If you are anything like me, you wait until the last minute to do - well anything really. When it came to assignments like summer reading, I usually waited until a few days before school began to pick up those dusty tomes. Don't get me wrong, I began each summer with the best intentions, but chilling out on the lake with my friends at summer camp definitely trumped getting deep into Huck Finn or The Awakening. What ended up happening was that I was half way through the book once school began and tried to fake my way through the first set of class discussions and of course the dreaded first essay of the year. This caused me stress, set me behind the others in my class and introduced me to my new English teachers as a slacker or even worse, a less than A student. I knew I had it in me to read these books; read deeply between the lines and come up with intelligent analysis, but the lazy - summer is too short to waste it on reading side always won out. LA kids, in my defense, I grew up in Buffalo where we had snow from October through May - leaving us little outside time without five pairs of pants, a hat and two pairs of gloves. Still, it was no excuse and if I could do high school all over again, besides having more confidence and caring less about what people thought of me, I would certainly change my attitude towards summer reading.
WHY DO TEACHERS ASSIGN IT IN THE FIRST PLACE??? Excellent question and to be honest, it is something that English teachers sit around and discuss in schools across the country. Here are a few reasons why summer reading is important: 1) It keeps up your skills over the summer when you aren't forced to think. 2) Reading, if you haven't figured out already, is an excellent way to improve your vocabulary skills.
3) Throughout the school year you are assigned books to read along with chapters in history class, problems in math class and lab reports in science class. Summer reading is a chance for you to appreciate the beauty of literature without all the other traffic going through your brain.
4) When students come to class on the first day, it is an excellent starting point for class discussions as well as a barometer for teachers to see where your skill level is right from the start.
5) We love to torture you! (No - we don't, really - I swear.)
For those of you who are looking at the upcoming labor day weekend as the last gasp of summer vacation - it is not too late. Take about thirty minutes a day in a quiet spot and get reading. That gives you eight days and four hours total to get as much reading done as possible. You may find when you schedule out thirty minute blocks, that you are more focused on the task at hand AND, surprisingly enough, time may fly because the book is actually good?!
What if you are a struggling reader and although you have tried to read this stupid, boring book that your teacher forced you to read, you keep reading the same sentence twenty times and can't get into it? 1) Talk to your teacher right away and let them know about your struggles. Chances are they will have some strategies to help you get through your reading. 2) Check online to see if there are any discussion boards about the novel - you may get inspired by other student reviews or fun student films based on the book found on youtube. 3) Do NOT rent the movie and think you are going to get away with not reading the book. Your teacher will know. Your teacher will know and they will not be impressed with what they perceive as laziness. They will be impressed with you being proactive in seeking help - so ask for it! I will have plenty of posts on reading struggles and how to surpass them so keep up with the blog and enjoy the rest of your summer vacation!
Monday, August 29, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
SYLLABUSTED
I didn't hear the word syllabus until I went to college, but these days the dreaded syllabus is slapped on every high school desk from Buffalo to Brentwood the first day of school. As a teacher, going over the syllabus is about as exciting as cleaning up specks of marker from the dry erase board at the end of the day. For students, whose eyes glaze over after having read 7 of these suckers before mine, each syllabus is like another brick weighing them down along with their 50 pound backpacks. But this post is not about whining - no, this post is about how to bust through the syllabus and use it as a secret blue print to getting a good grade.
Let's take a look at a typical syllabus - pull one out at random - go ahead. It doesn't really matter which subject. Don't worry, I'll wait.
Got it? OK. On most typical syllabi, the top of the page (or gasp! pages) should be the course name and the name of your teacher along with their objectives for the course. Why is this important? Well, for one to make sure you are signed up for the right class and two, to get a feel for what you are in for and if your teacher is a total windbag that likes to hear themselves talk (ha ha.)
The next part can be the MOST USEFUL to you later on in the year: The Grade Breakdown. This is your secret code to an A people so pay attention! Is this a teacher that counts class participation for 40% of your grade? If so, make sure to pay close attention to the c.p. section further down and make sure to adhere to all of the requirements. Is homework a big deal? Better make sure that you turn yours in on time and thoughtfully completed, (there will be PLENTY of posts on here about homework I promise.) Are tests and projects 50% of the grade? If so, then guess what? Studying on the daily is going to help you raise those big ticket grades (sorry for the reality check.) On the same note, waiting till the last minute to study for tests or start projects ("What, me? Wait till 1am the night before the project is due?") is NOT an option. Since your teacher put so much time into making these percentages (and believe me, they are not random quick picks from the local 7-11,) they mean something (Parents - insert Close Encounters reference here.) When you are wondering how you ended up with that 71 come progress report time, refer back to this section and figure it out. Believe me, your teacher will be impressed that you paid attention and care enough to advocate (notice I didn't say "fight for") the grade you deserve (also more on this later.)
