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6th and 7th Grade Reading with Mr. Batson |
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FAQFrequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to common questions of students and parents.
Yes, but not in the usual way. The homework for my class is primarily The Reading Quest and The Reading Round Table. Both are long term assignements that require students to do a little each night. The Reading Quest is like a scavenger hunt where all the items on the "hunt list" are texts from every genre imaginable. The hope is to expose students to many types of texts that are overlooked by most middle school children. Students have a "hunt list." It is called The Reading Questlist. They must read every item on the list, record some information on the attached log, and have a parent sign each entry to verify. Students typically have about a month to complete each quest. The Reading Quest is an adventure game based on students' reading totals for the month. It takes the place of the normal "reading log" and requires students to read across many genres. �Students now have a green Reading Quest Packet. Parents review the boxed "Questlist." These are the texts the students must read. Unlike a normal scavenger hunt where it's okay to skip some items, the Quest requires students to read EVERY ITEM ON THE QUESTLIST. �Students must time their readings and record them (with all requested details) on the Quest Chart. �Parents must sign to verify that each reading has been completed. (Parents, if you want to sign once and initial the others, that's fine.) �Students must total all reading statistics at the end of the packet. �Disclaimer: The Quest is designed to build a student's background knowledge of ALL of their other subjects: math, social studies, science, english, art, health, FACS, etc. Because of this, students cannot use their school textbooks or teacher supplied handouts, articles, packets, or texts of any kind. �Students must hunt each Questlist Item down and read them. What is the Reading Round Table? The Reading Round Table is a literature discussion group made up of students who read and discuss a common text. Each student completes a questionnaire to determine what role he/she will play in the group. Example roles include: Swordbearer, Bard, Pathfinder, and Treasure Hunter. Your child should have a "role card" that explains everything he/she must do to prepare a Task for each Round Table Meeting. My computer. Fairly-Rude-Educational-Device. What are the names of Mr. Batson's books? THE DOOR WITHIN TRILOGY: DW1: The Door Within. (Released to stores in Sept. 2005) DW2: The Rise of the Wyrm Lord (Released to stores in Mar. 2006) DW3: The Final Storm (Released to stores in Aug. 2006) ISLE OF... (Pirate Adventures) Isle of Swords (Spring, 2008) Isle of Fire (Fall, 2008) Curse of the Spider King (Oct. 16th Release Party at Barnes & Noble Long Gate Shopping Center! Yes! All three books of The Door Within Trilogy, as well as, Isle of Swords and Isle of Fire are available at all major bookstores. Please consider checking out the Barnes and Noble Bookstore at Long Gate Shopping Center --OR-- the His Way Bookstore on Route 40 in Ellicott City as they almost always have plenty of my books on hand. If we buy a book, will you sign it? Students bring books in all the time for signatures. I'd be happy to sign any books you get. Also, if you'd like to get books for gifts to friends and family members, I'll sign those also. How long does it take you to write a book? Depending on the length and how busy I am, it takes between 3-6 months to write a book. What's next after the pirate books? I'll be cowriting a two-book fantasy series with author Christopher Hopper. And I'll be beginning a seven-book epic fantasy series on my own as well. Why haven't we seen any graded papers? It could be that your child's particular class hasn't passed any graded papers back. All classes have been taught to get graded papers at the beginning or end of class. Some classes, however, forget to get them themselves. ;-) Why haven't we seen any graded papers (2)? In some cases, like that of the Reading Round Table Projects, they simply take a long time to grade. There are 12 roles in the Reading Round Table (RRT). Each one has its own written task and so, its own method of grading. It takes a minimum of two weeks for me to grade RRT tasks. I feel it is important when a student invests that much effort and creativity that I must grade their work carefully. I prefer to put very personal, specific comments on students' work rather than simple checks or vague "good job" comments. A 3rd reason for missing graded papers might be that your child does not want you to see a low grade. You might want to contact me. Students who are used to easy success in elementary school sometimes don't know what to do when they get a "D" or an "E." They may be afraid to reveal a low grade. What is the Weekly Word and why is it ALWAYS homework? The weekly word is a vocabulary word that will come on the TV during morning announcements on Tuesday and Thursday. You need to make sure you know the word, its meaning, and how to use it in a meaningful sentence. I could quiz you at any time. What is this Knights and Swordmaiden Thing I keep hearing about? Research shows that as students improve in character, they improve their learning habits, and consequently earn higher scores. In an effort to support Folly Quarter's RESPECT policy and Howard County's Student Handbook, I've implemented a system to allow students to become Knights or Swordmaidens. Students complete missions to earn Marks of Virtue points. The points help students to rise in rank on the Knight/Swordmaiden Scale. For more information, ask your child to show you the Knight's and Swordmaiden's Guide. |
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