Welcome to School

1
Welcome to School

• A Parents Guide To Middle School

2
Is This Your Student?

• My locker has dirty gym socksLast weeks
  assignments crumpled papersBroken
  pencils dirty KleenexesSaxophone reeds apple
  coresRotten banana peels overdue library
  booksAnd a lock that will not open

3
What is the Parents Role in Middle School?

• Neither the student or the teacher can do their
  best without you
• Inspect What WE Expect

4
Five Parts of Cornell Notes

• Header
• Frame
• Left Column
• Right Column
• Reflection (Summary)

5
Header

• Name
• Topic, Assignment or Subject
• Period Number/Class Hour
• Date

Sample Header
Billy Bob Student How to Take Notes Period
2 November 8, 2005
6
Frame

• Horizontal rule below the header
• Vertical Line 1/3 away from left edge
• Horizontal Rule at end of notes to separate for
  Reflection

7
Left Column

• Key Words
• Formulas
• Questions to Ask Teacher
• Possible Test Questions

8
Right Column

• Definitions
• Explanations
• Descriptions
• Graphics
• Timelines
• Any specific detail

9
Reflections

• 2-3 Sentence Summary of class
• 2-3 Sentence discussion as to why the info is
  important or how the student will specifically
  use it
• This is the most important part of the notes-
  this is where the student takes information and
  transfers it into learning

10
When to Do Reflections

• Daily for every class (even if notes are not
  taken)
• At the end of class if time permits
• At home as part of homework
• Good opportunity for student to review class
  materials at end of day
• Establishes a practice of daily homework
• Easy activity for parents to inspect
• Takes 3-5 minutes

11
Cornell Notes Achieve Centurys Goals

• The students who write Reflections can perform up
  to 70 better on standardized tests
• Improves writing
• Improves summarizing and predicting
• Increases students understanding of what they
  are doing and why

12
Binder Organization

• Every Class/Subject Needs a Section
• May use one for everything or one for Core and
  one for Electives
• Each section should be separated by a divider or
  two pocket folder.

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Binder Step 2

• Each section should be Chronological
• All notes, assignments, quizzes, etc. should be
  placed from oldest to newest
• Returned assignments should be filed in the
  binder until the end of the marking period
  (Trimester or Mini)

14
Binder Step 3

• Each section needs a 2 pocket folder
• Homework to be done or to be turned in goes on
  the Left Pocket
• Papers returned by teacher go in the Right Pocket
  until they are filed

15
Binder Step 4

• Supply Bag
• Pens
• Pencils
• Glue Stick
• Eraser
• Markers or Colored Pencils

16
Binder Step 5

• Use plastic protectors on pages that are used
  frequently
• Vocabulary Sheets
• Formula Sheets
• Periodic Table

17
Binder Donts

• No separate binder or folder for homework
• No universal notebook for everything
• No removing of sections to take home for homework
  the binder stays together

18
Agendas

• What goes in the Agenda
• All homework assignments
• All school activities times
• All messages to parents
• All messages to teachers
• After school/evening activities

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Agenda Two

• Prioritize Your Activities
• Urgent A - Must be done or dire consequences
• Medium B Important but not critical
• Low C When you have time

20
Agenda Three

• Track the status of Agenda items
• Item is completed
• Item is delegated to someone else
• Item is canceled or deleted
• Item is move forward to another day

21
Agenda Four

• Parents Review Agenda
• Check items to do
• Check items that are complete

22
Agenda Five

• Agenda Goes To Every Class
• Write Assignments
• Hall Passes
• Keep PBS Card
• Agenda Goes Home Every Night
• Parents to Inspect

23
How to Communicate with Century Staff

• E-mail is best
• Notes through Agenda
• Phone messages Teachers do not have phones in
  their classrooms

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What to Say

• Give the student name (first last)
• State specifically what you need assistance with
  - therefore staff can do appropriate
  research/prep before returning your message
• Please remember there are two sides to every story

25
Focus Ten

• What conversation should you have everyday with
  your student
• When should you have it
• What else should you consider

26
What Do You Say

• Ask specific questions about specific activities
• What types of problems did you work on in Math
  today?
• Did you get your science homework turned in today?

27
Find the right time

• Select a specific time and place to have this
  conversation
• Make the conversation mutually agreeable

28
What Else Do You Consider

• Not confrontational
• Not an inquisition
• Make it positive for both
• Use the Agenda as a documentation tool

29
Congratulations

• You are now ready to deal with the academics of
  middle school
• As for hormones goofy behavior your guess is
  as good as ours.