In The Know

As the school year comes to a close, students are taking the last of their Accelerated Reader quizzes and finishing up several projects. The deadline for AR points is Friday, June 6th. In addition, all books are due back at the school library on that same day.

Some students have told me they plan on reading over the summer to get a head start for next year. I highly recommend it! There are so many fabulous new books out for teens. Ms. Collins has put together a Recommended Reading List for the summer. There are several on the list that I have read or plan to this summer. I read first one on the list, The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, just this past Saturday. It was so good I couldn’t put it down. It is a book about a teenager who hopes for a better life while the lives of those around him seem destined for desolation. The main character, Arnold Spirit, seems an underdog but ends up being an incredibly strong character that refuses to give up, even when the worst befalls on him, his family, and community. It made me laugh out loud and cry out of empathy for Arnold.

Students have finished reading The Misfits, by James Howe, and are creating commercials, or Public Service Announcements, for anti-bullying. They are finding images, research, and creating a final message for their PSA. We are hoping to finish them in time for viewing on the last day. If you would like to come in or view your student’s video, please contact me by email so I can update you as to when we will be sharing.

The Technology/Exploratory class is ending out the year with a cooking unit. So far, the students learned how to make pasta sauce from scratch, without opening a jar! In addition, they made a tortilla casserole. The unit will end with Pigs in a Blanket, Currant Scones, and Seven Layer Cookies. Needless to say, the students are eagerly anticipating the cookies! I would like to give a huge thank you to the PTA for helping to fund the groceries for this unit. It has been a big hit so far and the students are having a great time in the kitchen. Also, I would like to thank all of the parents who donated items from their own kitchen that have allowed us to cook and bake. They have been put to good use.

In closing, I would like to say it has been a great year. I have enjoyed teaching all of your students and learning from them, also. Please, encourage them to read over the summer months. Share what you are reading with your students and ask them to share. Read a book together, as a family. On long trips, download audiobooks onto ipods or borrow audiobook CD’s from the library. The main Novato library has quite an extensive selection of teen books. I look forward to talking with the students in the fall about the novels they have read over the summer. Have a peaceful and relaxing summer.

From Monday, April 28th through Wednesday, May 14th STAR testing will take place for students. This year, we have arranged for a block-testing schedule where each class will be 1 ½ hours in length. Students will alternate classes depending on the day. For instance, on Monday, April 28th, students will attend first, third and fifth periods with access and lunch in between. On the following day, Tuesday, students will attend second, fourth, and sixth period classes.

While we spend the next two and a half weeks testing we ask that you help out your students in the following ways. First of all, please make sure they have a good night’s rest. Most teachers are cognizant of the fact that students are consumed by testing and will cut down on homework expectations for these two weeks. I only ask that students continue reading for 30 minutes each night. In addition to plenty of rest, a good breakfast provides good fuel for the brain and will help sustain them throughout the morning of testing. Lastly, please make sure that your student is at school on time. Tardies can be especially disruptive during this time of high stakes testing. Thank you for your support.

The days are passing quickly now. There are only about thirty-four days left of the semester and only thirty days until the Accelerated Reader points are due. Encourage your student to read more as this will count as extra credit. You could even read a book together, as a family. I just listened to a story on CD from the library titled 47, by Walter Mosley. It was part historical fiction and part science fiction. The story was about a fourteen year old boy who was the slave of a brutal master. He meets another boy, Tall John, whom he believes is a slave. Through their brief friendship, he learns to believe in himself and how to be free. I highly recommend it.

In closing, I would like to say I have been sharing books that I have purchased and read with the students. They have been quickly grabbing them up. If you have purchased novels for your students and they are finished reading them, we would love to have them share and contribute those books to the class library. Students are much more likely to pick up a book if it has been recommended by someone else. I have posted in the class the Best Books for Young Adults 2008 list from the American Library Association. I hope to get through the list myself but have only just begun. If your student needs to be inspired by a good book, check out that list. Another good website, which Ms. Collins just reminded us about today is Teen Reads. This is a website where teens give the book reviews. You may even want to have your student frequent that website over the summer. It never hurts to plan ahead for next year!

