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Welcome Parents!. Room 3, where the focus is RESPONSIBILITY – for behavior, work , and learning. FREEDOM – to take risks, to participate without fear of ridicule. COOPERATION - with each other; being comfortable enough to give and
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Welcome Parents! Room 3, where the focus is RESPONSIBILITY – for behavior, work , and learning. FREEDOM – to take risks, to participate without fear of ridicule. COOPERATION - with each other; being comfortable enough to give and receive help from peers and adults. HUMOR - learning to laugh at ourselves and with each other, not at each other FAMILY - a sense of togetherness; “us” and “we” and “our” classroom. Jeanne Keller 7th Grade Accelerated and High Achiever Language Arts, History & 8th Grade AVID Teacher A sign-in sheet will come around as I am speaking. There will also be a volunteer sign-up clipboard that will come around. Feel free to fill out a pink “Comments, Compliments, & Questions” slip and put in the basket as you leave. Thank You!
Communication My Website The BEST way to communicate with me is e-mail: jkeller@sanjuan.edu • I keep a classroom website in which I write homework assignments, important information/news for parents, resources, such as documents for my class that can be downloaded, and links to other websites that may be useful to students or that correlate with what we are currently studying in class. • I highly encourage parents to look at my website regularly in order to see what we are doing in class. • The URL is: http://www.sanjuan.edu/webpages/jkeller/
Communication, Continued • I am available for student or parent meetings either during my prep period, before school, or after school. Please schedule conferences ahead of time to be sure of my availability. • I often require a parent signature on project instructions, tests, etc. Your child receives points for returning these on time.
A Year of Transitions • As you are probably aware, California is in the process of adopting new Common Core State Standards. • This process isn’t instantaneous and doesn’t always go smoothly. • Teachers may be attending trainings, curriculum may look different than it did in the past – more nonfiction reading, “deeper” reading, more written responses, themes, etc. • Students will be taking the MAP test in English and Math three times a year. It is online testing and is very different than in the past. • Next year (2014-2015), the STAR test is out and the Smarter Balance test is in!
Language Arts Course My English classes include rigorous studies in : • Reading: short stories, novels, nonfiction, and poetry • Writing: narrative (personal and fictional, persuasive, response to literature, and poetry • Vocabulary: the study of Greek/Latin roots and suffixes • Grammar: the parts of speech, punctuation, and sentence structure • Oral Presentations: from short sharing of projects, to skits, to presentations and speeches
Reading Logs/Book Challenge/ SSR • Each Friday students must show me a Reading Log stating that they read a novel for 120 minutes that week . It requires a parent signature. If there is no parent signature, there will be no credit. I will check it for the 120 minutes and the signature. Students will keep the Reading Log and on the 3rd week, I will collect it, along with a Book Challenge. • Each quarter, students will be required to turn in 3 Book Challenges from three different literature genres. Students were given the instruction sheet for the Book Challenges on Monday and I went over the requirements. We did the first Book Challenge in class as well. • Each Friday students will do SSR (Sustained Silent Reading). They must have a novel in class to read each Friday. • The same book can be read for SSR, the Book Challenge, and the Weekly Reading Log.
Social Studies Course My History class includes a rigorous course of study of world history from the end of the Roman Empire until explorers discovered North America. It will include all of the following: • Fall of Rome • Medieval Europe • Early Islamic Civilizations • Imperial China • Feudal Japan • Medieval Africa • Maya/Aztecs/Inca • Renaissance • Age of Exploration • Scientific Revolution
Grades/Assessment • Students earn letter grades based on their performance following the standard system of 90-100% = A (etc.) Grades are based on number of points earned, out of points possible on all assignments. (See packet) • In English, students’ grades are weighted, with reading and writing assignments weighing more than vocabulary. However, the accumulation of vocabulary assignments throughout a quarter will carry weight on the overall grade. • In History, students’ grades are weighted, with tests and projects weighing more than nightly homework assignments. • Assignments such as getting parent signatures have the least weight but are part of students’ grades.
Grades/Assessment, con’t. • Rubrics are often used for grading assignments. • Report cards are mailed out quarterly. (See handout for dates) • Progress Reports are passed out approximately halfway through each quarter. The first on is on September 13th. • I will send home grade printouts showing all assignments and the grades earned on each at Progress Report time and at the end of the quarter. • After an absence, students have as many days to make up the work as they were absent. • State Writing Exam for all 7th graders – March 4.
Q, Formerly Known as Zangle • We use Q to keep track of grades, attendance, etc. With this system you are able to see your child’s grades at any time through the Internet. If you need the password and PIN code, e-mail Kirstin Ruiz at kirsten.ruiz@sanjuan.edu • Students received their own passwords and PIN codes to check on their grades this week. • I would like to stress, however, that in my classes, assignments may not be entered into my gradebook right away. Quite simply, it takes longer to read an essay than correct a math worksheet. In order to give the attention required for each assignment, it may take me a few days before I have graded and entered an assignment into my gradebook.
Barrett B’s • Our entire school has adopted the three rules, Be Safe, Be Respectful, and Be Responsible. • Positive Consequences include verbal praise, raffle tickets, Fast Passes, Bronco Bucks, etc. • Negative consequences include detention, time out in another room, referral to the office, e-mail or call home, Friday School.
Homework Policy • I give homework nearly every night Monday-Thursday. The length of time needed to do the homework varies from student to student depending on phone calls, texting, perfectionism… • I do not accept late work unless a student has been absent. In this case, the student has one day for each day absent to make up the work, unless it is a long-term project. In that case, if a student is absent on the project’s due date, he or she will need to have it completed the day he or she returns to school. • Students should use their “Homework” folder to transport homework to and from school. • Planners - check your child’s each night to be sure they are using them! • Long term projects may have to be completed over weekends if time wasn’t managed well. No late projects will be accepted. • PRINTER BROKEN, OUT OF INK?? Student must then hand write the assignment. In an emergency, it can be e-mailed as an attachment, but must arrive on the due date.
…and another thing… • Scholastic Book orders – Make checks out to “Scholastic Books,” may order online with a credit card. • “Field Trips” - at school (Oregon Shakespeare Festival, A Day in Africa) • Barrett’s library is usually available at lunch but not before or after school • Volunteers?? Clerical help, correcting papers, AVID guest speaker, AVID field trips • Supplies – needed at home and school!! • Needs list – see packet
