Finding the Green Grass

We have been discussing the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti and students have been researching an aid organization in order to prepare a persuasive speech for our class.

As we say goodbye to 2009 and get used to writing “2010″ on the tops of our papers, here are some activities we did in class as well as some ideas for discussing with your son or daughter at home.

Happy Old Year  “Those who don’t understand the past are doomed to repeat it.” The beginning of a new year means the end of an old year.  People usually look back at the previous year (last year) and think about the good things and bad things.  It is helpful to reflect on (look at and think about) what you did and what happened in the last twelve months.  Students answered the following questions:

• Compared to the rest of your life, was last year good or bad?
• What do you think was the best thing about last year?
• What do you think was the worst?
• What lessons did you learn from last year?

>> DISCUSS: Ask your son or daughter what they wrote about when they reflected on 2009.

Happy New Year: A new year is a time to make a new start.  We usually think about last year, what we have learned and how we would like to make things better.  Looking at the new year, many people want to make a change in their lives.  People also try to predict (tell the future) about what will happen.

Making resolutions  People who want to change their lives make “New Year’s Resolutions.”  A resolution is a decision.  You decide to do something that is important to you.  It’s like a promise to yourself.   However, change is sometimes difficult.  For example, it’s difficult to stop smoking.  So when New Year’s Day comes, some smokers decide to quit and they make resolutions: “This year I am going to quit smoking.”  But many people make resolutions they can’t keep, and they soon start smoking again.  Why?  Because their resolution is too difficult.  Here’s some advice:  make a resolution that you think you can keep!

Making predictions  It is also fun to try to guess what will happen in the next year.  When you try to tell the future, it is called a prediction.  People use cards or crystal balls to predict what will happen in the new year.  Think about what happened last year and make your guess about next year.

>> DISCUSS: Ask your son or daughter what goals and predictions he or she wrote for 2010.  Do you agree?  What are your resolutions?

Ready to start a new semester and a new calendar year? Clean the sand out of your ears and dust off your agenda. After getting exams back from first semester, consider bringing one of your in-class essays to the Writing Center during flex to figure out those pesky recurring errors. When your grades arrive next week, plan to make goals for yourself for 3Q. Include a goal about vocabulary – spend 10 minutes a day on Freerice.com or add a word-a-day to your daily emails.

Students have two weeks before semester exams and they should be making a plan for how they will prepare.  No one plans to fail, but some students do fail to plan.  Here are a few tips:

1. Know what to expect. If you don’t know what is on the exam and you don’t have a study guide, then ask your teacher.  Classmates can also help to give information about the exam, but they can sometimes be misinformed so make sure you doublecheck with your teacher.  Make sure you think about CONTENT (what you will have to know) as well as TASKS (how you will have to show it).  Will you have to write an essay?  Will you have a lot of short answer questions?  Getting a picture of the exam in your mind will not only help you study but also reduce stress (see also #7)
2. Check the blog. Look at your teacher’s class blog or wiki. There are additional resources which will help you study.
3. Organize your binder. Make sure you have all handouts and previous tests to help you study.
4. Be strategic. Remember that there is a difference between STUDYING and LEARNING. Think about how you learn best and which activities will help you to learn. Make sure you match how you are studying to how you learn, and match your study activities with both the content and tasks you’ll need for your exams.
5. Make a plan. Think about the time you have available: on the bus, after school, during flex, weekends.  Make a specific plan in your agenda or on another place. Tell WHAT you will study, HOW you will do it, and for HOW LONG you will study.
6. Be realistic. Give yourself enough time to get things done when you make your plan. (Don’t schedule yourself for 5 chapters of science during your 20-minute break).
7. Relax. You should take semester exams seriously, but you shouldn’t let fear or stress paralyze you.  When you find yourself starting to worry or panic, get out your plan and remind yourself that if you stick to it, you’ll get everything done.
8. Get some sleep! You have already learned 90% of what you need to know. You should be doing review at this point to help connect and organize what you know. 7-8 hours of sleep will help you to perform at your best.
9. Be positive. If you dread exams as a cruel but legalized form of torture, and think only about how hard it will be and how you are going to fail, you aren’t helping yourself.  Instead, if you think about exams as a chance to shine, to impress, to show what you know and how much you’ve learned, you’ll approach each exam with a better chance of success.  Imagine yourself doing really well and how good it will feel to hand in an exam after you’ve “aced” it.  Then go ahead and make that happen!