Best regards.

As the month of March draws near, we have begun to anticipate the testing that will confront students in the coming months. The first California standardized test, which all seventh graders will be required to take, is the STAR writing standards test. In order to prepare the students, all seventh grade classes have been analyzing or are in the process of analyzing and practicing the different genres that students could possibly be confronted with on Tuesday, March 4th. The different genres are Persuasive, Summary, Response to Literature, and Narrative. In the process of preparing, we have been trying to help the students focus on the importance of organizing their writing and the key parts of each genre. While the students have many good ideas and much to say, if they do not have the organization or the elements which comprise each genre, their writing will not matter. Key terms we have been reviewing include thesis and topic sentences, introductions, blues/hook, projected plans, reasons and examples to support your topic, rebuttals, conclusions, varied sentences and more. We will continue to reinforce the terms already learned in the different genres and throughout the remainder of the year. In preparation for the test on Tuesday, we ask that you have all seventh graders to school on time, with a good night of rest and a healthy breakfast.

On another note, students are gearing up to memorize a two-minute speech to present to their classmates. The speeches were chosen from a variety of topics: book excerpts, persuasive speeches, short story, monologues, etc. (Students were also informed of links on my resources page to book experts) They are required to memorize their speech with, at most, an index card to serve as a prompt. If you are interested in coming in to observe your child present, please feel free to email me and I will do my best to accommodate the schedule for you. Those students who do an outstanding job may be asked to participate in the SJMS speech contest on March 18th and possibly move on to the San Domenico Speech contest later next month.

In addition to further test preparation practice, students will begin reading a short novel, The Pearl by John Steinbeck. In this unit of study we will be analyzing the many themes (good vs. evil, the poor oppressed by the rich, things aren’t always what they seem, etc.) and exploring the symbolism, while enjoying the rich language and descriptive characters.

In conclusion, I would like to encourage you and your children to read together in the evenings. Students are required to read for thirty minutes every night. What a better way to end the night by reading as a family and then sharing what you have read. Share with your child the process – what you think about, what you predict will happen, questions you have about why the author chose to portray the character in a certain light or write in a certain way. The more you can model your reading process the more experience they will gain. Ask them the same questions about their reading. I read to my children every night. As we read together, I will stop and ask them questions about what they think might happen next. Too often, students think they have to answer a right or wrong question that they can’t appreciate anticipation and the joy that reading can bring. They are used to reading and answering questions from a textbook and are unsure or hesitant about thinking for themselves. It is amazing how much modeling can help free them up in order to show them they are capable of critical thinking. This will also help them in their Reader’s Journal responses. You could even have them write their journal response letter to you. Wouldn’t it be fun to write a letter back to them?

I understand how life can keep us busy, but there is no greater gift you can give your child than modeling for them how a reader reads, responds and interacts with text. It can be reading the newspaper, a poem, novel or other informational text. The objective is to show the importance of reading and how we make sense of it. You are your child’s first teacher. With your support, we can work together to guide your student towards becoming a life-long learner.

Technology/Exploratory students have finished creating their iMovies and have moved on to exploring the elements of photography. So far, students have looked at light and shadows, camera angle, frame and scale, composition and story sequence. We have several other projects we hope to complete before moving on to the next unit of study which will be art.

In the art unit of study, we will be looking at several artists from different eras and with different styles. This will include artists from the Renaissance, to Post-renaissance, Cubists, Surrealists, to more current artists and styles (pop art, comics, etc.). If you have any experience or expertise with a certain style or artist and would like to come talk to the students - or even present a lesson - let me know. We would love to learn from you.

As the semester is coming to an end the seventh grade students are busy finishing up their short stories. We have spent the past several weeks working on strategies to enhance their writing. The students have looked at what makes good fiction, problems in fiction (conflict), created a main character through a questionnaire, conversed about what to consider when creating a character and how to develop a character. In addition, we spent some time perusing student written short stories while looking at story structure.

