Dear Parents,
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| Tefel Hall |
It's a pleasure having your child in my 6th grade English class.
To learn more about my class, I encourage you to explore my website:
The following links may be especially helpful.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do you assign homework?
Yes. To see the homework, visit the Weekly Planner page of my website. All homework is due Friday at midnight.
How can I verify that my child has done the homework?
Ask your child to show you their completed assignments. Your child should be able to:
- Show you a list of all the quizzes that they have taken on Quia.
- Show you a list of all the lessons that they have completed on Typing Club.
- Show you their Writing Portfolio. (All written assignments go in their Writing Portfolio).
If your child is unable to show you these things, please contact me.
Do you accept late work?
Yes, I accept late work until the last week of the grading period.
Do you give tests?
No, I rarely give tests. Instead, I assign many short quizzes.
- Most quizzes take less than two minutes.
- All quizzes are "open book"; students are allowed to get help from friends, parents, tutors, Google, etc.
- Students can retake a quiz as many times as they like, and only their best score counts.
What books are you planning to read this year?
Most of the reading we do in class is "independent reading", meaning that students are allowed to choose their own books.
- Typically, we start each class with 10 minutes of independent reading.
- In addition, students read during ROAR (A 20-minute period that meets three times per week).
How do you assess my child's reading skills?
Three or four times per year, students take the Reading Inventory test. The results are given in the form of a lexile score. Lexile scores correlate with a student's reading level. For example, a score of 925-1070 correlates with a 6th grade reading level.
The reading ability of my students varies widely. For this reason, I prefer to let students choose their own books, and I don't count their lexile score as part of their grade. (A student who reads at a first grade level will not necessarily get an "F" for reading.)
However, I do expect student to keep a reading log, and I ask them about the books they have read, whenever I have a chance. And students do get a grade for "classroom activities". These activities include silent reading, class discussions, debates, etc. Students who are clearly goofing off during silent reading time (or who cannot answer simple questions about something they claim to have read) will get a low grade in this category. To raise their grade, they must come in at lunch and complete the silent reading (or whatever).
How can I see my child's grades?
I post grades on Synergy and I update them every weekend.
Do you give extra credit work?
Yes, students have many opportunities to earn extra credit throughout the year.
Some years ago, SFUSD decided to eliminate all "honors" classes, so I cannot give official recognition to students who do more than meet my expectations for an "A" in 6th grade English.
However, in my mind, any student who earns a grade of 110% (or higher) should be considered an "honors student", and I like to recognize such students by giving them certificates or other rewards.
Can you recommend some books for my child?
I like to let students choose their own books. We have a well-stocked classroom library, and we visit the school library at least once per month. Once I get to know your child, I can recommend some books that they may enjoy.
Often, I recommend books from SFUSD's Recommended Reading List.