Attention 8th graders, you have received information about DCMST and Early College. The application dates are rapidly approaching, you need to be composing your letters and getting the paperwork to your mathematics, science, and counselor. Please don’t wait till the last minute to do this, we need time to fill them out ourselves. These are both excellent opportunities that are available to you. As you are aware, there is a selection process to both of these schools, and they fit different people. Please don’t forget that there is a third option that does not avail itself until the second year of high school. The collegiate academy is open to ALL students that qualify, a “passing” score on the PLAN. In the late spring, all of you will be taking the EXPLORER test which will give you  an idea if you are on the right track to qualify [ more about this later].

PLACE – quiet and free of distractions

Sleep – you must be rested

Schedule – same time every day

Breaks – 5 minute time-out every half hour

Help – work with a partner

Goal – what do i want to accomplish

United states workers are weak in literacy, very poor in numeracy, but only slightly below average in problem solving, all of these skills are essential in our technology-rich enviroment. United States ranks 17th out of 24 nations in literacy, our ability to write and comprehend text. Numeracy, mathematics, is where we are the weakest, only 8 percent of working age adults are considered above average, our 16- to 20- year olds are ranked last. Younger workers are less skilled than older worker in all three areas. Education is predictably the answer to problem, our high school and college graduation levels are low compared to other affluent nations. One of the most important components of academic success is parental involvement. Hopefully, as we all work together to teach and motivate our children in these key areas, we will have a long-term positive impact on skill level in the United States.

Self discipline leads to self motivation. The first step is to set goals. We begin by deciding what we want, good grades, happiness, etc.. We start by writing them down and setting a deadline. Next we establish our assets and liabilities, what will help me get there and what are my obstacles. Again all of this is written, then we organize the list by priorities and put them in a sequence. Now we are ready to put the plan in action, “plan your work, then work your plan”. Every day we monitor how we are doing, what is going well, where are we falling down , then adjust and move forward. We are on the way to personal success.

1) happiness is a state of mind – the power resides in you

2) what we expect we get – you are your thoughts

3) all behavior is the result of choice – as long as we blame, we lose our ability to be in control

4) to care for others, we must cherish ourselves – we can’t pour from an empty container

5) the world is a mirror – what we resist -we become

6) insecurity fuels fear – we are responsible only for ourselves

7) this is a world of action – for anything to change- we must do something

Whether it is the begining of the school year, a new semester, or even a new school, we need to support our children in these times of change. We need to discuss with them their goals in class, ask them to evaluate their effort, and help them to stay organized i.e. using their planner.

Some strategies that may be helpful; 1) knowing where to get help, 2)monitoring progress, 3)knowing where they need help, 4)speaking with love and support, 5) avoid comparing them to ourselves i.e. when i was your age…6)tailor your interventions to the needs and personality of your child

As parents we have a decision to make, how much do we help with homework. Is it on time? Is it complete? Is it correct? Do we allow them to suffer the consequences? If they are confused, we must help, but doing it for them is not help. To assist, we must discover where they are uncertain; do they need more information, what are the directions asking them to do or sometimes suggest they take a break and come back to it later. The most important part is that they not fall behind, if absent – get the work from a friend or the teacher’s blog. Study class notes every evening, maybe rewrite them, this will keep the information organized and easier to remember. Finally give praise to a job well done and thank them for the hard work.

Good grades are valued BUT so is hard work

Don’t ask “how was school”, ask “what did you do in science” etc.

Provide a Quiet, Interruption-free space  NO MUSIC or PHONE

No “multitasking” when on computer [NO facebook, i tube, etc]

Keep reading materials in the house, go to the library [ let your children see YOU reading]

Welcome to the 13/14 school year, students need to change to a school “game plan”. First they need to prioritize time. Social activities are no longer at the top of the list, in reality they have dropped to the bottom. School is now at the “head of the class”. A plan needs to be developed for when and where homework will be done, a time set aside for reading, to expand their vocabulary, a daily schedule needs to be established. This must be written and posted, so it will become a habit.

Second, they must not over-extend themselves, it is easy to happen as they try to maintain the summer “fun”. This will result in stress and grades will suffer. There must be some “down” time in the day.

Finally, the only way to keep them organized is use a planner, this will aid keeping track of homework, projects, tests, and other important information, All of these ideas will help guide them to a successful year in middle school and high school ,when that day comes.

Welcome to iBlog Teacher Websites Sites. This is your brand new classroom website.  There are some things you should do to get started.  Hopefully you have been following the Getting Started Tutorial.  It is important that you edit your profile so that you can choose your school and grade level as this will help parents and students find your website.  Plugins add extra functionality to your website and offer specialized features.  Be sure to visit the Using Plugins page below to see how to add calendar events and more.

Here are some resources to help you with iBlog

• Getting Started Tutorial
• Using your Website (the basics)
• Using Plugins (Calendar, iPhone App, eNewsletter, and more)
• Support Tutorials (General iBlog tips and tricks)
• iBlog News (See the latest iBlog news)