7th Grade English Disclosure - Read and Email Me

7th Grade English Disclosure 2012-2013

Mrs. Shannon Cannon

Email: shannon.cannon@maeserprep.org

Website: http://mrscannonsenglishblog.moonfruit.com/

7^th Grade English Class Goals and Description

Dear 7^th grade students and parents:
(First, get a snack and find a comfortable chair to sit in while you read this - okay, now go ahead).

I am so excited to begin this school year with you.  I think middle school is one of the greatest places to be.  To begin with, you should know that my educational objectives for this year are:

1. For each student to see and believe that he/she has incredible potential to do great things.
2. For each student to understand the need to educate himself/herself in order to reach that potential.
3. For each student to love learning enough to continue educating himself/herself throughout life.
4. For each student to become excited about the process of exercising his/her beautiful brain.
5. For each student to learn how to think and to be anxiously engaged in doing so.
6. For each student to enjoy studying the curriculum as the major part of that process.

There are so many incredible things to learn about and discuss this year.  I have the great pleasure of reading, writing, studying, and preparing for the many lessons we will learn together and I expect my students to take seriously their responsibility to do the same.  7^th grade is a lot of fun, but it is also a lot of hard work.  Please note that according to Maeser’s homework policy, you need to expect to have about 2 hours of homework per night.  At least 45 minutes of this will be for our English class.

Parents: in order for your students to do their best in my class, PLEASE help them establish a specific time and place (away from noise and distractions i.e., iPods, cell phones, TV, etc.) for doing homework and help them vigilantly stick to their study time.  I know this will take some sacrifice and work, but it will be well worth it for everyone involved. 

Consider carving out some time to do the readings along with your student and discuss them together.  You, your student, and our entire class will benefit greatly from this practice and it will reinforce the ideal and joy of life-long learning.

Syllabus Content:

                

               Menu Entrées – One of my loves is helping students become better writers.  In order to improve writing, students must write – a lot.  Therefore, every Thursday a writing assignment will be due and a new assignment will be given.  Each of these assignments must be handed in typed, using Times New Roman or Calibri, 10-12 point font, and standard margins.  Some of these writing assignments will be specifically given by the teacher.  Others will be chosen by the student from a “menu” of writing choices.  Each student will have a copy of this menu and I will include it on my website as well.  Near the end of each term, each student will choose one of their pieces of writing to viciously revise and meticulously edit.  I will be posting these pieces on my online anthology – found at http://mrscannonsstudentanthology.blogspot.com/?view=flipcard, and they will be considered for our classroom anthology, a school newspaper, and possibly even prestigious national writing contests.

                

              Great Literature and Discussions – Maeser has chosen some great books, stories, and poetry to read, study, discuss and experience.  In order to put these pieces to their best use, we will be reading – a lot.  Every day students will have a new reading assignment from our current book or piece.  Students will need to keep up with the reading and the correlating assignments.  Some of these assignments will include keeping bookmarks of quotes, thoughts, reactions, and open-ended questions about the reading.  I STRONGLY recommend that students complete these as they read or at the end of each chapter when the content is fresh on the brain.  They are difficult to go back and complete after the reading is finished.  Each week, we will spend significant time discussing ideas from the book we are reading.  Students should come to these discussions prepared with ideas, quotes, open-ended questions and thoughts to discuss.  Because these discussions will go much deeper than basic comprehension, students will need to think more deeply as they read in preparation.  Points will be given for participation in these discussions, so students need to be proactively contributing to the discussions.

Below are the books that we will be reading on this year:

Little Britches by Ralph Moody

Children’s Homer by Padraic Colum

Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

12 Angry Men by Reginald Rose

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

Selected Short Stories

Selected Poetry

Textbooks are provided by Maeser. They are checked out to the student for their use and must be

returned in good condition at the conclusion of the unit. A charge of $25.00 will be made for lost books.

Any student is welcome to purchase their own copy of the books.

                Grammar – In order to write and communicate effectively, students need to know proper grammar.  Each week we will be studying a new grammar concept.  Most of the corresponding assignments will be completed in class, although occasionally they will need to be finished as homework and turned in the following day.

Writing notebooks - Daily assignments in our writing notebooks will help us gather ideas, resources, and develop our personal writing style and voice.  Often, these will be completed in class, but ¼ of the notebook must be completed each term, so it is highly encouraged that students carry the notebook with them wherever they go to collect any interesting lists, characters, dialogue, quotes, song lyrics, story ideas, or poems that they run into in daily life.  I have trained myself to do this and it takes some focus and thought, but it is one of the first steps to becoming a great writer.

                Weekly Quizzes – These will be given to assess spelling and vocabulary words from our reading, grammar concepts, writing strategies and content and application of our reading.

Materials:

·         wide-rule, 100-page, composition notebook to use as a writing journal.  This must be brought to class EVERY day.  You may not use a spiral-bound notebook. 

·         pencils and pens

·         access to a computer with a word processor and a connected printer

·         access to Mrs. Cannon’s website at http://mrscannonsenglishblog.moonfruit.com/

Earning a Grade

The grade for the class will be a reflection of the student’s level of mastery demonstrated in two main categories:

Academic Behavior Skills (ABS): 10% of final grade. The student can earn 10 points per day for meeting all ABS criteria which include college and career readiness skills such as:

·         note-taking

·         turning in assignments on time

·         respecting others

·         being on time and prepared

·         wearing the uniform properly

·         following rules of the school and the teacher

·         communicating effectively in class, both in writing and discussions, and

·         contributing positively to a college-ready culture.

