« September 2006 | Main | August 2008 »
August 28, 2007
Beginning Anew
This school year has started off very well in my opinion. The enforcement of the student dress code was met by some trepidation by many of the students but it really has been a positive. The young gentlemen look different but gone are the super long t-shirts that looked a lot like dresses to me. It will take some getting used to for the students but all in all it has been a very positive change.
The students in my English 9 classes have been learning how I like things done in class. We have organized our notebooks and learned how to work our classroom server and computers. Tomorrow we will be taking some photographs for our autobiographical poems. These short poems should be completed this evening so that we can get them typed up and printed out before this week is over. This assignment allows me to better get to know the students and allows them to use the available classroom technology first hand.
We also began our Introduction of the Vocabulary we will be working on this semester. Being able to break down words into their individual pieces and parts as well as from the context of how they are written will serve the students well on standardized testing and with numerous informational reading challenges in life.
To say I am pleased with the beginning of the year is an understatement. Being out of the classroom last year makes returning to the “trenches” even more exciting. I look forward to a great year!
Posted by hlperson at 01:22 PM | Comments (0)
August 23, 2007
Welcome Back Falcons - 2007
It is that time of year and everyone is excited. I do believe the parents are most happy for school to be beginning anew. :-) Ninth grade is a huge year for these aspiring young adults. They are no longer stuck “in the middle” but are not quite as independent and self sufficient as they would like to be – and for the most part, no where near as organized as their parents want them to be. One thing is true – they are exciting, energetic, and expensive!
I believe fully in the TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More) Concept. Parents + Teachers + Community = Successful Students! I wanted to take just a minute to make you aware of some of the items that are available to make sure that communication is a constant two way process to ensure success. Over my years of teaching I have built this website, with the generous help of an outside sponsor, so that students can be more organized in their studies and parents are more aware of the goings on of class and at school. I often hear from parents who lament the fact that students never seem to keep them informed about what is going on at school. Our classroom website really can help if you take advantage of it!
In the Classroom Calendar section of the page, homework will be listed out everyday, upcoming school wide events will be posted, and important dates will be maintained. Everything will be posted from sporting events to school pictures and dances and club trips. This is an excellent way for students to make sure they are in step to achieve their maximum potential and for parents to make sure they stay informed and connected at school.
On the Classroom Calendar each of the underlined entries will open up to reveal more information. Be sure to explore the entries regularly to get the most up to date information.
In the Quick Links section I will be posting digital copies of the resources and activity sheets that go along with our class. This way, if a sheet is lost, misplaced, messed up, or a student is absent - the assignments are posted in the calendar and available online. You do need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the files. Acrobat is a free resource to download. Some of the files are large and dial up browsers might be a little slow.
I want to provide every available resource for the students to be successful and the parents to be kept informed. This site gives us a great start. With the energy of the students, the determination of the teacher, and the expectations of the parents, we cannot help but achieve our goals.
I look forward to an exceptional year!
Posted by hlperson at 09:38 AM | Comments (0)