YOUR COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, &/OR FEEDBACK ARE WELCOMED
AT THE END OF THIS POST!
AT THE END OF THIS POST!
 |  |
Staying Connected through "Remind"
| I use the Remind app on nearly a weekly basis. It is an easy-to-use app that allows me to send text message reminders to students about upcoming events and deadlines, or send them motivational comments. All students have enrolled. It's hard to imagine running my classroom with out. More and more teachers at PHS are starting to use it as well. |  |
I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU to sign up for the very same "class" that your child has signed up with in order to see what messages they get. Their enrollment information can be found on the bottom "There's An App For That" section of my Technology Page. You can also choose to sign up for my separate Parents Remind "class"; instructions can be found on my Parents Home Page. I sent out a reminder of an upcoming exam earlier in the semester, but only 8 parents were enrolled at the time, so hopefully more of you can sign up and stay connected!
Student Teachers
 | I believe that the teaching profession, much like many other professions, is one that improves with experience and quality training. And because I believe that proper teacher training has a direct effect on the quality of instruction in the classroom, I find myself serving as a mentor teacher to teacher candidates at nearby universities. It is a position that I find fulfilling and one that I feel students can benefit from. I believe in a very collaborative approach when serving as a mentor teacher and even if I am not specifically teaching a portion of a lesson, rest assured that I was directly involved in the preparations. |
Ms. Smart will be finishing her semester with us this week and the students and I could not be more disappointed. She is a stellar teacher candidate whose ability to instruct, mentor, and inspire is admirable. Because of her presence, students have benefitted from TWO teachers worth of feedback and instruction. We wish Ms. Smart the very best as she looks ahead to future employment!
Next semester, I will be welcoming a new student teacher, Mr. Conner. He also comes from Cal State Long Beach's teacher credential program. He has a degree in English Literature as well and is eager to bring in continued college and career readiness skills and creative projects. He has been observing my classes this month and will begin co-teaching with me at the start of next week. He will be co-teaching mostly in periods 2,5, & 6. Once the semester begins, he can be reached at mrconnerphs@gmail.com .
Next semester, I will be welcoming a new student teacher, Mr. Conner. He also comes from Cal State Long Beach's teacher credential program. He has a degree in English Literature as well and is eager to bring in continued college and career readiness skills and creative projects. He has been observing my classes this month and will begin co-teaching with me at the start of next week. He will be co-teaching mostly in periods 2,5, & 6. Once the semester begins, he can be reached at mrconnerphs@gmail.com .
Scholar Cards |  |
You may have heard your child talk about Scholar Cards in my class. Allow me to briefly explain what these are.
They are brightly colored (so they don't lose them!) index cards that I hand out each quarter. When students participate in class by sharing their knowledge, they can earn "scholar credit" for the day (limit one a day). On the spot, I give them a score of 5,4,or 3 (if they get a 2, they get a chance for a better score later in the period), all of which earn credit. I do this so they receive immediate feedback from me and I build a culture in my class where all scores are equally appreciated. Students write on their cards themselves and turn them in at the end of the period for me to stamp. This is a formative assessment in their grade book. Students should try to earn at least one stamp a week!
A 5 is when a student shows incredible mastery of the content and blows me away with their insight; they are rarely given and definitely coveted. A 4 is given when students understand both the complex and simple concepts of a lesson or question. And a 3 demonstrates a student's simple or basic understanding, or it can be the result of a simpler question that I posed that didn't yet require complex thought.
Students can also earn "credit" for demonstrating Habits of a Scholar: leadership, collaboration, preparedness, showing initiative or being proactive, coming to my before/after school Office Hours, and more!
You can learn more by visiting my College and Career Readiness page or asking your child how many stamps they have so far.