Students will forfeit 10 points with each tardy and absence, unless it is school excused.  Students will forfeit all of their work skills points for the quarter with a verified truancy/sluff, or if caught cheating.

Academics: 90% of the student’s grade will be determined by mastery demonstrated by the student in all areas of the curriculum. Students will be assessed in a variety of ways, including quizzes, tests, assignments, discussions, projects, presentations, and writing.

If special or unusual circumstances arise, please immediately communicate with me. I will work with you. However, these issues should be discussed privately and at an appropriate time. DO NOT interrupt class time to have these discussions.

Grade Scale - Grades are determined on a percentage scale as follows, as per KGMPA standards:

A = 100-93

A- = 92-90

B+ = 89-86

B = 85-82

B- = 81-78

C+ = 77-74

C = 73-70

C- = 69-66

F = 65 and below

Note about Plagiarism/Cheating: This will not be tolerated.  Students who choose to cheat will receive a zero on the assignment AND the loss of all ABS points for the quarter.  They will have a conference with the Assistant Headmaster AND the parents/guardians notified.  If this happens a second time, there will be a conference between teacher, administrators, and parents to jointly decide upon appropriate consequences.

Additional Behavior Expectations:

·         Students are expected to comply with the standards of behavior and dress code set by Karl G.

Maeser Preparatory Academy.

·         Students are expected to treat their peers, teachers, administrators, the school, and others’ property with RESPECT. Rudeness will not be tolerated.

·         Students are expected to bring only appropriate items to class. Food, drink, gum, electronic

devices, cell phones, makeup, toys, etc. will be confiscated and taken to the Assistant Headmaster, in accordance with Karl G. Maeser Preparatory Academy Policy.

Rewards

1. Pleasant classroom environment

2. Work Skills points

3. Positive Feedback to students

4. Positive Feedback to parent/guardian

Consequences

1. Verbal warning

2. Loss of day’s work skills points

3. Conference with teacher/parent notified

4. Assistant Headmaster referral

EXTREME CLAUSE—Extreme behavior will result in students being removed from the classroom immediately with a referral to the Assistant Headmaster.

*****

As a college preparatory school, Maeser’s mission is to teach students to think critically, learn continually, and communicate effectively. Students develop necessary college readiness attributes in preparation for success at the post-secondary educational level. These include rigorous content mastery, contextual skills, effective academic behaviors, and critical cognitive and thinking skills. The development of college ready students is predicated on continued progress both academically and behaviorally and is dependent on hard work and dedication by students, parents, teachers, and staff.

Students will be graded in four college and career readiness areas.

Academic -Students will demonstrate proficiency in content knowledge in Maeser’s Core Plus curriculum (including the State Core Standards) through regular classroom assessments and assignments, state core testing, and norm referenced tests (PLAN, Explore, PSAT, ACT).

Behavioral –

Cognitive - Students will demonstrate proficiency in intellectual openness, problem solving, analysis, interpretation, reasoning and argumentation, and inquisitiveness.

Contextual -Students will demonstrate the ability to take the steps necessary to attend college (e.g. how to apply, complete entrance exams, write entrance essays, find scholarships, participate in extracurricular activities, create a personal curriculum based on academic goals, etc.)

Methods of Evaluation

Academic- Each student will take the Explore, Plan, PSAT, and ACT to measure progress toward college content readiness. Students will take unit based assessments in each class to measure levels of understanding and proficiency in the Maeser Core Plus standards and State Core curriculum. Students will take yearly State Core testing to measure content knowledge in State Core areas.

Behavioral -Students will be graded on their ability to take notes daily, communicate effectively in class, meet deadlines, and obey dress and other classroom rules.

Cognitive - Students will be assessed quarterly in order to measure progress in the six cognitive and reasoning areas.

Homework Policy and Late Assignments– Please note that this is a change in SCHOOL policy.

Students are expected to meet all deadlines to turn in assignments and take tests and quizzes. Without an excused absence, assignments can only be turned in ONE day late for 75% credit. With an excused absence, assignments may be turned in late the same number of days that were excused. No other late work will be accepted. 

Students who fail unit performance, behavior, and cognitive assessments will be placed into academic remediation. This will require students to attend before or after school teacher assistance in core classes and flex Friday study sessions. Students will be given the opportunity to re-assess their understanding and if successful may receive a passing grade for the unit.

Students who continue to fail unit performance, behavior, and cognitive assessments and receive more than one F in a term will be placed on academic probation. Students who fall into academic probation will be required to attend before or after school assistance, attend flex Friday study sessions, will be placed in a remediation Winterim or MSI, may have electives removed to provide a double dose of the under-performing course, and may be required to take summer school to make up failing grades.

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When you have read this document and agree to the responsibilities for materials, assignments, and commitments required of you and your student please email me at shannon.cannon@maeserprep.org to verify that you understand and are accountable for the above information. PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR STUDENT'S GRADE (7TH OR 8TH) AND CLASS PERIOD.

 Also in your email, please let me know if there are any special concerns or circumstances that I should be aware of regarding your student.  I will communicate with parents by email unless otherwise requested.

Thank you,

Mrs. Cannon