Teachers of seventh graders can tell it's third quarter. Motivation is draining, we need more sunshine, and some students suddenly think thinking is difficult. I, personally, will keep sharing our reasons WHY for our lessons, and we'll keep taking deep breaths as we head into spring (before we know it).
Our science fiction book clubs are coming along! Students should be a teeny bit more than halfway done with their books by the time we return on Tuesday. At first we heard some, "I don't like science fiction!" And now we're hearing some, "This is a good book!" The seventh grade ELA teachers read a ton of books, and we really tried to choose books that would win over students who love to say, "I don't like to read." I've switched my question from, "Is it a good book?" to "Is it a good story?" Book clubs are a struggle for some students who aren't used to reading their 20 minutes a night (on average) at home. Hopefully the motivation of being able to discuss it with their group is motivation enough to keep up the pace (one month for a book is within range for all students).
Please ask your children about their books they chose. You might want to read what they're reading, so you can have deeper conversations about the books! This 2020 we've been reading heavy, and we hope to dive more into writing once again soon. The ELA department is trying to figure out how to mesh the writing units with the reading units. It's a constant challenge, as our curriculum has been in flux the past few years. We'll always be tweaking it, I'm sure!
Please note: As March is coming soon, so are the IAR tests. We do not "prepare" students specifically for these tests. What we do in class reflects much of what they'll be tested on, however. We try different types of questions they ask, and we focus on going back into the text for support in all we do. The IAR test (like most standardized tests) is often a test of stamina, so reading 20 min/night on average at home will be a huge benefit for students.
Further Reading: Demystifying the Adolescent Brain
Our science fiction book clubs are coming along! Students should be a teeny bit more than halfway done with their books by the time we return on Tuesday. At first we heard some, "I don't like science fiction!" And now we're hearing some, "This is a good book!" The seventh grade ELA teachers read a ton of books, and we really tried to choose books that would win over students who love to say, "I don't like to read." I've switched my question from, "Is it a good book?" to "Is it a good story?" Book clubs are a struggle for some students who aren't used to reading their 20 minutes a night (on average) at home. Hopefully the motivation of being able to discuss it with their group is motivation enough to keep up the pace (one month for a book is within range for all students).
Please ask your children about their books they chose. You might want to read what they're reading, so you can have deeper conversations about the books! This 2020 we've been reading heavy, and we hope to dive more into writing once again soon. The ELA department is trying to figure out how to mesh the writing units with the reading units. It's a constant challenge, as our curriculum has been in flux the past few years. We'll always be tweaking it, I'm sure!
Please note: As March is coming soon, so are the IAR tests. We do not "prepare" students specifically for these tests. What we do in class reflects much of what they'll be tested on, however. We try different types of questions they ask, and we focus on going back into the text for support in all we do. The IAR test (like most standardized tests) is often a test of stamina, so reading 20 min/night on average at home will be a huge benefit for students.
Further Reading: Demystifying the Adolescent Brain