finalthoughts...
in this issue >>>
Finding An Agent That’s Right For You
Your children mean the world to us! From left to right: Nancy Hofer, Evelyn
Dougherty, Tricia Loehr, Gary Schoonover, Brett Kimber, Tana Ruder, Belinda
Payne, Joe Dunn, Sara Ott, and Arvilla Bennett.
To be done exceptionally well, teaching requires a
special talent and sense of vocation. Teaching is a
creative act, never more so than in primary and
secondary schools. Good teachers, like good
artists, have their own individual styles of
performing. They also respect the individuality of
their students in the realization that everybody
learns through his or her own perceptions. The
story is told of a legendary teacher who was asked
at the start of the term what his course matter
would be. "I don't know," he said. "I haven't seen
my students yet."
http://msbennettslanguageartsclass.blogspot.com/
1510 N. Payne
Wichita, KS 67203
(316) 973-9000
th
Your Friendly 7
Grade Teachers
at Marshall MS
A New Year Begins
Helpful Hints for Parents
Teacher Updates
Anti-Bullying
Ask the Experts
The teacher has the peculiar dual task of
inculcating knowledge while at the same time
breaking down resistance to its inculcation. The
success of children who are "hungry to learn" and
whose parents place a high value on school is
reflected in the U.S., where new immigrants and
children of 1st generation Americans are
statistically outperforming the children of long
term U.S. residents who take education for
granted.
words to live by >>>
Have a heart that never hardens,
A temper that never tires,
And a touch that never hurts."
on location
current topics >>>
--from “The Importance of Teaching”
http://mrsottsclass2009.blogspot.com
--- Charles Dickens
A New Year Begins
Because we are an AVID school, you’ll
discover that your student needs a special
binder—for which you paid an extra fee—that
he or she must keep organized and neat.
As we participate in the America’s Choice
school improvement program, your kids might
come home talking about “workshop.”
workshop, students lead the way in their
learning with mini-lessons and conferences
from the teachers to help get them on the right
track.
For more information go to
www.americaschoice.org
FIVE
A Monthly Update on Your Student’s Experiences in 7th Grade
Helpful Hints for Parents
On August 17, nearly two hundred new seventh graders started classes at Marshall. The
teachers found themselves surprised and delighted by the new class. Between America’s
Choice and AVID, the students and teachers are navigating the rapids of learning with style
and enjoyment.
If the years of a child’s life are like traveling In addition, children should learn to be
down a busy street, then 7th grade is the pro-active and take the initiative in their
junction. What was a pleasant, or at least learning. A lot of new and complex material
uncomplicated, ride before this trying year is introduced to 7th graders, and it is easy for
becomes fraught with new them to let it fly over their
decisions and changes,
welcome or otherwise. Pre-
Fly and you will catch the heads without raising their
hands when they need to. This
In
Algebra gives your child the
first hint of college and with wind.
is also a time of social anxiety
and of self-consciousness
it, college prep stress. This which may make it difficult and
age is the beginning of the Dream and you will catch embarrassing for a 7th grader to
teen years, perhaps the most ask questions. Your child
turbulent phase of life. The your goal. should be encouraged not to be
physical changes your child afraid to ask the teacher for
is going through may help.
overwhelm and embarrass
him or her. Finally, a lot of children this age want to
These changes can cause a lot of be cool, suave and independent. It is like
emotional insecurity which, in turn, can another version of the terrible twos when a
result in forgetfulness and disorganization in child wants to prove that he or she can walk
schoolwork. alone and violently resists all assistance.
First, it is important to teach your However reluctant your 7th grader may be to
children to take school seriously. The admit this, he or she craves affection from
seventh grade is a critical time academically Mom or Dad, so give your kid plenty of hugs
for a child, when courses become more to reinforce your positive messages.
challenging and geared toward high school
and beyond. It is very important that your
--from http://www.essortment.com/family/
child not miss school unless it is absolutely
necessary.
science news >>>
It Is Rocket Science!
Mr. Schoonover, leader of
the 7th grade science
department, talks about
what his classes are up to
these days. Let’s take a
peek inside the
classroom…
Getting Started
Wow! It has been a great start to the year. I
have gotten to know a lot of my new students
and look forward to creating bonds and
getting to know the rest of them.
