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- How to contact Mrs. Biasotti.
- How can I help my child if I don't speak Italian?
- When is extra help available?
- What is the grading policy?
- Is there homework tonight?
- How can I earn "extra credit" ?
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How to contact Mrs. Biasotti.
Mrs. Tory Biasotti
Arlington High School
1157 Route 55
LaGrangeville, NY 12540
tbiasotti@acsdny.org
845-486-4860
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How can I help my child if I don't speak Italian?
“How can I help my child even if I don’t speak Italian?”
This is a very frequently asked question every year at open house. You know
your child best and not all of these suggestions will work well with every
child, but maybe a few will help a little!!
This is a tough age and a tough transition for the kids and for you as
parents. It’s a fine line between being interested and “always in my
business”! Please know that I am here to help any way I can.
Here are some of my suggestions:
1. Communicate and ask questions. Encourage the use of his/her daily
planner to keep track of assignments. Some kids may still need you to check
it or even have it signed. (Yes, really…)
2. Please ask to see his/her 3-ring binder. This is the required notebook
for this class. PLEASE encourage (nag) him/her to keep it neat, labeled,
dated, and organized.
3. Ask to see grades. ALL graded evaluations will be sent home for you to
sign and return to me. If you haven’t seen one in a while, try to remember
to
ask your child.
4. Make sure your child keeps track of his/her text book and dictionary.
If you don’t have a dictionary soon, please try to get one soon. (Try the
internet if the stores are out… Walmart.com is cheap) Please make sure there
is a protective cover on the text book as they are very expensive.
5. Please keep your child supplied with paper for the binder, writing
utensils and basic craft supplies for occasional projects. Construction
paper
and markers… nothing major.
6. Encourage your child to meet with me after school if he/she is
struggling. Anything below a 75 now when we’re doing mostly review could be
a
sign of problems to come as the level of difficulty increases. I am here
EVERY day after school until 3:00 at the earliest… usually it’s more like
3:30 or so. I just need a little advance warning so I know to be in the
classroom and not in the copy room.
7. Pay attention to how your child is studying. Is it active or passive?
Is he/she barely looking at the words on the page… this is probably not
enough for most students. Get as many body parts involved in the learning
process as possible because this get more parts of your brain involved!!
He/she should be writing out vocabulary and verb conjugations, making flash
cards, lists, and charts. Say whatever needs to be memorized out loud… to a
beat or rhythm is sometimes helpful. Find patterns and similarities to words
or expressions they already know. Make as many connections as possible in
those brain cells!!!
8. Ask your child to “teach” you or a younger sibling perhaps. It will
reinforce what they are doing in class and perhaps even be fun.
9. Do you have internet access? Maybe you could “surf the web” for
Italian
sites to share with your child. (About.com is a great place to start.)
10. Maybe you could have a “foreign film” night… rent an Italian movie
and
make/ order some Italian food and get the whole family involved!
Please contact me with your concerns… and even let them know that we do
speak… it might keep them on the ball!
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When is extra help available?
After school sessions
1. Upon request of the student(s): for additional help at a time
mutually agreeable to both student(s) and teacher.
2. When required by the teacher: for the student to make up an exam or
work missed due to absence.
3. Detention: when assigned by teacher as punishment for improper
conduct.
I am more than willing to meet after school with any student who is caught
up on all homework, behaves well in class, but is still in need of a little
extra support or reinforcement. I stay after school every day. Some days I
might only be available for 20 to 30 minutes, other days it’s longer. Please
take advantage of this BEFORE things get too far ahead of you!
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What is the grading policy?
Tests, quizzes, homework, attendance, class participation, oral
presentations and projects will all be considered when calculating a
student’s average.
All grades will be given in the form of a fraction; i.e. 25/30. The top
number is the number of points received, and the bottom number is the number
of points possible for the particular grade. The more material covered by an
evaluation, the more points it will be worth. Homework assignments are worth
two points each and will be tallied and averaged in like a test. The final
average will be computed by adding each of the four marking period’s grades
and the final exam grade, then dividing by five.
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Is there homework tonight?
Homework policy:
Homework is essential to the learning and memorization process. It is one
way to practice and perfect the material presented in class. There will be
an average of three written assignments per week which will be checked
regularly, and sometimes collected. Answers to homework must be written out
in complete sentences for full credit unless otherwise directed.
Each homework is worth 2 points.
There are two standing homework assignments for all returned tests and
quizzes. 1)A parent must review and sign the grade and have your child
return it to class for one point. 2)Students will be required to make
corrections on all tests and quizzes so they learn from their mistakes.This
is worth 2 points. Homework points will be included in the quarter’s
average.
There will be a standing assignment to review notes, grammar and vocabulary
every night.
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How can I earn "extra credit" ?
Periodically and at the discretion of the teacher, students will be offered
opportunities to remediate a poor grade. This may include staying after for
extra help sessions and then taking a new version of the grade in question.
Additional opportunities may include making the necessary corrections as
prescribed in the homework policy and choosing the lowest one or two (as my
time permits) to earn partial credit back... up to half of the original
points lost. These options will be available to students in "good standing"
only meaning they have done all homework and taken all the notes in class
AND have already shown the original grade to a parent as evidenced by the
required signature.
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