School Website and Parent Portal
It is important as a teacher to have a two-way line of communication about student performance. The parent portal is an excellent opportunity to help to maintain this communication regarding student performance. Additionally, I would like to encourage each student to become involved in the school community and take advantage of one of the many extracurricular opportunities we offer at the High School.
http://shs.stoughtonschools.org/
https://ps.stoughtonschools.org/public/
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Course Expectations/Syllabus
There should be no question regarding the expectations I have of my students. Below is the course syllabus that I go over at the beginning of the school year highlighting the following:
- Units to be covered throughout the year - Grading Policy - Procedures and Expectations |
Study Strategies for Improving Student Performance
I have found that many of my students are still trying to learn and adapt their study habits. Many find that strategies that have worked in the past are no longer sufficient as course work becomes more demanding. Furthermore, what works for one student does not always work for others. Biology is more than just memorizing. Rather, it requires a level of comprehension and an ability to make cross connections between different areas of study. I strongly recommend that students that are looking to improve their study skills come to see me after school. Common suggestions that I give students are:
- Preview/read the chapter the night BEFORE we discuss it in class. This way the student is somewhat familiar with the terminology when I use it in class.
- Take notes on the reading. Cornell Notes and SQ3R can be very useful for this. (See Handouts Below)
- I do not assign all of the section reviews and chapter reviews as homework. Even though they are not assigned, students should still look at these questions to see if they are comprehending the material.
- Re-write your notes after class. Copying them word for words is beneficial, but a better challenge is to write them in your OWN words. Summarize the notes. If you find yourself struggling to accomplish this, it could be that you do not fully understand it!