Sep 11 2007
Letter to parents and students
August 25, 2008
Dear Parents and Students,
Welcome to grade 8 Language Arts class! Here is some information about my class and my expectations. During the first week of school students will brainstorm with me about this class we call “Language Arts”. What is it? What does it include? What are collective and individual goals we need to set for ourselves to make it a productive year?
Each student will create individual goals based on the five components of Language Arts that we will further define and explore in class. The five parts are: writing, reading, speaking, listening and viewing. In class we will look at ways we write and how we can become better writers. What are different types of reading strategies we need to use to comprehend better all that we read? We will discuss speaking and listening components of L.A. class and ways we can express our ideas more clearly and also listen better to others as they share their thoughts.
Viewing as an observational skill is also integral to our success as learners and it is an important component of L.A. class. We will learn more about being better viewers both in terms of movies/documentaries and also being more observant and aware in everyday life!
Also, this fall we will read and discuss short stories from such authors as Nathaniel Hawthorne, O’Henry, Ray Bradbury, Saki, Edgar Allan Poe, Kurt Vonnegut Jr., W.W. Jacobs and others of student choice. The selection should give each student a sense of what good literature is and generate thoughtful discussion. Ultimately, my hope is that every student is thinking critically and is confident enough to express his or her ideas both in writing and speaking. Specific components of the L.A. curriculum will be discussed further in future correspondences, on this website and AT our open house night.
Please feel free to contact me any time with questions, thoughts or concerns.My email address is lhartnett@stoningtonschools.org and the phone # here is 536-9613. I am looking forward to my fifteenth year here at MMS and getting to know all of the 8th grade students!
PLEASE NOTE — AS STATED ON THE HOME PAGE– THIS YEAR I WOULD LIKE TO GENERATE AN EMAIL LIST FOR ANY PARENT WHO WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM ME ON A BI-WEEKLY BASIS ABOUT WHAT WE ARE STUDYING AND WHAT ASSIGNMENTS/PROJECTS ARE COMING UP. THESE EMAILS WILL ALSO BE USED, AS NEEDED, TO LET PARENTS KNOW ABOUT ANY CONCERNS I HAVE.
Sincerely,
Laurie Hartnett