Office Hours and Extra Help: Keep track of when your teachers will be around to help YOU. Sure, teachers actually have lives and would like to get to the gym or go grocery shopping at some point, but we wouldn't be teachers if we actually put ourselves before other people's needs so take advantage of our pathetically kind souls; at the same time be RESPECTFUL about their time. Remember that they would like to go to the gym or grocery shopping and may have their own kids at home that are waiting for them to pick them up from soccer practice or choir rehearsal. If you have to cancel, just let them know ahead of time. Blowing off a teacher who has sacrificed their free time to help you is not the best way to get in their good graces. This section usually includes an office phone number and an email address. I will have separate posts on how to properly write your teacher an email inquiry, but for now just make sure you keep these close at hand.
Book List and Materials: This should take the guess work out of what you are going to need for this class. Many times you get the book list at some point over the summer. Even if you are staying at your beach house in St. Tropez or sailing on Lake Tahoe, there is this thing called the Internet where you can find cheap versions of the books you need with plenty of time to get them shipped by the first week of school. Be proactive. Also - be green. I am sure you know someone else that has taken this class before, perhaps they would be willing to sell you (or even better, give you) their copies. Also recycle. How often do you use every page of spiral notebooks during a whole school year? Try ripping out the used pages and saving the rest for a new course. If the cover is trashed with Belieber scribbles, you can cover it up with a piece of cardboard - leaving you plenty of room for Taylor Lautner doodles.
Last but not least is ...Student Expectations: Yes, you have some control over the grade you get in this class. If you actually read and abide by these expectations, you should be fine. A few of my more motivated students taped these into the inside cover of their notebooks. They ended the year with an A. Will you?
Let's take a look at a typical syllabus - pull one out at random - go ahead. It doesn't really matter which subject. Don't worry, I'll wait.
Got it? OK. On most typical syllabi, the top of the page (or gasp! pages) should be the course name and the name of your teacher along with their objectives for the course. Why is this important? Well, for one to make sure you are signed up for the right class and two, to get a feel for what you are in for and if your teacher is a total windbag that likes to hear themselves talk (ha ha.)
The next part can be the MOST USEFUL to you later on in the year: The Grade Breakdown. This is your secret code to an A people so pay attention! Is this a teacher that counts class participation for 40% of your grade? If so, make sure to pay close attention to the c.p. section further down and make sure to adhere to all of the requirements. Is homework a big deal? Better make sure that you turn yours in on time and thoughtfully completed, (there will be PLENTY of posts on here about homework I promise.) Are tests and projects 50% of the grade? If so, then guess what? Studying on the daily is going to help you raise those big ticket grades (sorry for the reality check.) On the same note, waiting till the last minute to study for tests or start projects ("What, me? Wait till 1am the night before the project is due?") is NOT an option. Since your teacher put so much time into making these percentages (and believe me, they are not random quick picks from the local 7-11,) they mean something (Parents - insert Close Encounters reference here.) When you are wondering how you ended up with that 71 come progress report time, refer back to this section and figure it out. Believe me, your teacher will be impressed that you paid attention and care enough to advocate (notice I didn't say "fight for") the grade you deserve (also more on this later.)
Office Hours and Extra Help: Keep track of when your teachers will be around to help YOU. Sure, teachers actually have lives and would like to get to the gym or go grocery shopping at some point, but we wouldn't be teachers if we actually put ourselves before other people's needs so take advantage of our pathetically kind souls; at the same time be RESPECTFUL about their time. Remember that they would like to go to the gym or grocery shopping and may have their own kids at home that are waiting for them to pick them up from soccer practice or choir rehearsal. If you have to cancel, just let them know ahead of time. Blowing off a teacher who has sacrificed their free time to help you is not the best way to get in their good graces. This section usually includes an office phone number and an email address. I will have separate posts on how to properly write your teacher an email inquiry, but for now just make sure you keep these close at hand.
Book List and Materials: This should take the guess work out of what you are going to need for this class. Many times you get the book list at some point over the summer. Even if you are staying at your beach house in St. Tropez or sailing on Lake Tahoe, there is this thing called the Internet where you can find cheap versions of the books you need with plenty of time to get them shipped by the first week of school. Be proactive. Also - be green. I am sure you know someone else that has taken this class before, perhaps they would be willing to sell you (or even better, give you) their copies. Also recycle. How often do you use every page of spiral notebooks during a whole school year? Try ripping out the used pages and saving the rest for a new course. If the cover is trashed with Belieber scribbles, you can cover it up with a piece of cardboard - leaving you plenty of room for Taylor Lautner doodles.
Last but not least is ...Student Expectations: Yes, you have some control over the grade you get in this class. If you actually read and abide by these expectations, you should be fine. A few of my more motivated students taped these into the inside cover of their notebooks. They ended the year with an A. Will you?
