Hello to EVERYONE!
I am so excited to be teaching 8th grade this year.
First let me tell all of my students that I look forward to seeing you in class and having the opportunity to share some exciting science with you. This is the year that I want you to learn from and with me. I will be calling upon your expertise in technology to try to do the best job as a teacher of the 21st century. Each and every one of you makes observations of our macro society and our micro society and as you bring your experiences into class you are adding to all of our knowledge. Some of you are world travelers and have significant observations to share with all of us as we connect our learning to our world community. We will be working as a community of learners to learn from and with each other. This means that I won't be the sage on the stage all of the time - I will be the guide on the side so that you chart your course for the educational journey we will embark upon this week. There are a lot of changes for you to prepare for this year. No, science projects are not one of the changes- you will do one so start thinking of an excellent question to ask yourself. Back to changes: Science FCAT is a reality. You will take it. You will also take a Science EOC along with all other subject area EOCs. There have been district changes to the grade recovery policy- when it's time to discuss that you will want to listen carefully. Hopefully, you will never need grade recovery in my class. The best way to avoid it is to do your assignments, learn the material, and demonstrate your learning through assessments. Come prepared with your basic supplies the first day. You will be starting your Interactive Science Notebook on day 1. You'll need a composition book for that. On Day 2 I expect you to do a lab, so you will need your safety contracts (2 copies) signed and you will need to wear appropriate shoes and clothes.
Secondly, if you only had me for Team Time in 6th then I am very excited to have you in class. I will get to know you academically. If you had Mrs. H. in 6th then you had some very similar experiences in science and learned the same concepts. We just teach a little differently. You'll see.
In conclusion, I am thrilled to have this amazing opportunity to reconnect with some former students and to be amazed at how you've grown: educationally, experientially, and physically. No, I haven't shrunk... a lot of you have grown.
This will be a growth year for everyone. I anticipate we will all have growing pains. Students, if you feel that you aren't achieving to the level you expect, or you need some extra help, or you just don't understand something but you don't want to talk to me in front of all of your classmates why not either write me a note or send me an e-mail. Since you are in eighth grade you are responsible for taking care of you. I won't know what you need if you tell everyone except me. If I don't know your needs, how can I help YOU? That's what I'm here for to help YOU to grow educationally. So, I have homework to get ready for Monday. Enjoy your last day or two of no science homework, because it starts on Day 1.
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