Welcome to Room 401

Where Learning Is Fun!

Welcome to our classroom webpage!  I've created this website to keep you all updated of our classroom happenings.  Make sure to check it often to keep track of all the exciting new learning taking place in our classroom. 

All About Me

I'm a sixth, seventh, and eighth grade math, science, social studies, and ELA teacher.  This is my first year at Fairforest Middle School.  I began my teaching career as a chorus teacher and completed my student teaching at James F. Byrnes High School.  I earned my Bachelor's degree at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina.  For the past twenty-one years, I have taught special education at both the middle and high school levels. 

I'm excited to be here at Fairforest Middle School, but most of all I'm thrilled to be your teacher.   I've enjoyed getting to know each of you during the first semester of school.  We've accomplished so much already.  Imagine what we can do in the weeks to come! 

Notes:

The week of November 17, 2008:

Students are working in the Compass Odyssey Lab and enjoy learning with technology.  Their interactive guided instruction has helped them with synonyms, antonyms, and prefixes.

In math, they are transforming multiplication problems into rectangular arrays.  They need to study the 11 x table and the 12 x table.

Students have read about kindness this week, and each student has named ways they can be kind to each other in the classroom as well as at home.

Report cards, special education progress reports, and student work were sent home on Friday, November 21, 2008.

This week has been an outstanding week for the students.  They have accomplished much academically, and their behavior is much improved.

Each student is unique and makes teaching a joy.  They will tell you that sometimes I am so excited about teaching them something new, I almost forget about having them raise the school's U.S. flag in the front of Fairforest Middle School in the morning!

The Week of December 1, 2008:

Students completed their November projects and now have been assigned their topic for their next project (due December 15, 2008).  Books have been checked out from the library so the research on animals is ready to begin.  They are studying about adaptations, invertebrate or vertebrate, herbivore, carnivore, or omnivore, animal shelters, animal eating habits, and more.  Rough draft due 12/12, with the presentation and final copy due 12/15.

  Test on the 50 states and capitals on 12/16.

The character word they are now studying is caring.  Specifically, they need to understand how they can be caring people.  They have opportunities each day to show others that they are not self-centered, but have genuine, selfless concern for others.

We are looking forward to loads of learning as the students work and study.  They all seem happy and well-adjusted to this school year. 

The Week of January 5, 2009:

Students did a great job getting back into the routine following 2 weeks of vacation.  We've reviewed the rules and procedures and continue discussing responsibility.  Academically, they have worked diligently with writing paragraphs this week beginning with brainstorming, making lists, using graphic organizers, writing a rough draft and final copy.  Every student had this week's writing prompt covered by Friday.  They are soaking up all the content from comparing and contrasting amphibians to being able to discuss why explorers came to South Carolina.   They have worked on computers and used calculators.  High expectations require that we give 100% no matter what!  Thank-you for the opportunity to teach your student!

The Week of February 23, 2009:

We welcome Ms. Sarah Clemons, student teacher from USC Upstate, to our classroom.  She is from Hemingway. The students are excited that they have 3 teachers to help them.  

The Week of March 9, 2009: 

Students enjoyed studying rocks and minerals as they took part in the"mining" experience with a visit to a portable Rock Mining Museum.  They found a variety of minerals and rocks by panning for them. Then we identified the stones they found.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, students participated in PASS Testing: Writing.

Please notify me of any suggestions or concerns.

Things to Remember

Parents, please sign your child's Agenda each evening.  Students are to write homework assignments in their Agenda each day before leaving school.  All homework assignments are posted on the board in the front of our classroom. 

All students are expected to read at least 15 minutes each evening.

Students, please make sure you are prepared for class each day.  You always need your Agenda, paper, and pencils for class. 

Books We've Read this school year:

Drive-By by Lynne Ewing

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

Sounder by William H. Armstrong

Bridge to Terabitha by Katherine Paterson

Song of the Trees by Mildred D. Taylor

Mississippi Bridge by Mildred D. Taylor

Friendship by Mildred D. Taylor