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Best Intentions
The alarm is set, your clothes are laid out and there you are - lying in bed wishing for some solid sleep. You peek out the corner of your eye to check on the time and there it is....one minute since you checked last. Why can't you get to sleep when you know that tomorrow is a BIG day? Excitement, anticipation, fear. These are common feelings the night before the first day of school, and I am talking about the teachers! As a highly reflective teacher, one of the things I love about teaching is the opportunity to start fresh every day. Make an embarrassing mistake in front of 24 thirteen year olds? Tomorrow is a new day. A certain student drive you crazy during eighth period? Tomorrow is a new day. But the greatest opportunity of all (and yes I am well aware that one should not begin sentences with a conjunction except for affect like in this instance,) is the golden road of possibilities that lie ahead before each new year of school.
So.....if you are one of those victims of nervous energy and excitement I have a solution. First, as a writer, I always keep a pen and pad by my bed in case I have a brilliant idea in the middle of the night (it happens.) So grab a pen and paper and right there and then make a list of all the things you would like to accomplish this school year. Maybe it is just keeping up with your homework or making new friends. Putting your goals down on paper will allow you to expend that energy in a positive way and help you visually see all the positive things you are going to be doing for yourself. Once your list is made, you can put it in a drawer and take it out from time to time to remind yourself of your goals. If you are REALLY serious, tape your list to your mirror so you can remind yourself to pursue these goals every day.
Here is one more suggestion if you are not a list person: Write yourself a letter! No, this doesn't mean that you have a personality disorder, it is another way to set some goals. You can even mail yourself the letter in a few months and see how you measured up. Here is an example of a letter you could write to yourself:
Dear Nancy,
Tomorrow is the first day of school and I am so nervous. Last year I really struggled with math and it made me so depressed. I think that this year when I start to struggle I will get over myself and ask the teacher for some help instead of hiding from him - he is pretty scary looking. I bet he is not that bad once you get to know him and geometry could be fun - I like shapes. Anyway, I also want to run for office this year and expand my role as a leader in the school - not only will it look good for college, but it will teach me a lot and maybe I will get to know more people - sometimes I can get pretty shy. Not this year! OK - going back to sleep now. Hope all this comes true by the time you read this letter.
Love,
Nancy
So.....if you are one of those victims of nervous energy and excitement I have a solution. First, as a writer, I always keep a pen and pad by my bed in case I have a brilliant idea in the middle of the night (it happens.) So grab a pen and paper and right there and then make a list of all the things you would like to accomplish this school year. Maybe it is just keeping up with your homework or making new friends. Putting your goals down on paper will allow you to expend that energy in a positive way and help you visually see all the positive things you are going to be doing for yourself. Once your list is made, you can put it in a drawer and take it out from time to time to remind yourself of your goals. If you are REALLY serious, tape your list to your mirror so you can remind yourself to pursue these goals every day.
Here is one more suggestion if you are not a list person: Write yourself a letter! No, this doesn't mean that you have a personality disorder, it is another way to set some goals. You can even mail yourself the letter in a few months and see how you measured up. Here is an example of a letter you could write to yourself:
Dear Nancy,
Tomorrow is the first day of school and I am so nervous. Last year I really struggled with math and it made me so depressed. I think that this year when I start to struggle I will get over myself and ask the teacher for some help instead of hiding from him - he is pretty scary looking. I bet he is not that bad once you get to know him and geometry could be fun - I like shapes. Anyway, I also want to run for office this year and expand my role as a leader in the school - not only will it look good for college, but it will teach me a lot and maybe I will get to know more people - sometimes I can get pretty shy. Not this year! OK - going back to sleep now. Hope all this comes true by the time you read this letter.
Love,
Nancy
Monday, August 22, 2011
The school year is upon us!
Argh! What happened to summer? One minute we are complaining about the traffic on the PCH, and now we find ourselves in Target looking for school supplies. There can be a lot of stress that surfaces around this time of year; my goal is to offer support to you throughout the school year with tips, quips and the wisdom of a seasoned teacher who has yet to burn out the light of passion for teaching.
If your child is entering 7th-12th grade, I can come to the rescue in several high stress situations: Feeling overwhelmed by homework? Can't keep papers and class notes straight? Have a big project due or essay to write? Study hard for tests, but not getting the grades you deserve? Reading books but not understanding what you are reading?
Call upon SHAMAS to solve these problems with your child.
If your child is entering 7th-12th grade, I can come to the rescue in several high stress situations: Feeling overwhelmed by homework? Can't keep papers and class notes straight? Have a big project due or essay to write? Study hard for tests, but not getting the grades you deserve? Reading books but not understanding what you are reading?
Call upon SHAMAS to solve these problems with your child.
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