Quid Novi?
By Chance, Mark
October 31, 2010
Educational Videos
I'm have a growing number of educational videos on the Internet:
Direct Objects I (How to Identify) | Direct Objects II (How to Diagram) | Preposition or Adverb? | Story Time
Sign Up and Stay Informed
I send out an e-mail newsletter just about every single school day. The newsletter includes information about homework, projects, field trips, et cetera. If you're not signed up for the newsletter, you're missing out on a great way to stay informed about what your child is doing in my class. To sign up, fire off an e-mail to this address. I'll approve your subscription once I get your request.
Social Do's Instead of Do Not's
In class, I use a social skills teaching method for classroom management similar to the one developed and used by Boys Town. A social skills approach helps students learn how to act both in and out of school, both as a child and as an adult.
The social skills I focus on involve Paying Attention, Following Instructions, Accepting Feedback, Accepting No, Getting the Teacher's Attention, and Asking Permission. I also use Ron Clark's The Essential 55.
Respect for Time
On my first day in the class as the new 5th grade teacher, I told my students, "If you respect my time here in the class, I'll respect your time at home."
What I mean is that I deliberately structure my lesson plans so that the students have as much time as possible to complete their assignments in class. The more students cooperate with this structure, the less homework they have. The less they cooperate, the more time we have to spend in class correcting behavior, the more homework they have.
I also have a profound aversion to homework over weekends and holidays. Those times are for family and friends. As long as students stay on task during the week and attend school on a regular basis, homework over weekends and holidays will remain a rare thing.
Contact Me
If you have any questions, concerns, or comments, don't hesitate to send me an e-mail. My school e-mail address is mchance at aristoiclassical dot org. Also, if you reply to an e-mail newsletter, that message will come to me alone.