The students have been in the lab for two weeks typing their stories. Some of the mini-lessons we have covered in the lab have included “really bad words” to stay away from while writing/editing, how to use a Thesaurus to replace dull verbs, writing so a reader can “see it, hear it, feel it,” and how to slow down important parts in the story by creating a “movie” in your mind’s eye. It is exciting to see even the students who struggle inspired to put words on paper. I eagerly anticipate hearing their stories next week. My goal is to have every student read their stories aloud to their classmates the week of December 10th through the 14th. If you are available and would like to come in and listen to your student’s story, please send me an email letting me know when you are available and would like to come.

In addition to writing, we continue with our Friday Reader’s Workshop. Students were recently given a log to keep track of their reading time and pages covered (they are supposed to be reading 30 minutes every night). Students are able to choose their own novels to read and write to me, or another student, about what they are reading. I enjoy being able to write to each student. Please, feel free to ask your student to write to you in their Reader’s Journal about what they are reading. You might enjoy writing back with questions you have regarding what they have written and insights they have as a reader.

I have recently incorporated a new assessment program called Accelerated Reader. This program has just become available to the district this current year. I am the first to pilot this program at SJMS and have been learning about it in order to help other teachers transition more easily. You might be familiar with the program, as many of the elementary schools have been using it for several years. It allows students to take a reading test in order to find out what reading level they are at. In addition, it allows them to do their independent reading and then take comprehension tests. Teachers are then able to cross-reference their independent reading with their actual reading level in order to help students become more successful readers and to analyze student growth. The students earn points for each test they take and successfully pass. The points are based upon numerous factors: book level, pages, time spent reading. The goal for this quarter was set at 20 points. There are a few students who have reached and surpassed this goal but there are several others who have not. Please, encourage your students to read every night. Help them with their goal; encourage them and read to them or alongside of them. If they have reached their goal, encourage and persuade them to read at a higher level and/or a different genre.

I would like to suggest reading to your students and taking them to the public library to select books to read over the winter break. Please see my Accelerated Reader links page to search for AR books by book level and then you can search the Marin County Library database for books on my resources page. Also, with a library card you can place a hold on a book or, if you cannot find the book at the Novato library, you can request the book from another and they will send you a notice when it arrives. After students have finished a novel they can take a test on Accelerated Reader from home by accessing the link on my class page. This will help give them a head start on quarter points for the new semester.

Technology students have been busy collecting data and expressing it in different ways through spreadsheets, graphs, and databases. They have recently finished merging a mad libs story with a parts of speech database to create crazy, unique stories. It was a fun way for students to practice and review grammar! Next week they will be learning how to create greeting cards in Microsoft Word. Again, I would like to encourage fostering typing practice over the break. This is a skill that will help them greatly in the coming years. There are free sites for practicing on even though they are limited. If you would like suggestions on typing programs, please feel free to contact me for advice.

Lastly, I would like to wish all of you a peaceful and joyous holiday season. Your children are a gift and I enjoy each and everyone.

I just finished reading “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling to my daughter. I understand why the author is one that so many children and adults can enjoy. In the novel there are many exciting parts; but there are also situations that allow us to relate and connect with the characters. She also conveys some important messages like the one on the last few pages of the book which reads…

“There are all kinds of courage…It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.”

Challenge Day was an emotional roller coaster. So many walls came tumbling down to reveal what was inside of each child, each person. I was so proud of my “family.” What a fantastic group of children! They were able to look past the labels…you’re fat, skinny, ugly, pretty, black, white, slow, nerdy…to say “what does it matter?” We are all human and we are more alike than we are different. By putting a label on someone else it keeps us from knowing what each person has to offer as an individual. I hope these children will be able to stand up to their friends in the future when they see them place labels on others and judge people based on stereotypes.

