August 25, 2009
A synonym for "overwhelming" is "crush" which seems appropriate for how we
all felt last year with English. The amount of points was overwhelming for
the kids in the amount of work, parents in trying to keep up with all the
work, and for me in entering the grades in edline. I felt I was a slave to
edline and had little time for anything else other than correcting writing
papers. So, over the summer, I have come up with some changes to make
everyone's lives much easier.
Vocabualry
There will be no vocab worksheets, only the two tests for each unit, part A
and B of 10 words each, vocab cards each Monday, and the work book which is
due the Monday after the B test. The kids can turn in the workbook as soon
as they have it done. It is usually returned the next day. The workbook
grades are not entered into edline until after that Monday, however.
Research paper
The final grade is just 82 points this year. I have streamlined the marking
rubric as far as the final paper is concerned.
The rubric itself is made moreso for the kids as a check-off sheet than it
is for me as a marking rubric. That is why it is so specific. Research
paper writing if much different that expository writing as you know.
In 7th grade, I conference with them through each step until the final draft
which they need to proofread themselves or have a peer proofread for them.
This is a learning process and the kids need to be weaned off teacher
control so that they learn to do things themselves. In 8th grade, they do
it all themselves. The final paper will be due October 16.
Thank you for letting them do this process entirely on their own.
Grammar
The only changes in grammar are that the first of the two quizzes will be a
pre-quiz and I will not take marks from that quiz but only from the second
quiz. There will still be the outline, and I hope to give them time in
class to begin that as well as their homework. We will have a week of
review tests during which they will have their texts to study, and I hope to
begin with the verb unit depending on how their review tests work out.
Writing
They will be doing a diocese writing essay this year. Most writing is done
in 8th grade, but if there is time in April, I will give them descriptive
writing essays to do.
Poetry
Again, May is our month for poetry. They will begin non-rhyming poetry this
year.
I am hoping to keep the trimester grade points to under 1000 which should be
easier for us all to manage.
If you have any questions, please e-mail me at jzanotti@stmarygostyn.org.
Thank you.
Jean Zanotti
