Distance Learning

TPS LANGUAGE ARTS

Mrs. Garcia

November 25, 2020

Contacting Me: Parents may continue to contact me as before. I am available via my email, private message through Google Classroom, or by telephone. I will continue to update the best means to reach me as we move forward. Please call to schedule a conference with me if you have any concerns or to touch base during the trmesters.

The High School Schedule

1st hour 8:30 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.

2nd hour 9:15 to 10:00 a.m.

3rd hour 10:00 to 10:45 a.m.

4th hour 10:45 to 11:30 a.m.

5th hour 11:30 to 12;15 a.m.

Lunch

6th hour 1:00 to 1:30 p.m.

Mrs. Garcia's Preparation Time

1:30 to 2:30 Common Study Hall

https://meet.google.com/lookup/bsjwqcy5hi?authuser=0&hs=179

The above Link is to my study hall.

To Parents:

It is hard to maintain a routine for the students when you may be working, but a routine will help your student be successful. In my opinion, a designated area for conducting class, such as a desk or kitchen table, will help the student "think" like school. A daily written schedule or whiteboard with expectations and a check-off list may be helpful to remind students to use the time between classes for homework or to do it during "school time" from 1:30 to 3:00 PM. This will help the student focus and do his/her work. We will each have to set expectations for this distance learning, and ultimately, your student and I are going to be responsible for how much is learned and his/her success. Your support, as always, is greatly appreciated!

Student Expectations:

1. You are required to be attentive, doing your best to not be distracted by other things going on around you. Please be courteous to me and your classmates while on Google Meet and remember your school manners.

2. As in class you should not be on other websites while teaching is going on or we are engaged in learning.

3. Protocol: Each student should sign in to class during the five minutes before class begins, so we may start on time. This is similar to our school classroom.

4. Attendance will be taken! Attendance is required! Daily points will be given for attendance.

5. You all have your own Chromebook. Please have your textbook beside you and paper and a usable pencil. A planner or spiral notebook may be helpful for keeping all things distance learning in.

6. Our class times have been shortened to 45 minutes. The first thirty is instruction. The next 15 minutes is work time. I may dismiss you to work on your own, or I may keep you longer to monitor that you are doing the work. If you have MISSING WORK, you will be required to stay those 15 minutes and come to my study hall in the afternoon.

7. You are expected to keep up with your homework. It is YOUR responsibility to come to me if you are having problems or need help. DON'T just avoid the work. The assignments and instructions are posted in the Google Classroom.  

8. Homework is due the next day unless otherwise indicated. Some assignments will be over two days. This is the same as expectations at school. Turning in assignments will be discussed below.

9. Read Theory is an on-going instruction in reading comprehension that is measured and adapted by the computer site. Read Theory can be accessed through the link on my website. The student needs to pass 25 quizzes during the course of the second trimester. See below for the log-in site.

10. IXL is an on-going instruction method that works with the individual student toward mastery of a skill. Starred items in ixl are standards tested on the MCA and ACT tests. Students should work on these whether assigned or not. The distance learning recommendation is that the student scores an 80 on his/her assignments. In addition, another specific ixl assignment based on current instruction may be given. See below for log in site.

ALL students were given their username and password for both sites. If you need help, contact me.

Instruction and Assignments

Instruction will take place via Google Meet and Google Classroom. Both of these apps are located within your e-mail. The Google Meet link for your class meeting is on the homepage of your Classroom. It may be changed randomly for security, so always come in through the link or an invite from me. I will try to invite students that are tardy or absent as a reminder. If you have trouble with this, you need to contact me so that we can get you on the right track. If you have internet problems or difficulties that will make you absent from class, please call the office: 507-776-2111.

Instruction will take place in these areas:

We will be spending most of our 2nd trimester working on composition skills: vocabulary, spelling, essays and papes.

Mondays: We will go over spelling words and meanings and work with activities to reinforce proper usage and vocabulary growth.

Tuesdays and Wednesdays: We will work on grammatical and mechanical conventions of writing, including ixl practice. 8th Grade has been enrolled in Moby Max.

Thursdays: We will have writing prompts and long term composition projects.

Fridays: We will have spelling tests. 8th grade has their spelling lists in Moby Max for dictation and writing practice. 

Read Theory: Read Theory will need to be completed outside the classroom because of our shortened schedule. I will monitor progress and update it in JMC. See link below to log-in