Dear Students and Parents,
I would like to start off by saying that I am very excited to by your child’s English teacher this year. I hope we can work together to make it a successful one!!
One of the best ways to improve English skills is to read often and to discuss what you are reading. Good readers are good writers. Reading a variety of books helps improve fluency, spelling, and expands your understanding of the world around you.
In English the students will follow the curriculum based on the balanced literacy framework, which uses an integrated approach to teaching language arts. This fall, students will be studying poetry, deconstructing texts, studying the main idea and working to improve their spelling and grammar skills. Students will discuss and examine how they communicate in the world around them and will critically examine media forms. The students will also be participating in the Comprehension Attitude Strategies Interests (CASI) and other baseline diagnostic testing. CASI is a reading assessment tool used by the OCDSB to support English teachers with their programming. While the students in the three English classes I teach will be working on the same themes of study, please rest assured that the texts and assignments will reflect what is appropriate for the student’s grade level.
I want the students to be successful; being successful can mean different things to different people. It is important to set goals for yourself and work to the best of your ability to meet those goals. This means taking responsibility for your English work and asking for support and help when you need it. I have the following expectations of my students, these expectations will help the students to develop the skills the need to become successful.
Expectations
v Students will come to class prepared with books, homework and materials.
v Students will work to the best of their abilities and complete assigned work on time. If a student is absent s/he will check with a classmate or Ms. Barrett to see what was missed.
v If a student is unsuccessful with an assignment, s/he may resubmit the work with Ms. Barrett’s approval. Students must go and speak with Ms. Barrett to see how s/he can improve my mark.
v Students will actively participate in class and ensure that s/he respects the opinions and ideas of others.
v Students will have tests, quizzes and assignments signed by a parent. All marked and signed work needs to be kept in the student’s English binder.
v Students will respect deadlines! If a student is having trouble keeping to a deadline the student will meet with Ms. Barrett to inform her of the situation.
v Students will come in for extra help if s/he needs it.
Communication between the home and school is an integral part of the education process. There are several ways of doing this (i.e. telephone, email, note, student planner and meetings.) My email address is Christine.Barrett@OCDSB.ca and the school telephone number is 613-731-4928. Fielding is moving towards becoming more eco-friendly, one in which the staff and students are conserving energy and paper. With this in mind I will send further newsletters and weekly “This week in English” updates via email for those parents who provide the school with an email address.
Sincerely,
Christine Barrett
EFTI Fielding Drive Public School