When I share with people that I teach middle school they often look at me like I am crazy! I think a part of me was drawn to this age because it was such a difficult time in my own life. We all struggle at this age to fit in, be liked, loved and respected. We are in such a fragile state of being and feel like we are all awkward and alone. For some of us, not much changes throughout our lifetime.

I want to thank the P.T.A. for helping to bring Challenge Day to our school.  This experience has taught me that it doesn’t matter what age we are. We are all human and, whether we come from the same background or not, the most fundamental need and desire is to feel loved and have our feelings validated and respected. There were so many sad children who had bottled up their feelings but were able to open up today. I wanted to scoop up each and every child there and tell them they are loved and how special they are. I wanted to tell them they are not alone and I know how they feel.

We all have the power to change a life and make someone feel better about themselves through love and kind words. I was reading some poems to my children this evening and I came across two by Emily Dickinson which made me reflect on the day.

A word is dead

When it is said,

Some say.

I say it just

Begins to live

That day.

In this short life

That only lasts an hour,

How much, how little,

Is within our power!

And, another…

If I can stop one heart from breaking,

I shall not live in vain;

If I can ease one life the aching,

Or cool one pain,

Or help one fainting robin

Unto his nest again,

I shall not live in vain.

I hope to validate the feelings of everyone in my life more than I have in the past. I hope to never tell my children, again, not to cry or don’t cry like a baby. I want them to acknowledge their feelings and understand why they feel the way they do. I want them to know it is alright to have them and to let them out once in awhile. I also hope that I can contribute to mending those broken hearts and lightening the burdens that plague those we are surrounded by.

We could all use a little more love, empathy and compassion in our lives. I appreciate the love I have been given and those lives who I have been blessed to cross paths with. I am surrounded by incredible students who have so much to offer this world. And, I realize how similar we are no matter what age or background. It is our feelings that unite us and make us able to relate to each other as humans. If we embrace and connect to those feelings, we will find the love and respect we all deserve.

It is hard to believe six weeks have passed since the start of term. It has been fun getting to know all of the students. They are all special and have something unique to add to the class. I am learning just as much from them as, I hope, they are learning from me. I look forward to learning more about them through their personal memoirs.

The seventh grade students have had several mini-lessons based on writing memoirs. Last week, I shared some of my own personal memoirs and we looked at what made them effective or ineffective. The students were very responsive to the writing and they had much to say about what made a memoir effective. Next week we will have mini-lessons on “The Rule of SO WHAT?” and “Thoughts and Feelings.” Please ask your student what the rule means and what thoughts and feelings they have added into their memoir. Some students may find that their first draft of writing may have no meaning and they will need to abandon it and find a more meaningful event to write about. This is where they might need to return to their brainstorming on “Questions for Memoirists.”

When the seventh grade is not writing, we are reading short stories from our Readers or student chosen novels for Reader’s Workshop. Some stories we have read include Seventh Grade, by Gary Soto, and “Thank You, M’am,” by Langston Hughes. Again, please ask your student to share their Reader’s Journal with you. Encourage them to write you a letter about what they are reading and then write back to them. It is fun to hear what they have to say. Who knows, they might get you interested in reading some great fiction!

The technology students have been finishing up their first project on the computers in the mini-lab. They have been hard at work on creating posters with their images on it. It is fun to see what the students put on their posters to tell others what they want to be when they ‘grow-up.’ Some of the students are very creative! Next week they will begin a favorite project of mine, creating Kindness Cards. Everyone knows we can all use a little more kindness in our world! I collect a sample from each student in order to display on a bulletin board on the campus. Please, ask your student to share one thing they have learned about creating a Word document that they haven’t learned before. You might be surprised with their answer!

Progress reports will be out towards the end of next week. Please feel free to call or email me if you have any questions.

