I am very excited to have your students in my classroom this year. They will be my students for the school year, but remain "one of my kids" forever.
My goal for your students is to not only obtain a deep understanding of the topics we cover together in class, but also to become more critical thinkers, problem solvers and informed young adults.
I believe in putting ownership of the class in the hands of the students. My students learn early in the year, their success is completely their own responsibility. I provide the opportunity to succeed and they do the work.
Please join our Remind groups for updates/reminders about class. As a working parent myself, I know how challenging it is to stay in touch with your student's teachers. I find Remind to be an excellent resource. You get all of the updates your student gets as a text message straight to your phone! If I have a concern about your student, I can also send you a message to your phone, which you can respond to at your convenience.
Studying..... yes, your student will need to study. I primarily use Zondle.com for my students to study vocabulary, content, and practice questions. I will open current content for your students to study at their own pace. Sometimes, we even squeeze in some Zondle time in class.
Not only can they use the website to review, but there is a smartphone/ipad App students can use to play anywhere!
I strive to applaud good behavior more frequently than I report home about bad behavior. . . you will hear from me about the good, bad & ugly. I urge you to please share your email address with the school - it is by far the easiest way for all of your student's teachers to remain in touch with you.
I can generate a report of your student's actions in my class (good & bad) for any time period you ask about!
This will always be a big debate. I do allow students to use smartphones for ACADEMIC PURPOSES (if they have forgotten their laptop, failed to charge their laptop, etc). However, more often than not having phones in the classroom is a distraction from their learning and are a target for theft. If you have an emergency, or urgently need to contact your student, you can call the school and contact their Vice Principal. (908) 486 - 5432
Just as students should refrain from chatting out loud to another student, they should not be on their phones/Face Time in class. You'll find the information in the article interesting, especially because the research was done by teenagers.
I love music. I'm a musician myself. I love sharing music with my own child. However, we must be very careful the impact listening to music can have on our students. There is a time and a place for music.
Digital classroom tools like computers, tablets and smartphones offer exciting opportunities to deepen learning through creativity, collaboration and connection, but those very devices can also be distracting to students.