of Resources in GoogleClassroom. Please ask to see this growing resource of recommendations and “How to” videos.

Thank you for your continued support and proactive communication as we march into the second six weeks of Distance Learning.

Kindly,

GGMc

Week # 4 Update --September 18, 2020

Hello, from this public platform!

I hope you find my regular communication (via blog) to be just as informative as the weekly emails. My intention is to provide necessary class and content information during this remarkable time of Distance Learning.

I feel like we are finding a groove in relation to my intent to deliver a predictable and clear learning experience over Zoom and via the GoogleClassroom platform.

If you haven’t already, please ask your child for a “tour of our GoogleClassroom.” My hope is that you will see postings, organized by week, with a daily agenda and any important Materials/Assignments/Questions that accompany the learning block. I also encourage you to view Private Comment feedback for Questions and Assignments. Through these tasks I can conclude that most students are reading at the 8th grade level, following directions, applying learning in their responses, and meeting deadlines. Great job!

Again, I believe predictability during Distance Learning will enable students to better balance “everything else.” As a reminder:

Complete Questions and Exit Tickets are due by the end of the Zoom session.
Finish one double-space page Distance Learning Journal response by 3:15 pm (started in class).
Read 20+ min/day for the Million Word Club challenge (finish at least one book per month).
See me in Wednesday Office Hours if you need clarification, have an Illuminate issue, or want to chat.

More than ever it is important for me to try to meet the needs of each learner. So please reach out.

-ggmc

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