Our Mission
Our goal as a class is for each of you to learn the 7th grade Language Arts AKS as an aid to developing into mature, responsible individuals who will excel in society. As your teacher, I pledge to support and guide you as you take responsibility for your behavior and academic progress. I will continually strive to understand and value the unique needs and concerns each of you have and promise to use a variety of teaching styles and techniques to support your individual learning. I will give you as much choice as possible in your education and together we will explore options and examine the consequences of each option. Throughout our journey together, I will share lessons that are practical and meaningful for everyday life, challenge you to think for yourself, and help you develop the knowledge and skills you need to succeed on the Gateway test and throughout your life.
Here are some other things I value as a teacher...
1. Positive
individuals with a sense of industry and
self-control.
2. Higher order questioning and thinking; applying what we learn.
3. Research based teaching techniques.
4. Measuring success by effort.
5. Incentives for exceptional behavior and achievement; i.e., personal recognition of your success. And sometimes: benefit tokens, classroom privileges, "Wow!" postcards, calls home, Honor Roll, Student of the Month, Friday surprise, etc.
6. Fair and consistent expectations in a nurturing environment.
Just a word or two here about number six...
Appropriate behavior is necessary in the classroom so that you may learn effectively. Inappropriate behavior not only interferes with a your ability to learn, it also interferes with the learning of others and the teacher's ability to teach the class in an effective manner. While I know that most of the time you will maintain good behavior, if the day comes when you do happen to make a poor choice, please realize that in school, as in life, there are consequences for every behavior, positive or negative. Our team has three common expectations, which I'm sure you are familiar with, but let me restate them here:
--> Students will enter classroom quietly, with prepared materials, and begin daily work.
--> Students will stay in their assigned seats, while keeping their hands and objects to themselves.
--> Students will show respect to others by speaking in moderate tones, listening completely to others’ ideas, and waiting their turn to speak.
When you fail to uphold these expectations or any of Shiloh's rules, I am compelled to follow the Schoolwide Discipline Plan, which is much stricter this year than in years past. It is easy to play by the rules in my classroom, since I have just five simple guidelines:
Be respectful.
Be responsible.
Be honest.
Be prepared.
Be focused.
These traits are a large part of the foundation of your character; develop these as positive habits and you will become an admired achiever, well respected by your peers, and a life-long leader. Successful people create success for themselves and others every day by using these guidelines. Do you think they could work for you?
2. Higher order questioning and thinking; applying what we learn.
3. Research based teaching techniques.
4. Measuring success by effort.
5. Incentives for exceptional behavior and achievement; i.e., personal recognition of your success. And sometimes: benefit tokens, classroom privileges, "Wow!" postcards, calls home, Honor Roll, Student of the Month, Friday surprise, etc.
6. Fair and consistent expectations in a nurturing environment.
Just a word or two here about number six...
Appropriate behavior is necessary in the classroom so that you may learn effectively. Inappropriate behavior not only interferes with a your ability to learn, it also interferes with the learning of others and the teacher's ability to teach the class in an effective manner. While I know that most of the time you will maintain good behavior, if the day comes when you do happen to make a poor choice, please realize that in school, as in life, there are consequences for every behavior, positive or negative. Our team has three common expectations, which I'm sure you are familiar with, but let me restate them here:
--> Students will enter classroom quietly, with prepared materials, and begin daily work.
--> Students will stay in their assigned seats, while keeping their hands and objects to themselves.
--> Students will show respect to others by speaking in moderate tones, listening completely to others’ ideas, and waiting their turn to speak.
When you fail to uphold these expectations or any of Shiloh's rules, I am compelled to follow the Schoolwide Discipline Plan, which is much stricter this year than in years past. It is easy to play by the rules in my classroom, since I have just five simple guidelines:
Be respectful.
Be responsible.
Be honest.
Be prepared.
Be focused.
These traits are a large part of the foundation of your character; develop these as positive habits and you will become an admired achiever, well respected by your peers, and a life-long leader. Successful people create success for themselves and others every day by using these guidelines. Do you think they could work for you?