General Information about My Language Arts Classroom
I want students to leave my ELA class:
- knowing what they like to read. - having developed an at-home reading life. - having gained the skills needed to write and communicate clearly and effectively. - having explored various genres of books and modes of writing. - as independent, reflective thinkers and learners. - as curious, confident kids, willing to ask questions. - understanding how to respectfully interact with their classmates and others. - able to transfer language skills into other content areas. |
What we do:
- Independent reading and goal tracking - Writing (quick writes, poetry, narrative, reflective, informative/ explanatory, research, argumentative, digital, and so on) - Discussions, including one-on-one, partners, small group, and whole class - Book clubs - where groups of students choose to read the same book - Book talks - to recommend books to classmates - Presentations based on research - Whole class texts and read alouds - Digital work - using apps and/or web tools such as Google Drive, Docs, Slides, Flipgrid, Canva, and/or others - Formative and summative assessments - one-on-one conferring, in-class discussions and group work, performance tasks, STAR, etc. |
Homework & Grading:
- Since we meet each day for 83 minutes, homework is not assigned. - Instead, students should read outside of class for at least an hour during each week and continue or finish work started during class. - Because our focus is on learning experiences, conversations, and feedback, you will notice fewer grades in Campus. - Deadlines are mostly flexible; if students need extra time, they should meet with me. - Students have opportunities to revise and improve their work; thus, extra credit is not used. - At the end of each quarter, students will be asked to turn in any owed work and best drafts of writing. How parents can help: - Provide your child with a place to do read and/or complete schoolwork. - Check that schoolwork is completed. - Ask your child to share about what he/she is reading and/or learning. - Keep in regular contact with teachers about your child's progress. - Ask teachers questions as they arise. |