As I sit down to write this post before the start of the new school year, even though I am embarking on my eleventh year of teaching, I still anticipate getting a case of the jitters on the first day. It is usually preceded by a few nightmares which hark back to my own middle school years…forgetting a large assignment or a big test until the last minute, getting locked out of the house in pajamas, etc. While it might be an uncertain time not knowing what might transpire from this year, it is also a time of great hope.

I have been working closely with fellow colleague Ms. Meyers throughout the summer in order to come up with a comprehensive and thoughtful curriculum for the seventh grade. We will continue to work together, whenever possible, throughout the year with the hope that we will provide the most engaging curriculum and best education possible for your students.

While seventh grade can be a difficult year socially, emotionally, and academically, I hope it holds for your student the beginning of a successful educational path. Our goal is not only to help them find their strengths in reading and writing but also to enjoy the learning process.

It is hard for me to believe there are only a few days left as I begin to write my last post of the year. It is amazing to think of how much time has passed since the beginning of the year and how much we have all grown. Although I have been teaching for ten years now, I feel I have learned so much more about myself as an educator within this past year. I enjoy being a part of this warm, vibrant community. Your children are a blessing and it has been a privilege working with each and every one.

As the summer months pass, I hope you will find the time to read along with your children. Don’t be afraid to share your thoughts and feelings about what you are reading. I remember the evenings when I was a child where we would all sit around the table and read. To this day, my favorite part of the day is reading to my children before bedtime.

Please know there are summer reading programs at the local library. Have your students read the Teen Blog and then post a book review. They can earn raffle tickets each time they post to be eligible for a weekly drawing or the grand prize drawing. In addition, I have recently heard about a summer movie program at the theater at Rowland where students can attend kid-friendly movies on Tuesday mornings at 9:30 am during the summer months for $1.00 or purchase a booklet of 10 tickets in advance for $5.00. Summertime is also a time for a plethora of festivals. Check out the Marin events calendar to find out what happens when in Marin.

I look forward to seeing your students in the fall when they return. In the meantime, I hope you have a safe, relaxing summer filled with enjoyment!

The students have finished their poetry unit and have recorded at least one poem for the podcast. They are arranged by class. Please ask your student to share which podcast his/her class was responsible for creating.

Needless to say, some students took the task more seriously than others. On the other hand, several students commented on how they found poetry was easy to write and how they felt they were able to express themselves through this form of writing. To listen to the podcasts please follow the link here.

We have begun a new unit which includes reading a novel and discussing it within student led literature circles. The students read a set amount of chapters and then complete worksheets where each student is responsible for a role: Discussion Director, Literary Luminary, Summarizer, Connector. By completing these sheets, the students are able to be prepared for the meetings and should all have something to offer during the group discussions. Please ask your student to share their experiences with these roles and the literature circle discussions.

Did you know the average American household has 2.53 people and an average of 2.73 televisions? The Center for Screen Time Awareness challenges people to “take control of technology and not let technology take control of them so they can live healthier lives.” Obesity is a growing problem in our nation. The California Obesity Prevention Initiative recommends that children age 2 and older spend only 2 hours max daily watching T.V. and strongly discourage television sets in children’s bedrooms. In addition to obesity issues, T.V. has been linked to several studies showing negative effects such as aggressive behavior, and limiting achivement and cognitive development.

In recognition of T.V. turn-off week, I have challenged the students to turn-off the television set in order to read a book and exercise. If the students are able to read at least 10 pages per day, write a reflection or summary each day, and have the log signed off by a parent/guardian; they can turn it in next Monday, April 30th, and be eligible for an ice cream sundae party. This party will take place at lunch on a Tuesday or Thursday after S.T.A.R. testing.

I challenge the parents/guardians to help support their student(s) during this week. Turn off the T.V. and go for a walk, play a game, cook dinner together, or just talk. I have shared with the students my own experiences with my family and how my children have decided to participate. It is hard giving up what is easy and convenient, but it is so rewarding when adults take some time to enjoy and play with their children. It makes for a happier home when they have had fun, quality time with their family. All of the children are so special, go and talk with them and enjoy the family time you have with these young adults!