I have been trying to make use of the Parentlink software available to parents and teachers for communication.  When students are missing assignments, I attempt to send messages to parents through Parentlink.  If you receive such a message, the voice may sound robotic because Parentlink creates an audible message from text.  Please do not hang up; the message is important to your child's success.

     Please make sure that your phone number and email address are correct and available to Parentlink by registering with the site.  If you go to leeschools.net, you can find a link to Parentlink and register.

     I am hoping that my messages will help students find the motivation to do their work on time!

     Many students do not yet have a pencil case or binder to use to keep their vocabulary cards together.  In a pinch, I began to give out plain white #9 envelopes (about 7 x 4 inches) which hold the cards for each lesson together and can be punched with holes so that they can be placed in the students' binders.

    Unfortunately, I seem to be the only one in my classes who has the envelopes.  Students who do not have pencil cases or binder rings are asking for a new one every week.  Now I have completely run out.  If your student likes using envelopes for his vocabulary cards, please pick up a box at the local store.  Most stores sell 80 envelopes for about $1.00.  You will have plenty of envelopes for the school year and some left over should you want to mail a letter!  

     Also, many students are not bringing 15 blank 3 x 5 cards to class to use for their vocabulary cards.  They need not bring hundreds of the cards at once, but please make sure that they have 15 blank cards with them after they have taken each vocabulary quiz because more words are surely going to be studied!  I am quickly running out of spare 3 x 5 cards as well as envelopes.

     Thank you for providing necessary materials to your student.

                Studying vocabulary words does not have to be a lengthy homework assignment.  In fact, no more than ten to fifteen minutes a night should be spent on vocabulary cards.  Follow the steps below:

Before you begin, note the time or set a timer.  You should stop when fifteen minutes have passed.

1.        Hold the cards so that only the vocabulary words are facing you.  Look at each card and try to remember what its definition is.  Say the definition to yourself.

2.       Turn the card over.  If your definition was correct, put the card in the “know the words” pile.  If you were incorrect, put the card in the “still need to work on” pile.

3.       Go through all of the 15 cards, placing each card in the appropriate pile.

4.       When you are finished, pick up only the cards that you did not know, and follow the same procedure.  You will find that you have more cards for the “know the words” pile.  You do not have to keep studying words you know.  Put the words you now know in the “know the words” pile and continue to place words you do not know in the “still need to work on” pile.

5.       Continue, whittling down the size of the “still need to work on pile.”   

6.       At the end of 15 minutes, pack up your cards.  You will study this way each night, starting out with all of the word cards, but finding that the pile of words you don’t know steadily decreases.