Hello parents!
I apologize for the slow communication this week. I have been completely overwhelmed with the volume of student work that has been turned in. For most students, this is an excellent indicator of work and progress. Because of the high volume of homework that has been turned in, I have not had a chance to update all of your students' grades. The grade on RDS is not currently correct. I will have all of the student work graded and input into RDS by Sunday evening. Starting later this weekend, I will start making phone calls home for those students who are not performing at their ability level. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call me or e-mail me at any time. Your children are important to me and I want to help them be as successful as possible.
Furthermore, I have shared with your students that I am available everyday before school from 7:00 - 7:50 AM and during their lunch period for extra/one-on-one help. Please encourage them to take advantage of those times for additional help if they are struggling.
Other important announcements from this week:
-The African American Choral Ensemble will be featuring Brandon Lee Sears and Nate Bean, at the "Back Together Again" workshop and concert. The workshop will be held at Zion Missionary Baptist Church on Jan. 26-27 at 6:00 pm and New Hope Missionary Baptist church on Jan. 28 at 2:00 pm. The concert will be Jan. 29th at 5:00 pm at the New Hope Baptist Church.
-Students interested in Teenpower should pick up an application in the office and return to Mrs. Seitz or Ms. Schmidt.
-Once again this summer, the Southern Indiana Career and Technical Center will be offering the opportunity for area 7th and 8th grade students to participate in the 2012 iEngineering 2.0 Summer Experience. This experience is a two week, half day summer engineering program that is a hands-on initiative that focuses on topics related to engineering, manufacturing and architecture. To have parents\students register, please have them visit our website, www.sictc.com and click on the 'iEngineering' link at the top of the screen. Space is limited and the deadline for registration is April 9, 2012. We have a pamphlet in the office if you need more information.
-Students selling spaghetti dinner tickets for the DC Trip 2013 should turn in order forms by FEBRUARY 10!!
Next week, we will be testing on the information that your children have learned over the course of the past three weeks and we will begin a new unit on Wednesday. :)
As always, have a great weekend and contact me with any suggestions, concerns, or questions.
Keshia Seitz
Friday, January 27, 2012
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Good morning!
Today your students will be learning about how to use an interactive online Web 2.0 Tools called Glogster. Glogster is used to create posters and other interactive presentations online. It is free and easy to use :)
We are continuing our learning journey about the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Today I will also be showing your students how to check their Angel accounts for feedback on their homework assignments. Hopefully your students will share this information with you as well.
Just as a "heads up", your students will have a substitute tomorrow. I will be out of the school building attending a professional development session about flipped classroom (this model of instruction). Please feel free to contact me if you have questions or concerns. As such, your students will have a work day in class tomorrow.
Announcements:
-Any student interested in joining the Academic Super Bowl Team, will meet in room 6 after school on Friday the 20th from 3-4pm.
-Students interested in TEENPOWER should pick up an application in the office.
-Students interested in the Washington, D.C. Trip should contact Mrs. Seitz for more information.
-At McGary Middle School, we are developing 21st century thinkers and problem-solvers!
Keshia Seitz
Today your students will be learning about how to use an interactive online Web 2.0 Tools called Glogster. Glogster is used to create posters and other interactive presentations online. It is free and easy to use :)
We are continuing our learning journey about the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Today I will also be showing your students how to check their Angel accounts for feedback on their homework assignments. Hopefully your students will share this information with you as well.
Just as a "heads up", your students will have a substitute tomorrow. I will be out of the school building attending a professional development session about flipped classroom (this model of instruction). Please feel free to contact me if you have questions or concerns. As such, your students will have a work day in class tomorrow.
Announcements:
-Any student interested in joining the Academic Super Bowl Team, will meet in room 6 after school on Friday the 20th from 3-4pm.
-Students interested in TEENPOWER should pick up an application in the office.
-Students interested in the Washington, D.C. Trip should contact Mrs. Seitz for more information.
-At McGary Middle School, we are developing 21st century thinkers and problem-solvers!
Keshia Seitz
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Tuesday, January 17
Hello parents!
