Welcome!

1. Welcome! Beth Andrews, 6th Grade APAAS 2008-2009 School Year Santiago Hills

2. Agenda • Personal Background • Professional Background • Philosophy of Education • Classroom Policies • Students’ Responsibilities • Homework • Academic Subjects • Grading • Blackboard • Special 6th Grade Events • Contact

3. About Me • Mom, Wife • Step Aerobics Instructor • Reading, Music, Piano, Crossword Puzzles, Sudoku, • The Beach, Walking, Any outdoor activity • Eternal Student • GATE/APAAS Coordinator • Orange County Educator Rep -CAG (CA Assoc. for Gifted) • Writer - curriculum for gifted

5. Students Are Responsible for Their Learning • Learning Preferences -styles, readiness, interests • Setting Goals • Asking for Help…but not too much • In class~ • students run morning opening • everyone has a job • “ask three before me” • daily agenda • my role is to facilitate • Blackboard

6. Students Are Responsible for Their Learning • Inventories beginning of the year • Goal-Setting Conference • Help from Me - • in-class during instruction time, • one-on-one appointment (pre-arranged) • email or note to let me know • Help from You - • address specific questions • provide space and time • place burden on 6th grader (no excuses, consistency, working toward goals)

7. HomeworkWhat is the Purpose? • Time~ providing additional learning/practicing time at home; there are not enough hours in the school day for necessary practice of skills • Discipline~ learning to delay gratification, learning perseverance • Practice~ making sure skills and concepts are understood

8. HomeworkWhat is Expected? • Six hours per week (on average) • Work habits - in class and at home • Math homework is assigned every night Monday through Thursday • Vocabulary: weekly analogies, Wordly Wise (?) • On-going various long-term projects: • Novel Studies approximately 3-4 weeks (four during the year) • Social Studies varies depending on topic (approx. six during the year) • Digital assignments - Photo Story, Google Earth, PowerPoint or Podcast (approx. 3 during year)

9. Academic Subjects Math Pre-algebra with three levels of readiness: Level 1 (challenging), Level 2 (very challenging), Einstein (extremely challenging) All homework is typically the same and provides necessary practice with skills to be mastered. Homework is worth 10% of grade, assessments and projects are 90% Class work will vary, but everyone is encouraged to try all levels!

10. Academic Subjects Language Arts • Reading: Literature Text, novel studies • Teacher selected, Independent student selected • Vocabulary development (instead of spelling) • Analogies, Wordly Wise (or similar) • Writing: response to literature, Writer’s Lab, comprehension skills, in-class assessments, poetry, social studies (explanations, supporting ideas, evaluating information)

11. Academic Subjects Social Studies and Science • Social Studies:Ancient Civilizations, World Geography • Text, United Streaming, Supplemental Resources • Science: • Lab w/ Miss Babish • Textbook w/ me

12. On-line Science Text • Go to: http://glencoe.mcgrawhill.com/sites/0078741831/ • Click where it says “Click Here to Enter Student Center.” • On the left, click on Online Student Edition. • Click on “For online student edition click here.” • Complete User Name: FESCCA07 (case sensitive) • Complete Password: d2fd87c6 (case sensitive) • On the left, click the plus sign in front of Contents in Brief. • Click on the Plus Sign in front of Table of Contents. • Click the plus sign in front of the unit you want to view. Then click the plus sign in front of the chapter you want to view. Click the lesson or activity you want to view.

13. Physical Education • Everyday except for Wednesday • Soccer, volleyball in the park, dance, running, basketball, Frisbee golf, Capture the Gold, hockey, Whoopla ball, etc. • Students must either dress appropriately, or bring easy to change into clothes • Only excuse is from a written note from mom, dad, or doctor

14. Grading When grades become too important, learning is equated with knowing how to get good grades. Gifted kids sharpen their skills at figuring out what the teacher (or the test writer) thinks is right, instead of the idea that knowledge is what’s important and the key to achievement. Learning is a worthwhile pursuit; independent and critical thinking is very important. Grades and tests are simply assessments of whether students learned the concepts.

15. Grading system assesses individual level of growth “excellence” … requires effort, encourages intellectual risk, necessitates persistence, and provides opportunities to develop academic coping skills. Grades and assessments provide the focus of feedback and goals • All Core Subjects (reading, social studies, science, math), IOLA assessments, projects, essays and/or written responses to demonstrate understanding of concepts, homework • Progress reports are emailed home every week (make sure your email info is updated)

16. Blackboard Blackboard How to access Blackboard • Go to http://blackboard.iusd.org • Click on Login, then click on ‘Preview’ • Click on file tab at top of pages that says ‘Courses’ • Click on CourseCatalog ‘ElementarySchools’ • Click on SantiagoHills • Click on 6thGradeAPAAS (0731481486) • You are now on the opening page!

17. Special 6th Grade Activities and Events • Outdoor Education • Wild Rivers…well…something like WR • Business Days • Promotion

18. Contact in orderof preferred mode… • Email works the best for quick response • bandrews@iusd.org • Notes • Letters in the mail • Phone (949)936-6046 Don’t forget about Goal-SettingConferences schedule in library