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McDonald
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Language Arts 8

Bill McDonald

bill_mcdonald@ddsd40.org

Course Description

Description: English Language Arts (ELA)

Grade: 8

Length: Year long course

Coursework

Curriculum: Writing Rope, StudySync, Morpheme Magic, Novels, various short stories, and handouts.

Where to access work: Much of the coursework can be accessed through Google Classroom, or Study Sync, paper assignments are available in the physical classroom or through me if there is an extended absence.

Grading

  • GRADING SCALE
  •  100%-90%=A               89%-80%=B                79%-70%=C                69%-60%=D        
  • Grades will be posted in StudentVue regularly. Please check grades periodically through Parent Vue/Student Vue.

 

  • GRADING POLICIES:
  • Some grading policies of mine that may differ from those of other teachers are:
  • I accept late work and and give full credit for it:
  • There is no where in the Oregon State Standards that says students have to learn a certain lesson, by a certain date, this is why I give full credit for late work,  I will still make note of lateness on assignments and report cards, and I will be calling home if it becomes a problem, but there is no point penalty.  It's still graded for full credit.
  • I don't give any “extra credit”:
  • This is the other side of the “no late work coin.''  Students are expected to do the work they are assigned, but if they do an assignment, and aren’t happy with the outcome, they can redo it for full credit (just like our bosses expect us to redo work that wasn't done to the best of our abilities). This can be done three times on an assignment.  After that it can be redone at parent request, but there is a process.
  • The “Redo and Resubmit” policy (R&R): 
  • This is optional for those students who are not happy with their grades, as long as they score a “C” (70%) or above on their summative assignments, but if they score below this level, then it will be required of them (again, just like our bosses would expect of us).  This policy involves parents, that way I know they're aware of the problem.  Failure to do work, or redo work, will be dealt with as a behavior problem.
  • And lastly, the worst possible grade in my class is a 50%.
  • The only exception to this, is if a student is caught cheating.  Otherwise, even if they turn nothing in to me at all, they'll still get a 50% on that assignment (which isn’t a gift afterall, it’s still an ''F'').  It's just that anything below that is mathematically punishing the student, and not giving them real feedback about their work.  It also means if they fall behind, for whatever reason, they're never so far behind that they can't catch up.  Now if they’re caught cheating, I think they should be punished, and for that they'll get a zero (and most likely a referral), but it's the only exception.
  • Obviously, if students are abusing these policies, they will be dealt with on a case by case basis (again, much as what happens on the job), but this has rarely been a problem.  If a student is constantly struggling with their work, or with consistently getting their work in on time, I will need to involve their parents more closely in the process of doing, redoing and/or resubmitting work, so that they can be successful.
  • The reason for these policies is that a report card is supposed to be an accurate report of a student’s progress in meeting the learning standards set forth by the State of Oregon; zeroes, late penalties, and extra credit assignments then, are essentially falsifying these reports, or at best making them inaccurate.

Materials

  • A 1½ inch, three ring binder to be left in class (I can supply these, but they will be “gently used”)
  • Plastic pocket notebook dividers (5)
  • Pens (black or blue ink)
  • Pencils
  • College ruled notebook paper
  • Highlighters (5-colors)
  • A reading book for SSR or Free-time
  • Also needed for class-A sense of humor, A curious mind, and A good attitude

About Me

  • I start with the basic belief that every child wants to learn and succeed, and that if this is not the case, then there is something wrong in that child’s life, and I will need to do what I can to help.  I believe it is my job to do everything I can to help each student reach their potential.  Sometimes this will mean being a bit nosy so we can brainstorm a solution to a problem.   Other times this will mean pushing the student a bit, which may make them uncomfortable, but, this feeling is a natural part of the learning process.  If we’re never uncomfortable, we never learn anything, as learning to be comfortable is the natural human response to feeling uncomfortable in any situation.  This also means that if a student already knows themself well enough as a learner to know that they need certain things to help them learn, I want them to to speak up for themself; I really appreciate the help, and will do everything I can to meet their needs.  It is also part of my job to help them get to know themselves better as learners, so they can speak up for themselves in the future.

Donations

  • Anything on the “Materials” list
  • Facial Tissues

Classroom Expectations

Be Kind

Be Where You’re Supposed To Be

Be Engaged

  • Speak in a calm voice.
  • Arrive on time with needed materials.
  • Do your best and work on your own growth.
  • Keep your hands to yourself.
  • Attend class regularly.
  • Contribute your best work.
  • Think before you speak.
  • Stay in your seat.
  • Show respect through attention.