Today your students started a unit of study on the Lewis and Clark Expedition. For homework, they have to complete parts 1-3 of the lecture. The Check Your Understanding questions that correspond to this lecture are due on Friday in the appropriate dropbox on Angel. Your students were also provided with an extra credit opporunity and their TIPS assignment for the week is already posted on Angel as well (both due Monday 1/23). It seems that many of your students are loving this new model of instruction. Please continue to provide me with feedback as to your perspective as parents. :)
By popular request, I will now be posting the daily announcements to help you stay aware of things that are going on at school...
-Students interested in TEENPOWER should pick up an application in the office. Applications are due February 1, 2012 to Mrs. Seitz or Mrs. Schmidt.
-Students interested in going on the Washington, D.C. 2013 trip should see Mrs. Seitz in Room 5.
-Remember, in most public places, it is best to remove your cap or hat when indoors. Removing your cap or hat is a sign of respect and good manners. When inside at a school event (such as a play, choral program, etc.) the removal of your cap or hat exhibits respect for those performing. When attending a patriotic ceremony, the removal of your cap or hat shows respect for our country.
Let's have a good week, Pioneers! :)
Keshia Seitz
Today your students started a unit of study on the Lewis and Clark Expedition. For homework, they have to complete parts 1-3 of the lecture. The Check Your Understanding questions that correspond to this lecture are due on Friday in the appropriate dropbox on Angel. Your students were also provided with an extra credit opporunity and their TIPS assignment for the week is already posted on Angel as well (both due Monday 1/23). It seems that many of your students are loving this new model of instruction. Please continue to provide me with feedback as to your perspective as parents. :)
By popular request, I will now be posting the daily announcements to help you stay aware of things that are going on at school...
-Students interested in TEENPOWER should pick up an application in the office. Applications are due February 1, 2012 to Mrs. Seitz or Mrs. Schmidt.
-Students interested in going on the Washington, D.C. 2013 trip should see Mrs. Seitz in Room 5.
-Remember, in most public places, it is best to remove your cap or hat when indoors. Removing your cap or hat is a sign of respect and good manners. When inside at a school event (such as a play, choral program, etc.) the removal of your cap or hat exhibits respect for those performing. When attending a patriotic ceremony, the removal of your cap or hat shows respect for our country.
Let's have a good week, Pioneers! :)
Keshia Seitz
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Catching Up :)
Hello parents!
This week has been a learning experience for your students and for me as well! We have spent the majority of the week learning how to use the Angel course management system and how to download lectures, etc. Almost all of their work this week was completed in class. I wanted to make sure that your students understood how to access the homework. We also went over expectations and academic standards that relate to the content we are discussing in class.
We are currently talking about the Jefferson Era. By the end of the week, your students should have completed lecture #1 (and the corresponding "Check Your Understanding" Questions) and the Wordle in-class activity. By Monday, your students should have completed the TIPS assignment with you! :)
Keshia
This week has been a learning experience for your students and for me as well! We have spent the majority of the week learning how to use the Angel course management system and how to download lectures, etc. Almost all of their work this week was completed in class. I wanted to make sure that your students understood how to access the homework. We also went over expectations and academic standards that relate to the content we are discussing in class.
We are currently talking about the Jefferson Era. By the end of the week, your students should have completed lecture #1 (and the corresponding "Check Your Understanding" Questions) and the Wordle in-class activity. By Monday, your students should have completed the TIPS assignment with you! :)
Keshia
Monday, January 9, 2012
A Case of the Mondays...
Welcome back to the parents' blog! Today your students and I had a good time working with a new emerging technology called Wordle. Wordle is a free and easy-to-use web-based tech tool that students can use to create digital representations of the content that they are learning in their classes. This is great for presentations and for studying and identifying main ideas from the text/lecture.
As you know, we are all new to the flipped classroom model of instruction. I spent a large portion of the day explaining how the new course will operate and showing students where to find their assignments on Angel. However, when students tried to download their homework lecture, the audio in power-point does not work on their netbooks. I am currently working on fixing this tech glitch, and the lecture will be posted tomorrow for your students in the form of a podcast to accompany a power-point with notes. For the most part, your children reacted well and adapted very quickly.
Your student does have access to their first TIPS assignment on ANGEL. They were instructed to try to work on this with you tonight. If you have any problems, please e-mail me and I would be happy to assist with the process. The TIPS Assignment is due next Monday in the dropbox on Angel.
