I have taught 9th Grade English since January 2000. Whether it is First or Second Term English, I continually evaluate my course content, teaching practices, and student assessments so that they are best aligned to school and state standards and present my students with the array of skills they will need to be successful as an English student.
I have created several goals which I can assess on a regular basis to keep myself and my students on track.
If I have fully engaged my students with a text, they will be able to explore that text with little or no prompting from me. I view myself as a guide to the literature that we are reading and both encourage and require my students share their ideas and opinions on the works we read.
Some students are expert readers. Other students feel less confident in their skill. All students can improve on their reading ability and comprehension. A key way to improve reading skills is to discuss with students how to read; to make the process of reading obvious.
Students are more likely to be successful in a class they believe is important to obtaining a long term goal. I make a point of connecting the idea of being a proficient English student to whatever long term goal a student sets. By regularly discussing with students how the content and skills of my class will further them in their own personal goals, they are more likely to be engaged.
One central way for students to improve their reading, vocabulary, and writing skills is to read regularly. During the typical school week, students read self-selected literature three times a week for a total of sixty minutes a week.
Another central way for students to improve their writing skills is to practice writing in a non-risk yet structured environment, Often, when students prepare to write for school, they become so constricted with self-editing, they find it difficult to put ideas to paper. In a typical school week, students are asked twice to write 3/4 of a page in 10 minutes on a specified topic.
During the First Term, students read selections of short stories, essays, non-fiction, and poetry from the 9th grade Literature Anthology. We also read Shakespeare's "The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet." Honors students with read The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
As a district, San Leandro Unified has adopted the Write Traits Rubric for writing. In 9th grade, we focus on Ideas and Development, Organization, and Conventions.
Several English teachers at San Leandro, including myself, have had great success with using the Jane Schaefer model for writing. This structure provides students with a fool-proof way to approach writing a paper about a text we are reading, to incorporate evidence quotations, and provide their insight on a given text. While some students find this writing structure a bit limiting, it is an excellent way to illustrate successful literary analysis.
It is my policy for students to call parents/guardians at home/work when students come to class unprepared, usually in the form of incomplete homework. When homework is not completed, students are also required to serve a half hour detention with me, per California State Education Code. Also per Ed. Code, a student is expected to inform his/her parent or guardian when detention is owed.
I also like to regularly communicate with parents and guardians to let them know how their students are performing in my class. Often, the only calls home are negative ones. This is never a complete picture of student performance. I try to call as often as possible to let parents/guardians know when their students are being successful.
Unfortunately, priority calls are made for students who are struggling.
I am always happy to update parents/guardians about their students and am reachable either by e-mail or by calling the main school line at 667-3540 and following the phone tree.
I invite constructive criticism. I regularly check in with students regarding their opinions on my success with teaching certain concepts and texts, their opinions on given assignments and assessments, and their general experiences in class. I also believe it is imperative to set aside class time to discuss other issues that students feel are important, whether they are applicable to only our classroom, the whole school, or are global view.