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Sunday, April 28, 2013

So close but so much left to do!

Yes, the end of the school year is in sight. That DOES NOT mean we will be staring at the finish line in B08. With a baby due, (anytime towards the end of the year) I have done a pretty hefty job of planning for all the classes! This means I have a calendar for each class that literally tells what we will be doing each day up until finals, the calendars even have graduation labeled!

During my time as a student I hated this time of year, all I wanted to do was hold onto the good grades and play in the summer sun. (NOTE: My last day of school was always in the MIDDLE of June...so with the school year ending before Memorial Day at Bluffton-Harrison Metropolitan School District I can't see many people wanting to lay out and go to the pool that early with it being so cold still.)

We even talked about how to engage your students towards the end of the school year while in the College of Education at Purdue University. The top three things we came up with then, with the help of USNews, are as follows:

1. Save the fun stuff for spring. 
In each class the things that students have talked about loving in the curriculum are finding their place. In English 11 we finish the hard Research Project and read Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. We read it out loud with voices and enjoy discussion rather than tons of quizzes. In English 12 there will be a personal project looking back on the past and making an iMovie! Last but not least we have Speech, they will be doing their last speech on topics that they feel are important, thus creating a confident class.

2. Give students a choice.
I have rules in my classroom, as any teacher, but I do begin to allow students to monitor themselves with independent projects. This gives them the choice to work hard for a few days, then take a break. I really think this tests the maturity of many students and prepares them for the next grade, or for the seniors, it prepares them for life.

3. Enjoy the 'warmer' weather. 
I plan to have at least one class outside for each course before the end of the school year. It isn't really that warm out BUT it is no longer deep freeze Indiana winter. This will be a reward for all the hard work as the year ends!


Below I have each calendar for each course. Parents, please look at what is due and what we will be doing! This is great way to keep your child on task at home as well as in the classroom.





Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Happenings around B-08


Good morning all!

This week has been a busy one so far, and it is only Wednesday! We found out all the end of the year information/schedules during a staff meeting (see picture below for more details) and each class seems to be in the midst of working hard!



English 11: We are in the middle of To Kill a Mockingbird and finishing up grammar lessons for the year. The next big things are MLA review and Research Project! The small class is moving right along and I am enjoying all the one-on-one work time I have for this class. 

English 12: Students are reading Angels and Demons as an independent read outside of class and we are just starting our quizzes checking for reading. We are also finishing up in class work on Canterbury Tales and will begin Shakespeare's shortest tragedy, Macbeth on Friday! We clearly like to read in English 12!



Speech: Yesterday was the first day of our first round of speeches! The Speech of Introduction is going so well! I was pleasantly surprised when all the students were prepared and ready for their time at the podium! We will breeze through chapter 3&4 and start on our next speech end of this week/beginning of next week. Keep up the good work and remember to check the website for helpful links and review. 



Wednesday, April 3, 2013

TDC Commercial and Charity Information



Come support these ladies this Saturday! See you there.
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