Also, I have posted an extra credit opportunity for the students to participate in. This is also due next Monday and is obviously optional.
Keshia
As you know, we are all new to the flipped classroom model of instruction. I spent a large portion of the day explaining how the new course will operate and showing students where to find their assignments on Angel. However, when students tried to download their homework lecture, the audio in power-point does not work on their netbooks. I am currently working on fixing this tech glitch, and the lecture will be posted tomorrow for your students in the form of a podcast to accompany a power-point with notes. For the most part, your children reacted well and adapted very quickly.
Your student does have access to their first TIPS assignment on ANGEL. They were instructed to try to work on this with you tonight. If you have any problems, please e-mail me and I would be happy to assist with the process. The TIPS Assignment is due next Monday in the dropbox on Angel.
Also, I have posted an extra credit opportunity for the students to participate in. This is also due next Monday and is obviously optional.
Keshia
Friday, January 6, 2012
Creativity
If you have a chance, check out this interesting video by Steven Johnson. Steven Johnson talks about concerns that our students are too "plugged in" or dependent on the internet. He asserts that the internet is influential in allowing our students to develop brilliant ideas. If you watch this, let me know what you think by commenting below! :)
End of Week 1
Hello 8th Grade Parents! First of all, I apologize for not blogging last night. However, your students continued presenting their school improvement projects yesterday and continued with the connecting activity called "About My Classmate..." For this activity, students were asked to interview a classmate that they didn't know very much about. Then, the students were instructed to record their classmate's answers to the interview questions in a word document format. After gathering responses to all of the questions, the students were provided with a link to the class Google Document Presentation. Each student used the information that they gathered to create a power-point slide about their classmate. The students really had fun working on this presentation! We finished the week out with this activity. I am excited to start grading these collaborative projects.
Also, Junior Achievement will be coming into the 8th grade classrooms next week and discussing with your child the career options and pathways that are available to them. A permission slip was sent home with your child yesterday. Please ask your child about this and have your child return a signed copy as soon as possible. Junior Achievement will come back on February 17 and take our students on job shadowing experiences (with your permission, of course)!
We are also having a parent meeting on Thursday, January 12 at 5:30 p.m. in the cafeteria regarding the option that you have to send your students to Washington, D.C. over Spring Break in 2013. We are at the initial stages of this project, so it is not too late to get involved. Parents are welcome to come on the trip as well! Please call me or e-mail me if you want to know more about this trip but are unable to attend the meeting.
I hope that you all have an enjoyable weekend with your students! I'll look forward to seeing them again on Monday! :)
Also, Junior Achievement will be coming into the 8th grade classrooms next week and discussing with your child the career options and pathways that are available to them. A permission slip was sent home with your child yesterday. Please ask your child about this and have your child return a signed copy as soon as possible. Junior Achievement will come back on February 17 and take our students on job shadowing experiences (with your permission, of course)!
We are also having a parent meeting on Thursday, January 12 at 5:30 p.m. in the cafeteria regarding the option that you have to send your students to Washington, D.C. over Spring Break in 2013. We are at the initial stages of this project, so it is not too late to get involved. Parents are welcome to come on the trip as well! Please call me or e-mail me if you want to know more about this trip but are unable to attend the meeting.
I hope that you all have an enjoyable weekend with your students! I'll look forward to seeing them again on Monday! :)
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
School Improvement Projects
Well, we're starting to get back into the swing of things! Today 8th grade students presented their School Improvement Projects before a panel of judges comprised of a professional member of the financial community, a member of administration at McGary Middle School, and myself. Students worked on these presentations for a week before Christmas Break. They were instructed to identify a problem in their community/at McGary Middle School and present an action plan for how they wanted to solve the problem. Overall, students took this project very seriously and were excited about the potential to make a difference in their world/school. I was extremely proud of their efforts and presentations. I have tallied the results and I will post the presentations of the top three proposals once I have permission slips signed from all of their parents. The projects will go to student council sometime within the next couple of weeks for evaluation. I am excited to see what our 8th Grade project will be!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
First Day Back
Whew... Christmas Break flew by! It was great to see the students back at school today. I had definitely missed them over Christmas Break. It was exciting to get to see and hear about the students' adventures outside of school.
