Highly Suggested Materials for Academic Classes:
English 7 Honors Algebra
* 100 page, wide ruled composition book * 1 ½”, three-ring binder
(At most office and drug stores, $2 at Target and Kroger) * 2-4 dividers for the binder
* 4 AAA Batteries for classroom
graphing calculators
September 8, 2008
Dear Seventh/Eighth Grade Parents/Guardians:
I would like to welcome you and your student to the seventh/eighth grade and introduce myself as your child’s Math and/or Language Arts instructor. My name is Christopher Leland. I have worked as a Farmington teacher for eight years at Power Middle School and was a former student of the district. Currently, I serve as the English/language arts department chairperson. I bring to you and your child a great deal of enthusiasm, consistency, expertise, energy, and kindness. When we all work together (students, teachers, and parents), we will accomplish a great deal this coming school year.
I have high expectations for my students and desire that your son/daughter continue to grow toward becoming a more responsible, reasonable, and respectful citizen. At this turning point in their academic careers entering into their teenage years, I work especially hard to help my students understand that they are responsible for their own learning. This is not to say that Mom or Dad should not ask about daily schoolwork or what was learned at school that day, but avoid the dreaded question, “Do you have any homework?” The inevitable NO is almost always guaranteed.
Instead, ask students WHAT they did in their subjects each day, and have them Show you the lesson and homework descriptions that they copied into their planners during each class period. Require them to SHOW their completed homework and what they added to their Language Arts composition books and Math binders on a daily basis. Ask them to take you to my Teacherweb.com Homework Website (copied in their planners) to confirm the daily homework assignments. Please allow your students to make good decisions for themselves. If poor decisions are made and grades reflect these choices at marking period time, it has been my experience that students themselves will make corrections to live up to the high standards that parents and enthusiastic teachers desire.
This concept also coincides with my basic and long-standing philosophy for student behavior. I only have one classroom rule: You can do anything you want as long as it does not bother anyone else. Realizing that as parents you may have questions about this single rule, I plan to share more at our up-and-coming Open House on Thursday, September 17th from 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM.
Given the tumultuous age of our students, caught between childhood and young adulthood, one major focus for the year will be accepting responsibility and consequences for their choices and behaviors. This lesson takes patience and many mistakes to master. I thank you ahead of time for your support in this endeavor. The growth of students at this age is always fascinating and tremendous, and the benefits may be bountiful if nourished consistently.
Please feel free to contact me by calling school at 888-6174. You may also choose to reach me by email at: Christopher.Leland@farmington.k12.mi.us .
Most Sincerely,
Christopher Leland
Highly Suggested Materials for Academic Classes:
English 7 Honors Algebra
* 100 page, wide ruled composition book * 1 ½”, three-ring binder
(At most office and drug stores, $2 at Target and Kroger) * 2-4 dividers for the binder
* 4 AAA Batteries for classroom
graphing calculators