October 31

Shout-outs to Academic All-Stars and updates …

Fall is here but we wouldn’t know it as the warm winds brush our skin and steal Fall’s beautiful red-orange foliage through drought-like conditions and record-high temperatures. Despite the warm Halloween evening, trick or treaters will walk our neighborhood streets and progress reports will go out on Wednesday (11/2).

We are in our final six weeks from finishing this semester. It is important for all of my students to stay focused, study smarter, and turn in all of their assigned work – daily formative or summative graded projects. Students who are completing and turning in all of their work are doing very well in my classes. Students who are not making the effort and/or not turning in assignments are struggling. My co-teachers and I have worked with all students expressing how important it is to complete all work.

I like to compare learning to that of being an athlete. The first time my coach saw me high jump (many years ago), she saw potential. As I practiced day after day, year after year, I improved. What started off as feeling awkward, scary, and exciting eventually became as natural as walking for me. But I wouldn’t have become a Junior Olympian or jumped 5’6″ if I had never pushed myself to learn and practice. Just like an athlete trains for an event, a student must practice the skills that will transfer to success in life and a future career. We train our brains through reading, writing, and practicing new skills. It takes courage as it’s uncomfortable and unknown. I push my students to be okay with feeling uncomfortable as it’s the only way they’ll learn a new skill. “Nothing ventured; nothing gained.”

Therefore, I want to acknowledge students who have stepped up and pushed themselves in new ways that may feel uncomfortable. The result? A whole lot of learning, creating, and a ‘lil bit of praising! Sweet success.

9th Grade Shout-Outs for Poetry Projects that involved writing an original poem, presenting it to the class, and analyzing poetry for a summative grade. This class composed original poetry that contained vivid imagery and creativity of self-expression. Those who received a 100 are:  Justin Akhavan, Madison Benedetto, Nya Kempany, and Alexa Tomlinson. Students with a 90 and above are:  Leah Bauman, Trevor Dyer, Jake Koninsky, Evyan Long, Connor Mace, Lorenzo Mora, Malakai Paez, Casey Rose, Nicholas Santacruz, and Ayana Thompson. All students deserve a shout-out for writing original poems.

10th Grade Shout-Outs for Socratic Seminar that involved writing, listening, and speaking skills in a seminar forum. I want to thank the five student facilitators chosen by Mrs. Roberts and I for the leadership skills potential we see in:  Dillon Ventresca, Hayley Lorking, Blake Pittman, Arlena Keosoukanh, and Morganne Bradford. Students who received a 100 on this summative project are:  Dillon Ventresca and Sandra Flaucher. Students who scored a 90 or higher are:  Arilyn Baughman, Eddie Contreras, Alan Fernandez, Shamar Joseph, Arlena Keosoukanh, Joseph Leidell, Hayley Lorking, and Jack Rainbow.

October 14

PSAT Exams are on Wednesday, Oct. 19

All 9th and 10th grades will take the PSAT exams on Wednesday, Oct. 19. Please make sure your student gets a good night’s sleep and breakfast in the morning. All students need to bring a #2 pencil to the exam and a calculator if they want to use it for the math portion of the exam. Students were given practice booklets a couple weeks ago and should review them.

Students, please know or bring your student ID # and residential address with you as you need to document this information on your PSAT test form.

For specific information regarding 9th Literature or 10th World Literature, please click on the corresponding tab. I have posted new materials that will support the learning of our information. I encourage my students to spend time (15 min./day) each day to review their class notes, handouts, posted supports on my blog in order to learn this new material so they succeed on summative graded projects and tests.

October 4

To Read or Not To Read!

“Regular reading not only boosts the likelihood of an individual’s academic and economic success but it also seems to awaken a person’s social and civic sense.” Check out the facts on how daily reading can change your life.

(Excerpted from http://raisingbookworms.com/resources/reading-and-literacy-statistics/)

* Children who read well do better in other subjects, and in all aspects of school and beyond.

* Reading skills correspond directly to one’s ability to…
– be an informed citizen
– communicate effectively
– earn a higher salary
– succeed in one’s chosen career, and
– achieve personal fulfillment
* Literary readers are:
–  3 times as likely to attend a performing arts event
–  4 times as likely to visit an art museum
–  2 1/2 times as likely to do volunteer or charity work
–  1 1/2 times as likely to attend sporting events, and
–  1 ½ times as likely to participate in sports activities.

* Less than half (48%) of the adult [American] population now reads literature for pleasure. This decline in reading literature occurs across all ages, sexes and races. The decline is most pronounced among the young.
* The percentage of 17-year-olds who read nothing at all for pleasure has doubled over a 20-year period. Yet the amount they read for school or homework (15 or fewer pages daily for 62% of students) has stayed the same.