15:1 8th Grade English Class
Background
We use the same textbook and novels as the mainstream English classes and will be following the regular 8th grade curriculum with appropriate modifications and small group instruction as governed by the needs of the students and guidelines from NYS. The following topics will be covered this year through various means of instruction: poetry, grammar, short stories, vocabulary, spelling, novels and writing. Along with these topics, students with special needs will require extra reading and writing strategies to improve performance.
There will be lots of reading, which is an essential skill in middle, high school and college. Any reading assignments given outside of school are always of reasonable length and students are given plenty of time to complete those assignments. We also write frequently. My policy for writing is as follows:
-For any essay, students will complete a pre-writing outline or graphic organizer in class.
-Next, students will work on the rough copy in class, where they will edit them with peers.
-Final copies are done either in school (mostly in computer labs) or outside
based on comments from their rough copies.
-Final copies must be turned in with the rough copy so I can grade them based on their
progress from start to finish.
-Upon receiving the graded final copy, students will be instructed to produce another final copy, based on comments from their peers (and myself) in class. So, students have plenty of support in writing from their teacher and their peers and have a double chance at success.
My homework policy:
Homework turned in on time earns full credit
After that, the student will need to complete the assignment during an extra help period (after
school or during their lunch period) THAT SAME DAY IT'S DUE, or they can use a homework pass and turn it in the very next
day for full credit.
Students MUST complete any owed work during an extra help session in order to turn it in. If the extra help period is after the due
date, students may only earn partial credit.
**For more in-depth information regarding our team 8-2 homework ASAP policy, Click Here
Essay policy:
Essays turned in on time will receive full credit
Essays turned in late will earn one full letter grade off for each day late.
Bonus Bucks:
Along with their grades, students can earn “bonus bucks” for participation. In order to earn bonus buck points, they will need to turn them in at the end of each quarter. Bonus bucks are the students’ responsibility. Any lost bucks will not be replaced.
Organization:
We spend a great deal of time on organization and agenda usage. Students are expected to record daily assignments in their agenda and to following through with completion. My policy is to use the agenda to communicate with parents concerning student progress and minimal concerns. Any major concerns will result in an e-mail or phone call home so we can discuss the issue and solve any problems together for the benefit of the student. Please be sure to check your son/daughter’s agenda every evening for any comments I may have written and to check his/her homework assignments for completion.
What you can do to
help
Since the students will be required to take the English Language-Arts exam in January, we have much to do to prepare. Because of this, class participation is essential. Students must effectively prepare for class by completing homework assignments! I cannot stress this enough. Homework is independent practice that promotes mastery of the lesson and is important for adequate progress. Your assistance in making sure your son/daughter is following through with homework and test preparation is also essential. If we work together as a team for your child’s benefit, this will promote success.
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