I want to thank all the parents that came in for last week's parent/teacher conferences. Some parents mentioned that they do take time to review the graded work that is sent home. This is really important, and I think it is one of the best ways to get a student to reflect on their performance. This review, combined with tracking the work online via Engrade, keeps everybody on the same page and surely leads to greater success. (Posted 03.12.12)
This is the first week of the third quarter and a good time to clear the slate and make a renewed commitment to getting your worked turned in on time. In the next few days a new grade book will be posted and everyone will make a fresh start. Keep up with it! Check your scores daily, or at least weekly, and get those missing assignments in lickety-split. The longer you let them drag out, the harder they are to complete. And keep up with the homework, for goodness’ sake. When you come to school unprepared you spend the entire day trying to catch up, and you miss out on valuable review time (because you can’t review something you haven’t done). Do you want to be a success? Well, it starts today, and only you can make it happen. (Posted 01.18.12)
Some of you may have already noticed that we are using the Study Island site in a new way. In addition to the regular monthly targets, students now have a list of assignments that appear when they sign in. The status of the assignment and when it needs to be completed is also indicated. Posting assignments on the site like this allows your child to work anywhere there is an Internet connection. Students can work on the assignment and save it for later, or they can submit it to me. Once I get the work, I can make suggestions and send it back to them for corrections. It’s great for me because the program tracks the status of the assignment, and it’s great for the students because they know what they need to take care of. (Posted 12.08.11)
I want to thank everyone that came in for the Parent-Teacher Conferences. One thing I mentioned to many parents is how helpful it is when they keep up with their child’s work and monitor their progress on Engrade. A little pressure from home makes a huge difference in the classroom. If you missed your conference, you can pretty much see me any day after 3:30. (Posted 11.10.11)
Parents, please sign and return one copy of the Mid-Quarter report sent home on Friday. I've reprinted the suggestions included in that report for your review.
Suggestions: Your child will succeed if we all monitor his or her dedication to school work. 1) Please establish a routine that includes a predictable block of time for the completion of homework each night. 2) Please check your child’s binder nightly, and remove graded work from the Returned Work folder. 3) Discuss the graded work with them, and suggest ways they could improve. 4) Check Engrade every few days to identify areas where your child needs to work harder. You can also see which assignments your child failed to turn in, and then help them address the missing items. Many parents print out a list of the missing work and then send it back to school with the child. I am happy to help your child fill in the gaps. Also, you can see notices and updates from me on Engrade, or message me back with any concerns you have. 5) Once your child completes the homework, make sure everything gets back in their binder and book bag and leaves with them in the morning. (Posted 09.26.11)
I recently sent a short message (this one) to all of you via Engrade to confirm that the lines are open between us. Please respond so that I know you received this message. I’d also like to know how often you visit the classroom homepage. Some of you already make good use of Engrade, both for checking grades and messaging. Please keep it up. Even short notes about things that concern you help me work with your child more effectively. I tell the students that Engrade keeps everybody on the same page; you know where you stand, your parents know, and of course, I know. Believe me, this is a powerful combination that produces results. (Posted 09.08.11)