Can work be turned in late?
Almost all work in the Reading and Writing Workshops can be turned in late. There is a "make-up box" into which students should turn in work that is done late, work that was missed when absent, or work that was previously turned in without a name. If absent, the student should write "absent" on the paper because sometimes a few points are taken off for being late, whereas work turned in late because of absence is not penalized. The exception to this is pieces. Pieces can be turned in ANY TIME up to the final copy date, so if a student is absent on the final date, s/he needs to get the piece to the school if full credit is desired. Journals are also graded on the date indicated whether the student is absent or not. That is why I strongly encourage students not to wait until the last minute, ESPECIALLY on pieces and journals. I really want every student to be successful in this class, but they also have to learn to meet deadlines, be organized, etc. That is why I do take make-up work, but sometimes take off a few points and that is also why there is extra credit. People make mistakes; and when you're going through adolescence you make more than your share. I want students to learn from their mistakes, but still be able to make a good grade in this class.
How much homework should there be in this class?
This question comes up because it varies so much from student to student. All of the Reading and Writing Workshop teachers see this. Since it is a workshop, we give time in class to do work and the degree to which students wisely use this time in class greatly affects the amount of homework they have. Also, students come to us with a wide variance of experience, especially in writing. Some students have had a lot of exposure to the writing process and some have had very little. That too affects the time needed to get the work done. In addition, students at this age show great differences in mastery of time managementTime Management Training. With all that said, most students should be able to earn good grades in this class, if they are good managers of time, averaging twenty minutes or less of homework daily. One thing you will probably note, however, is that students will probably not do homework in this class every night. If used wisely, this should be a help because they can choose not to do reading/writing homework on nights when they have a lot of other homework or a special engagement and then do more on nights when they are not as busy (it's remembering to do it on the nights they aren't busy that sometimes messes them up =).
What if my child says s/he has no homework in this class?
Students can always be working on the next piece of writing or writing the next journal letter--or any of the other upcoming assignments. Sometimes at this age students think they don't have homework if it isn't due the next day, but it is important for them to start learning how to break down large assignments and work at them over a period of time. Some students need more help in learning how to do this. If your child consistently tells you there is no homework even on nights when s/he isn't bogged down with lots from other classes, then have him or her work on the next writing piece (no excuses--there is always a next piece) or the next journal letter--or s/he can read for a period of time. There's even extra credit for keeping a reading log of time spent reading outside of class.
How can I find out about my child's progress?
There are many ways for you to keep up with your child's progress in this class:
Can work be typed?
My child seems to have difficulty adjusting to middle school. What can I do?
Obvioulsy there can be lots of reasons for this, and believe it or not there are many students who have no difficulty whatsover, and in fact do better in middle school than they did in fifth grade. One of the main reasons, however, for problems is organization/time management difficulties. Every year we see students who should be doing well but aren't. If it is organization, we suggest having the student (at least for awhile) clean out the backpack every night and make sure the right papers are in the right folders. Perhaps your child can do it in front of you while you are doing something else so that you can see that it is being done properly. Check that the planner is being filled out for every class, every day. If not, find out why. For time management, have the student go through the planner and guess how long each assignment should take. Then set a timer and make the student move to the next assignment whether done or not. If time at the end, go back to the ones not done. This technique can also be practiced with household chores (as an aside, I've noticed that the best students have chores. Don't think you're doing your children a favor by not making them do their share around the house), taking a shower, or whatever. Many students of this age lack a concept of how long it will take to get a task done and will need help in planning it out. If your child is having difficulty adjusting, try these, but if they don't work or it is some other problem, let us know. We want every child to have a successful experience at Fort Clarke. If it is in just one class, call that teacher. If it is school in general, call the AA teacher or the guidance counselor. Let's work together to make this a good year for your child.
Why is my child having the greatest difficulty in Reading/Writing Workshops?
All the Reading and Writing Workshop teachers get this question. It is most likely due to the long-term assignments and the degree of independence in this class. In classes like math, the assignment is usually given one day and due the next, something students are used to. But in the workshops, students are given assignments that are due weeks later and they aren't as used to that. Add to that the fact that they can choose to work on assignments in class or at home, and some students have problems. Doing long-term assignments and making decisions about studying are skills that students need to master--and this is the time in their lives that they need to start working on them, not in high school when we are talking about credits. Some students will need help in taking a long-term assignment and breaking it down to smaller parts with interim, self-imposed due dates. We go over this in class, but as I said in an earlier answer, many students have difficulty seeing that they have work to do unless it is due the next day. You may be able to help by taking the "Keeping Track of Grades" sheets and helping your child to plan out assignments--breaking them down into small parts with those self-imposed due dates. Have your child plan what s/he is going to get done during class time and what will be done at home. Encourage getting work done BEFORE it is due. Students have to experience this to see how much better it feels than waiting until the last minute.
Another difference between these classes and many others is that both reading and writing are skills-based classes. The way a person gets bettter at both is through practice. In history, one learns the material; it doesn't require practicing it over and over. Often times students are reluctant to do the amount of work required in the workshops. A work ethic needs to be instilled. Sometimes talking about future goals and what will be required to meet them helps. Getting their skills up to where they need to be in sixth grade will make the rest of their school years so much easier, but they often need our help to see that. If your child continues to have difficulty in this class, please contact me and let's work together to work it out.
Do you use parent volunteers?
Yes! I have had wonderful volunteeers in the past who come in weekly and work with students one-on-one or in pairs helping them with their work. Please call or E-mail me if you are interested.