They are brightly colored (so they don't lose them!) index cards that I hand out each quarter. When students participate in class by sharing their knowledge, they can earn "scholar credit" for the day (limit one a day). On the spot, I give them a score of 5,4,or 3 (if they get a 2, they get a chance for a better score later in the period), all of which earn credit. I do this so they receive immediate feedback from me and I build a culture in my class where all scores are equally appreciated. Students write on their cards themselves and turn them in at the end of the period for me to stamp. This is a formative assessment in their grade book. Students should try to earn at least one stamp a week!
A 5 is when a student shows incredible mastery of the content and blows me away with their insight; they are rarely given and definitely coveted. A 4 is given when students understand both the complex and simple concepts of a lesson or question. And a 3 demonstrates a student's simple or basic understanding, or it can be the result of a simpler question that I posed that didn't yet require complex thought.
Students can also earn "credit" for demonstrating Habits of a Scholar: leadership, collaboration, preparedness, showing initiative or being proactive, coming to my before/after school Office Hours, and more!
You can learn more by visiting my College and Career Readiness page or asking your child how many stamps they have so far.
This semester 's accomplishments:
PERIOD 1: This class and I are working closely together as we pilot a NEW TEXTBOOK called StudySync! I highly encourage you to have your child show you what we are learning on this very digital platform. It requires that students really think, while giving incredible support! Students have been giving me their feedback daily as we both figure out its new learning tools. We will rejoin the other 2 class periods at the end of February once this pilot is completed. Myself and about 25 other 7-12 teachers will be deciding on the textbooks which will be purchased and ready for first-time use for all GGUSD 7-12 students in the fall of 2016. This is a big undertaking, but an exciting and rewarding one as well!
Want to know more? Ask your child to share their Google Classroom or Google Drive Toolbox with you! You can also go to the Students tab above-->English 2H-->2H Voyage Board for our weekly agenda, announcements, and homework! Click the button above for quick access.
- introduction of the year-long Digital Portfolio Project (ask your child to share his/hers with you!)
- a significant focus on Writing with multiple opportunities for practice and a large amount of teacher feedback. Students set quarterly writing goals and reflected on these goals in their portfolios.
- various technology-based projects
- introduction to blogging (will really start next semester)
- OREO (Outside Reading Educational Opportunity)
- a fiction book of their choice
- Theme Multi-Intelligences Projects
- Unit on Social Conformity & The Creation of Identity
- 12 Angry Men
- Non-fiction articles
- To Kill a Mockingbird
- Short stories
- Unit on Ethical Responsibility
- Of Mice and Men
- Short Stories
PERIOD 1: This class and I are working closely together as we pilot a NEW TEXTBOOK called StudySync! I highly encourage you to have your child show you what we are learning on this very digital platform. It requires that students really think, while giving incredible support! Students have been giving me their feedback daily as we both figure out its new learning tools. We will rejoin the other 2 class periods at the end of February once this pilot is completed. Myself and about 25 other 7-12 teachers will be deciding on the textbooks which will be purchased and ready for first-time use for all GGUSD 7-12 students in the fall of 2016. This is a big undertaking, but an exciting and rewarding one as well!
Want to know more? Ask your child to share their Google Classroom or Google Drive Toolbox with you! You can also go to the Students tab above-->English 2H-->2H Voyage Board for our weekly agenda, announcements, and homework! Click the button above for quick access.
This semester 's accomplishments:
- a significant focus on Writing with multiple opportunities for practice and a large amount of teacher feedback. Students set and reflected upon their writing goals.
- various technology-based projects and skills lessons
- OREO (Outside Reading Educational Opportunity)
- two fiction books of their choice
- multiple Reading Letters (literary analysis papers)
- Unit on Social & Cultural Identity
- A Raisin in the Sun
- House on Mango Street
- Poetry
- non-fiction texts
- Unit on Good vs. Evil
- Lord of the Flies
- various short stories, videos, research studies, and non-fiction texts
Want to know more? Ask your child to share their Google Classroom or Google Drive Toolbox with you!
You can also go to the Students tab above -->English 1H-->1H Voyage Board for our weekly agenda, announcements, and homework! Click the button above for quick access.
COMMENTS WELCOMED BELOW!
RSS Feed
