Happy Friday!

Just a few helpful hints for my students:

Memorizing the spelling of words can be difficult. Here are some helpful hints on how to memorize words for your mini-quizzes.

First, use more than one method. IF you are one of the few students who are regularly making 100% on your quizzes, keep up the good work. If not, your current method of studying probably isn't working for you and you need to try something new.

Second, investigate what has made other people successful. If you know someone who makes better grades than you, ask them how they study and maybe even ask them to practice with you.

Third, use these links to find new methods that might help:

Specific steps for one method that involves flash cards:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4844924_memorize-vocabulary-words-ace-test.html

A list of methods for students:

http://www.brighthub.com/education/homework-tips/articles/35503.aspx

A video about how to learn languages:

http://www.videojug.com/interview/memorizing-vocabulary-and-languages

A list of steps to help memorize spelling words:

http://www.auburn.edu/~murraba/spelling.html

Handy hints for one more method of studying:

http://www.spelling.hemscott.net/mem1.html

Scholastic offers two fun ways of learning your spelling words:

http://www.scholastic.com/kids/homework/spelling.htm

Snow Day Activities

Please check out your parent's email and quia.com page. I sent information on extra credit and review activities for you to do during your snow day!

Take some time off from texting or playing "Call of Duty" and do something for yourself- learn some more French or Spanish and improve your grade!

Also, don't forget to get some exercise... it's not good for you to sit around all day. If you do go outside, stay warm... and try making a weather video. I did a couple of them last year during the double blizzard. Some students did their own and got extra credit for them... if you scroll back through the blog entries to last year, you can watch mine and get some ideas.

Have fun!

Preparing for High School!

I am trying to prepare the kids for the High School experience they will be having next year. The current freshman are struggling a little bit with the volume of work and the speedier pace of classes. We want to see our students comfortable, confident, and succesful at WHS. We are trying to ease our eighth graders into the study and homework habits they will need when they arrive at WHS. Many students are saying that they felt unprepared for some of the new standards such as not having their late homework accepted, having to study or do homework every night in order to maintain a "b" average, and not being able to re-take tests.

My students will be having a homework assignment of some kind every night from now on, and late work (for homework only) will not be accepted. Any homework not done, forgotten, or lost will be entered as a zero and will remain a zero.(This does not apply to absences. If a student is absent, he /she should turn in their work upon their return. If a student is absent when an assignment is given he/she has the standard amount of time to make it up.) Please let me know if you need any information on what your child should be doing at home. You can check the Spanish or French Agenda here on my blog for updates and specific assignments.

Students have just completed their mid-term exams and within the next week you will be receiving a recommendation form to guide you in deciding your child's placement for next year. I will email you again when those go home and students will be expected to have them signed and return them to me.