OhMyWard!

Wow! Another post! This blogging thing has really been A LOT harder than I originally thought! When I set up this blog, I hoped to post at least once a week. I obviously haven't been able to meet that goal first semester. We are already looking at Thanksgiving Break and Christmas Holidays! It's really hard to believe that we are fast approaching the end of first semester. With that said, I'm going to address several key issues that many seventh graders are still struggling with on a daily basis.

1. There is a huge transition from sixth grade to seventh grade. After almost a semester of seventh grade under their belts, students should start to realize exactly what is expected of them.

2. Homework counts as a cumulative grade now. While we all know that true emergencies arise that prevent students from completing homework, baseball work-outs, soccer practice, band, and church do not excuse students from completing homework. Homework is not assigned as busy work. While homework is ONE cumulative average at the end of the nine weeks, that one grade can be the difference in an A or B. Homework assignments are posted on my board daily. HMS provided a free assignment book to every student this year. The assignment book is used as a pass, advisory documentation log, and planner. I also send home assignments daily via Remind to help keep everyone up to date about what is assigned in class. Please stress the importance of completing homework to your child.

3. THE JOURNAL I cannot stress the importance of our Interactive Notebooks. We use our notebooks EVERY DAY in class. It is a running record of everything that we cover in class. If students keep up with their notebooks and put what they are given IN their notebooks, they have a ready made study guide for any assignment that may be assigned in my classroom. I am not asking any student to keep up with or make something that I am not also keeping up with and making right along with them. It is important. It is necessary. It is required in my class. By now, all students should have a 5 subject composition book, scissors, glue, colored pencils/markers/pens to complete journal activities. Due to students not keeping up with journal assignments, I am checking journals daily to make students more accountable. Up to Date journals will count as a daily grade during second semester. The journal is important!

4. Last, but defintely not least: I am here to help my students. I stay after school on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays until at least 4:30. If a student needs to stay after school for extra help, please let me know. I only ask that you provide the following information before your child stays after school: 1. let me know what day your child needs to stay after school and 2. provide contact information in case an emergency arises and I need to get in contact with you regarding your child. I truly want every child to succeed. Well, that's it for this post! It's a long one. Hopefully, another one will be possible before Christmas Break!