Curriculum Night Hand Out

Mr. Jonathan L. Chappell

8th Grade Language Arts, Derby Middle School

LOCATION:                   
Derby Middle School, Room 205

BEST WAY TO CONTACT:
email:  jchappell@birmingham.k12.mi.us 
I try to respond to emails within one business day.

POWERSCHOOL:
https://www.birmingham.k12.mi.us/domain/54
Until the end of the quarter, Powerschool only gives a snapshot of how a student is doing in class at any given time.  At the beginning of the quarter grades may shift dramatically until more data is entered.

CLASSROOM BLOG:       
http://mostexcellentstudents.blogspot.com/
This blog serves as a portal for board notes, lessons, upcoming deadlines, downloadable study guides, important links, and information worth sharing with students and parents.


TEACHING PHILOSOPHY / PEDAGOGY:

GRADES VS. LEARNING.
The correlation between learning and grades is complex.  Everyone wants their child to learn to succeed, but also to be challenged.  Not all students who get “As” are maximizing their learning, just as some students who show the most growth can get “Bs” or “Cs.”  Success for different children can’t all be measured by the same yardstick -- it might look differently from one student to the next because each child is unique. My goal is for every student to learn as much as possible, and to help my students gain the skills necessary for high school.

THE IMPORTANCE OF FAILURE.
Unfortunately, students sometimes learn the most through struggle and occasional failure.  That’s okay.  We can’t encourage our students to become comfortable with taking risks without also teaching them to be comfortable with making mistakes.  Sometimes, we learn the most from our biggest mistakes, and those important life lessons later help us to succeed.  We also learn to become more resilient and less emotionally fragile.  As Will Smith says, “Fail early.  Fail often. Fail forward.”

SELF-ADVOCACY.
If a student encounters an issue resulting in the parent and the teacher working to resolve it, the most important person – the student – is missing out on a chance to develop the necessary life skill of becoming a self-advocate.  If a question or issue arises, please encourage your child to first “talk to the teacher” via email or face-to-face.  While I welcome parent communication, I know that speaking up for oneself is a key to independence and confidence.  If the first attempt fails, then the parent is welcome to email me.

HIGH EXPECTATIONS IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.
All of the students in my care will be held to high expectations, will be challenged, and will be made to feel that they are in a safe learning environment with a teacher who truly cares about them.  Absolutely.


QUESTION #1:  Why is there such an emphasis on "Daily Sentence Composing?"

Sentences are the Lego bricks of all writing.  By practicing deep sentence composing and grammar every day, students are inspired by the craft of real writing from real authors in the real world.  Students are engaged in a manner that makes them more thoughtful and deliberate with their writing.  The foundational skills of spelling, punctuation, grammar, usage and mechanics practiced every day this year will provide a lifetime of benefits.  Plus it’s fun because students get to be creative and express themselves!


QUESTION #2:  What is “Mindful Reading?”

Mindful reading is protected weekly reading time where students self-select a novel and read just for pleasure -- without the burden of filling out logs, gathering vocabulary lists, or answering comprehension questions.  Students will be practicing the ability to have sustained focus, to be present in the moment, to self-regulate their own concentration, and to practice metacognition (or “to think about their own thinking”).  The lesson will begin with a short discussion about practicing mindfulness and end with a “Clock Buddies” pair-share, where students will discuss what they read with different partners.


QUESTION #3:  What is “Flex Friday?”

Flex Friday is an opportunity for students to get 1-on-1 or small group support from the teacher, to work collaboratively with their peers, to make up any missing work or missed assessments, and to play catch up in a quiet, supportive atmosphere.  In a world of over-structured young people with packed schedules, Flex Friday allows students time to decompress and to stay on top of their responsibilities without getting stressed out. Students may earn access to technology only if it is used for school.