Today was a day to "get back in the groove" of school. In my class, your students spent the first part of their period "reconnecting" with each other and with me. The purpose of reconnecting is simply to "break the ice" and get comfortable in the learning environment again in the classroom. We shared about what we did over break, what we got for Christmas, and our favorite sports/activities/clubs. I learned many interesting things about your students and their favorite past times and activities. This information will help me when I plan for future lessons. I love to tie in relevant student interests into the curriculum whenever possible!
Students did not have any homework in my class today because we spent the majority of class getting new seating arrangements, behavior charts, and a parent letter to take home to you. Each of your students was sent home with a parent letter. Please sign and return the back page as soon as possible with your student. Many of your children might have mentioned the new seating arrangement in my classroom. Students are now sitting with their desks in "pods" (AKA groups of four). Your child has been assigned a seat specifically so that their learning can be scaffolded in those groups. The purpose of the group seating arrangement is to encourage collaborative work and exchange of ideas in the classroom. In addition to the seating arrangement, we also added a new behavior plan to increase the amount of on-task student time in the classroom. Students have been challenged to work together to be in their seats and quiet and ready to learn when the bell rings. If the class can successfully accomplish this task for 10 days in a row, they will be rewarded with a snack party. for this first challenge, I have promised each class a donut party when they achieve their goal.
Additionally, students were given approximately 20 minutes of the class period to finish working in their groups on their "School Improvement Plan" Projects. Students started working on these before Christmas Break. Tomorrow, students will be presenting their final plans to a panel of impartial community judges. The judges will pick the top 3 projects. The top 3 projects will then be presented to student council and the student council will decide which one of the three should be implemented at McGary, if possible. From there, our 8th graders will work on this project and work to make this plan a reality. Ideally, this plan will serve as the 8th grade project, with a focus on leaving their legacy at McGary Middle School (leaving the school a better place). I will post the top 3 projects on the blog for you to see after they are chosen! Civic engagement and participation is something that I am extremely passionate about. I would love to inspire our posterity to understand the importance of civic virtue and responsibility.
Overall, it was a great first day back to school with the students! I am looking forward to a great semester with your children! :)
Today was a day to "get back in the groove" of school. In my class, your students spent the first part of their period "reconnecting" with each other and with me. The purpose of reconnecting is simply to "break the ice" and get comfortable in the learning environment again in the classroom. We shared about what we did over break, what we got for Christmas, and our favorite sports/activities/clubs. I learned many interesting things about your students and their favorite past times and activities. This information will help me when I plan for future lessons. I love to tie in relevant student interests into the curriculum whenever possible!
Students did not have any homework in my class today because we spent the majority of class getting new seating arrangements, behavior charts, and a parent letter to take home to you. Each of your students was sent home with a parent letter. Please sign and return the back page as soon as possible with your student. Many of your children might have mentioned the new seating arrangement in my classroom. Students are now sitting with their desks in "pods" (AKA groups of four). Your child has been assigned a seat specifically so that their learning can be scaffolded in those groups. The purpose of the group seating arrangement is to encourage collaborative work and exchange of ideas in the classroom. In addition to the seating arrangement, we also added a new behavior plan to increase the amount of on-task student time in the classroom. Students have been challenged to work together to be in their seats and quiet and ready to learn when the bell rings. If the class can successfully accomplish this task for 10 days in a row, they will be rewarded with a snack party. for this first challenge, I have promised each class a donut party when they achieve their goal.
Additionally, students were given approximately 20 minutes of the class period to finish working in their groups on their "School Improvement Plan" Projects. Students started working on these before Christmas Break. Tomorrow, students will be presenting their final plans to a panel of impartial community judges. The judges will pick the top 3 projects. The top 3 projects will then be presented to student council and the student council will decide which one of the three should be implemented at McGary, if possible. From there, our 8th graders will work on this project and work to make this plan a reality. Ideally, this plan will serve as the 8th grade project, with a focus on leaving their legacy at McGary Middle School (leaving the school a better place). I will post the top 3 projects on the blog for you to see after they are chosen! Civic engagement and participation is something that I am extremely passionate about. I would love to inspire our posterity to understand the importance of civic virtue and responsibility.
Overall, it was a great first day back to school with the students! I am looking forward to a great semester with your children! :)
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