Wednesday, October 17th

Math -- Students reviewed decimal division and worked on Compass learning.  As a reminder, students should complete at least 1 additional hour of Compass each week.

Language Arts -- We discussed the setting of The Giver and contrasted it with the setting of our community.

Social Studies -- I reviewed the Civil War information packet and Ms. Young taught a lesson on the Freedmen's Bureau.  

Note about class work, behavior, and grades

While I was at the Compass workshop yesterday students had work complete including a reflection on sharecropping.  To my dismay, when I graded the reflections, many students had only written a few hastily scribbled sentences and others wrote only one sentence.  Students read information about sharecropping, analyzed the sharecropping poverty cycle, discussed this information, went through a simulation of what a year in the life of a sharecropper, AND had twenty minutes to write a reflection that contrasted slavery with sharecropping.  Lastly, more than 1/3 of the students had their names written down for behavior infractions.

I have high expectations for students, academically and behaviorally.  I reminded students that their good behavior shouldn't change if I am absent or if they are in one of their specials classes (Art, P.E., Spanish, etc...)  Additionally, I told them that I don't GIVE grades; they EARN them.  Sometimes students just sit even after I've instructed them to take notes.  Others need constant reminders to stay on task.  And some talk so much that they miss notes and directions.  Sometimes, even after tell students that we are discussing answers to questions that will be on assessments, many seem unconcerned.

We will be working extra hard this week and next week to get caught up and assessments will begin next Tuesday.  Students have been informed that they are responsible for their own grades and that they will have to explain them to parents if they are lower than expected.  

On Friday I will inform students about the specific assessments they will be given and I suggest they study over the weekend and all next week.  I will post that list on the blog as well so parents know what to expect. 

Please email or text me if you have any questions.