WELCOME PARENTS!BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT 2011

Mr. JohnstonGrade 7 MathmaticsSaigon South International School

BIOGRAPHY

6th year teacher at SSIS 10 years of teaching experience

Lanna International School Thailand (02-06)

Environmental Education Teacher: Catalina Island Environmental Leadership Program

Summer Camp Director-Catalina Island Camps (00-01)

PRESENTATION OVERVIEW

Communication Moodle, Powerschool, Classroom Blogs,

School Website: what’s the difference? Course Information

Syllabus Grading/Class Policies Things to you can do to help your child

with school at home

COMMUNICATION: WHAT ARE ALL THESE THINGS?

MOODLE

Shows information about assignments, due dates, resources.

Course outline, scope and sequence

For STUDENTS primarily

Moodle

POWERSCHOOL

Information about student achievement, grades, missing assignments, due dates

For PARENTS and STUDENTS

Powerschool

CLASSROOM BLOG

A news source for weekly happenings in the classroom

Examples of student work

A means to deprivatize what happens in the classroom.

Fosters discussion about school at home

A language translator is available

For PARENTS primarily

Classroom Blog

SSIS SCHOOL WEBSITE

SSIS Website•Information about events at the school•School-wide, not just grade 6, or 7. •For PARENTS. Students get important information on Moodle, from teachers.

PAUSE FOR REFLECTION:WHERE WOULD YOU GO TO FIND:

Information about what is specifically happening in Mr. J’s classroom?

Special events at the school?

Resources and assignment due dates?

Your child’s grades at any moment?

Classroom Blog

SSIS Website

Moodle

Powerschool

COURSE INFORMATION

Syllabus Study Guides/Netbook Initiatives Grading/Class Policies Things to you can do to help your child with school at home

COURSE SCOPE AND SEQUENCE

See Below

STUDY GUIDES/NETBOOK INITIATIVES

DESIGNED TO:

Help students/teacher focus on specific learning goals.

Make our school’s curriculum more “transparent”

Shows relevance with assignments

Help students, parents, teacher monitor progress.

See 2 examples below

GRADING/CLASS POLICIES

“Challenge by Choice” 3 Levels of Differentiated Instruction.

Students self assess. Answers on Moodle, in class.

Teacher has conference with students every week

All assessments go in gradebook. Homework, Projects, Quizzes are practice

for summative assessments-100% of grade

HOW CAN I HELP MY CHILD AT WITH THEIR LEARNING?

Homework Grading Policy Parent/Teacher

Support Network

ASSIGNMENTS /HOMEWORK

Provide a designated time and place Minimize distractions by doing it at the

dining room table verses near an open computer

Check in with them from time to time to ensure understanding

Break into increments Teach them to work towards

independence “Homework Battles”

GRADING POLICY

My philosophy: “Humans learn more from their mistakes than failures.”

Don’t ridicule, or penalize them for doing poorly in school

A “B” may have been a powerful learning experience Recognize them for their successes. (Improvements,

even if they’re small) Extra Tutors: Do they help support what is being

taught in school here at SSIS? Does more work/tutoring in response to a low grade

lead to acheivement or burnout? Everyone learns differently!

PARENT/TEACHER SUPPORT

Call or write anytime!

If you want to make an appointment, I will try my hardest to make myself available within a few days.

Translators available We both have the

same goals: Your child’s success in school.

QUESTIONS?

Thanks for coming!