Ms. Dougherty’s class works hard! R to L:
Dalia Martinez, Austy Kerr, Danae Nichols
and Elilsha McBride.
Ramp Up!
The seventh grade ramp-up
students will be learning how to
justify their math work, solve basic
algebra, learn number properties,
use the area model, and use graphs
to represent relationships. The
Ramp-Up students will be taking
notes, solving problems, doing skills
practice, and writing summaries.
For more information go to
www.americaschoice.org
Edgar Zamora works on a science project.
What’s Now…
In Science, we are starting
off the year by studying
motion and Newton’s 3 Laws
of Motion.
Students will create
mousetrap cars, launch
rockets, throw water balloons
and have a great time with this unit. Keep
on top of things by asking your child what
happened in Science every day.
What’s Coming…
We will also be starting a recycling program
at Marshall. Stay tuned in!
The world of math >>>
Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad
Mad, Mathematics
The seventh grade has four math teachers who’ve joined forces to make math as mad and
fun and educational as possible. Tana Ruder, Brett Kimber, Nancy Hofer and Evelyn
Dougherty have over thirty years of teaching experience combined. That’s good news for
your students!
Course II
The seventh grade course II
Mr. Kimber demonstrates the order of
students are working on patterns,
exponents, order of operations,
operations for his first hour class.
equations and properties. The
students this year will be doing all
their daily work in composition
books. The students will be taking
notes, solving problems, doing
skills practice, and writing
summaries.
Preventing Bullying: It’s
Up to All of Us
Kids who are bullied day after day can feel helpless and alone. They may become too scared to report
the bullying, fearing that adults won't believe them. Kids also worry that if the bullies find out they
"tattled," the bullying may get worse. To protect kids who are bullied, parents and all adults must
understand what bullying is, how harmful it can be, and the best ways to stop bullying behaviors.
Mr. Ricks on the day he remembered to
do his hair.
At our school and on the 7th grade team, we
believe that love and teamwork are the keys
to a safer, happier, and more productive The Recycling
learning environment for our kids.
Our teachers and our students receive
Challenge at JMMS
Marshall’s going green! Please join with us
training about teamwork and cooperation
and we work hard to ensure that everyone is as we recycle paper, steel, and cardboard. We
given the chance to learn, because we get money for recycling these things, plus we
believe that everyone can. help the environment. Send your cans in with
your kids(take off the tops and labels and
For the month of September, our principal,
Ms. Payne’s science students rinse, please) and support the school and the
experiment with static electricity. Mr. Ron Stubbs, has selected the book Have
environment!
You Filled Someone’s Bucket Today?
We’re learning and thinking about what it
means to fill each other’s emotional Current Events:
reserves rather than depleting them.
Social Studies
Our assistant principal, Mr. Pancho Bustos,
teaches us to be loving and logical with
Mr. Ricks and Mr. Dunn are hard at work
teaching geography. Last year, Mr. Dunn,
each other. No one gets the same correction
if they mess up—each person gets what he
Ms. Bennett, and Ms. McArthur worked
hard to get a grant for our BOX PROJECT.
We all work together to send cultural
or she needs. Rest assured that your child
artifacts to a different country, we talk to
will be treated with fairness and love and
them online, and we get packages back from
expected to treat others the same. As Mr.
them. We see a different world and learn
Bustos says, “Feel free to do anything so
from others!
long as it doesn’t cause a problem for
anyone else!”
Language Arts:
ask the experts >>> Ms. Bennett answers your questions>>>
Writing, Inquiring,
Collaborating and
Q: How can parents help with reading at home? Reading
In Ms. Ott’s and Ms. Bennett’s
A: Encourage your student to read 20 classrooms, students are taking the Gates-
MacGinnite tests, which measure
minutes every night. vocabulary and comprehension. When
It’s less time than they would spend watching one TV show and it will make a big they’re writing, they’re crafting narrative
difference in improving their reading skills. In school, we go to the library for 45 minutes stories and collaborating with their partners
every week. Our librarian gives a short literacy lesson, and then the students are given a to strengthen the art of writing. We do lots
chance to choose two books on their lexile level. of reading, too: 20 minutes a day in class
and 20 minutes in consortium!