In addition to the time that your student will spend in the classroom, it is important that there is accountability and communication when the student returns home from school.
While there are several factors that increase the likelihood of student success, one important factor remains the involvement of a parent or guardian in each student’s life. Over the years, I have found that parents and guardians are more likely to be involved when they have a clear and accurate picture as to what is happening in the classroom.
Obviously, you are all busy with the demands of life to follow your children to their classes each day. Not to mention, you may have some upset children if you actually did this. This brings me to the creation of this website.
My hope was that in addition to student access to key materials for each lesson from the comfort of their home, parents and guardians would be able to gain important insight as to what their children are experiencing on a daily basis. Hopefully, we can work together to prepare these kids for current and future success in all areas of their life.
Check this website frequently for new, up to date information regarding your children's classes. In addition, you will find that this particular section of the website will offer various tools for you to use at your disposal including the following: descriptions of activities done in each class, links to websites, downloadable videos and worksheets, research on teaching and learning styles, and more. If there is something that you would like to see added to this section or to somewhere else in the website, please email me and I will see what I can do. I hope you enjoy!
- Mr. Swan
While there are several factors that increase the likelihood of student success, one important factor remains the involvement of a parent or guardian in each student’s life. Over the years, I have found that parents and guardians are more likely to be involved when they have a clear and accurate picture as to what is happening in the classroom.
Obviously, you are all busy with the demands of life to follow your children to their classes each day. Not to mention, you may have some upset children if you actually did this. This brings me to the creation of this website.
My hope was that in addition to student access to key materials for each lesson from the comfort of their home, parents and guardians would be able to gain important insight as to what their children are experiencing on a daily basis. Hopefully, we can work together to prepare these kids for current and future success in all areas of their life.
Check this website frequently for new, up to date information regarding your children's classes. In addition, you will find that this particular section of the website will offer various tools for you to use at your disposal including the following: descriptions of activities done in each class, links to websites, downloadable videos and worksheets, research on teaching and learning styles, and more. If there is something that you would like to see added to this section or to somewhere else in the website, please email me and I will see what I can do. I hope you enjoy!
- Mr. Swan
Weekly Classroom Activities: Reading & Writing Literacy
In an attempt to revitalize our education system, a conscious effort has been made to maximize school instruction time, while incorporating a curriculum designed to increase the emphasis on reading/writing literacy and mathematics. The following activities will occur on a weekly basis:
Free Read Session Beside the fact that students must be reading the entire session, there are no requirements for this session. As long as your reading material is school appropriate, you may read whatever you are interested in reading for that session. There will be no assignment or test on this reading. This time is meant for students to pursue thier reading interests. The idea supports research that students will enjoy reading because they are reading to read. When there is no assignment, test, or other assesment attached to the reading, students will pay more attention to the imaginative enjoyment of what they are reading instead of looking for information to fulfill a requirement. The hope is that students will gain an excitement for reading and pursure reading outside of the classroom. (Routman, Regie. Conversations: Strategies for Teaching, Learning, and Evaluating. New Hampshire: Heinemann, 2000.) Required Reading Session This reading session will consist of assigned reading material that is specific to this class. The material may include assigned chapter books related to health education, professional articles, poetry, editorials, or any other form of literature that is pertinent to our learning objectives. These reading sessions will be followed by some type of assessment. While I am sure the students would prefer the free-read session all the time, it is important for students to learn fundmental concepts of reading and writign structure. This session will give students the time to develop their recognition of important literary concepts that will allow for current and future success in anything that they do, not to mention allow for more enjoyment in their free-read sessions! (Routman, Regie. Conversations: Strategies for Teaching, Learning, and Evaluating. New Hampshire: Heinemann, 2000.) Healthamatics Session During this session students will explore the world of mathematics and how it relates to the field of health and physical education. Using the skill you have gained in your mathematics courses, we will explore real-world applications of those skills, specifically to the health & physical education realm. Anytime you can attach meaning and relavancy to what students are learning in other classes, you increase the learning success rate. A well rounded educational expereince will produce students prepared for new concepts in future learning. Journal Writing Session All students will be required to keep a spiral notebook that will be used throughout the school year for writing activities. Students may keep another form of journal, but it must be approved by Mr. Swan prior to use. Remember the journal may be turned in and kept for several days at a time. Reading and writing go hand-in-hand. They feed off each other. Those who are proficient in reading and writing tend to be very successful in education. In addition, reading, writing, and mathematical skills are a must-have in today's competitive job market. (Routman, Regie. Conversations: Strategies for Teaching, Learning, and Evaluating. New Hampshire: Heinemann, 2000.) |
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Weekly Classroom Activities: Character, Attitude, & Leadership
Good News Wednesday Every Wednesday, students will take turns sharing at least one piece of positive news in their life for that week. This is required, not optional. The Box Students are responsible for recognizing students, staff, and community members who demonstrate high integrity, exceptional character, proper attitude, unselfishness, personal growth, and anything else that is worth recognition. The idea is to give recognition where it is due. Basically, if someone does something exceptional, we want to know about it. A box of entry forms will be kept at the front of the classroom. Students are encouraged to fill out anonymous recognition slips that Mr. Swan will read to every class each Tuesday. If the individual being recognized is not a member of one of Mr. Swan’s classes, a letter detailing the recognition will be hand delivered to that individual that same day. |