CLASSROOM ROUTINES
READINESSImmediately after entering the classroom, students must show materials (pen, book, paper, homework) and write in planners. This is tied to daily participation points.
STARTERTo increase poetry exposure and appreciation, we start each class with a poem of the day. Students are invited to memorize and present three poems from the Poetry Out Loud database.
eportfoliosStudents add to a comprehensive portfolio regularly. The hard-copy is a manila folder kept in the classroom, but several times throughout the quarter, students will update an online portfolio of their own design. To view it from the ePortfolio page, get the password from the school, ask your student for his pseudonym, and wait for the magic to unfold.
FORMATTINGStudents are required to use MLA format for all typed writing assignments.
HOMEWORKNext to the classroom door, the inbox and outbox are available for turning in and picking up assignments. The location also holds a folder titled "No Names" and "Blank Paper" for those students who have turned in assignments without their names or have forgotten to bring materials to class.
extra assignmentsStudents who miss class or lose assignments may help themselves to extra blank copies. The drawer is labeled "help yourself (assignments)" and organized by periods and dates. After absences, students are expected to check-in within 24-hours.
LATE WORKLate work is accepted with a flat 10% penalty. In other words, a perfect late assignment would receive a 90%. This also applies to redos. While any assignment may be reworked, students may not make up missed participation points.
GRADESStudents receive a paper copy of grades on Mondays and Fridays. Powerschool is updated every Tuesday.
helpCami is available for extra instruction during lunch,
study halls, and after school. Struggling students receive assignment breakdowns, repeated instruction, differentiated instruction, and extra time. submit assignments from homeStudents on home pass can submit work electronically to keep their grades up. Feel
free to use the form to ask questions, make comments, and stay connected with the teacher. |
aMBIanceTo aid concentration and serenity, soft music is often played from Pandora stations like "Zen Garden" and "Jill Barber."
grammarWeekly grammar lessons, often culled from Chomp Chomp or
Grammar Girl, come in audio and visual formats. A TOUCH OF HOMECharlie-bird comes to school daily. As a rescued boy, he's learning
how to trust. The students help him make so much progress, and he loves their care. He's gentle, quiet, & wants to please. Ramses (left), and Gustav (right) make occasional classroom visits,
as in the Halloween picture below. Visits are coordinated so allergic students are not negatively impacted. These boys are high energy, full of antics, and toilet-trained (human loo). |