Right now 9th graders are in the process of writing many essays: in history, in English, in ESOL. They are learning the essay format as a way to organize and express complex ideas. Students are developing thesis statements in order to analyze such sophisticated topics as: the impact of Shakespeare on modern drama, the role of women as Holocaust survivors, the effectiveness of the Cultural Revolution in advancing the aims of communism in China, the influence of George Orwell’s life on his writing. These are not easy topics to discuss, and students are developing arguments, gathering supporting details and synthesizing evidence to make a coherent essay. These are valuable thinking skills as well as necessary tools for academic success.
Please take a moment to discuss the essays your student is writing and be prepared to listen to some mature thinking.

One of the benefits of students having MacBooks is the variety of language development tools available on the internet. I have explained to students that in addition to regular homework, students should spend at least 15 minutes of practice each day (30 minutes on weekends) practicing reading, speaking, listening or writing. Some new resources from the BBC website have been added to the resource page. Each student has a Language Practice Record in his or her agenda where practice sessions can be recorded. I will check the records each week during our vocabulary test. Thank you for encouraging your son or daughter to make best use of resources.

Students have added specific learning goals for 2nd quarter on their wiki pages. Please ask your son or daughter to share with you her targets for learning in reading, writing, speaking and listening- as well as strategies for how to achieve these goals.

Our next project will be a written review of a restaurant. Students will focus on writing an essay rich with details to support a strong thesis. The essay format is one that students need in both English and history class. Students will practice this format again when writing a book review.

I look forward to seeing you at Parent Conferences on Thursday, Nov 5 and Friday, Nov 6.

It is wonderful that we have such powerful tools for learning available for every 9th and 10th grade student at SAS. As a lifelong Mac user I am thrilled (I remember getting my first Apple computer in 1982, when I was in 9th grade).  I love my MacBook and use it all the time.

However, at school and at home, it is important for students to make sure they are using the right tool for the right job.  A chainsaw isn’t the best choice for slicing an apple.  Likewise, the Macbook can do a lot, but a laptop may not always be the best tool; and on some assignments, it is may be more distracting to use a computer. One option is to make sure there is some time when phones and computers are quietly charging so your child can:

• brainstorm ideas for a paper/project with pencil and paper
• handwrite a first draft
• work on an art journal
• practice an instrument
• read a book
• organize binders and backpack

Another option is for students to turn off the Airport (wireless) connection so internet distractions (chat, surfing, etc.) are not available. Finally, while there are some amazingly realistic and sophisticated games for the MacBook, time spent gaming should be limited and certainly monitored.

I love my MacBook, and I’m using it right now to type this. However, in a little while I’ll close it and pick up a real book – to use a different part of my brain.

Please leave a comment with your opinion or suggestions for healthy integration of the MacBooks into 9th graders’ lives.

The 1st quarter will finish next week and students will bring home grades shortly after that. An ESOL Summary will be sent home for students receiving ESOL support. This will include a narrative comment for each student as well as an indication of how well each student practices the following behaviors to promote learning:

• Actively seeks help from classmates, ESOL or content teacher when needed
• Organizes self, materials, belongings, assignments, schedules
• Uses class time appropriately, stays on task and finishes work on time
• Participates in classroom discussion
• Works well with other students (small groups or pairs)
• Listens to instructions
• Chooses to speak English in classroom settings

Most students can find something in the above list which they can improve. Historically, many 9th grade students get a “wake up call” from 1st quarter report cards and decide to make a change in study habits. With the addition of a new MacBook for each student, a helpful change might be closing the laptop when it is not needed (for example when reading a text or solving math problems). This can reduce unnecessary distractions and help students to focus.

When they are online, please encourage your son or daughter to use the resources listed on this blog or the Academic Literacy wiki to work on vocabulary development, listening skills or reading comprehension.

Please feel free to contact me if you have questions.

Welcome back after October break. I hope your family enjoyed a happy Moon Festival together.

Students who participated in China Alive will need to complete their projects this week in Flex class. Please visit www.chinaalive2009.wikispaces.com for more information.