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Jack Concannon

In describing my role as a teacher today, I want you to know that I proudly take my place as a key member of “the village.”  The old adage, “It takes a village to raise a child,” has never been truer than it is today.  Today’s world is more complex, more emotional, more abused, more misunderstood, and more chaotic than any other time in recent memory.  Certainly just going to school today is in great contrast to when I attended school.

As a 54 year old fifth year teacher, I feel I have a unique perspective on school today versus school of yesterday.  When I was young most of us walked to school, compared to today’s get dropped off at school set.  I had two parents at home and a Grandmother.  Today’s family units are not as solid as what I had.  My Grandmother or “Granny” was always at home for my siblings and me.  Today, the homes of the majority of my students are empty, off limits to them.  Home is just a place to sleep and bathe.  Even my own children take care of all other essential life issues at school.  Eating, discipline, learning about how to live with and treat others, it all happens at school, not at or near home like it did for me.  Core values about getting your homework done and then playing happened at home.  Today it is all part of before and after school programs teachers create and monitor.  Teachers are the glue, the true consistency in children’s lives.  We coach, preach, counsel, nurse, and discipline.  We are the models, sometimes the only models, of how life is supposed to look like to our students.  Their reality is sometimes as foreign to us, as the newest concept in math or science is to them. 

School is no longer just one of many parts to a village. It is the center, the nucleus, the main reason for success and failure in communities all over America. 

Parents are no longer always allies in the fight to educate.  Often parents, or lack of parents, and life at home is a teacher’s biggest foe.

Teachers are many times the only love in lives indescribable.  We are the smile, the hope, the warmth, and the beacon that lights what can be a dark and dreary future.


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Independent
Reading Response
Long Range
Goals

 

 

 

Attention All Parents

****Homework Alert****

Please be on the lookout for a “Daily Review.”
ALL 7th and 8th grade students must present to you a review of their day.  They should have a note about each class listed to show you what they learned today. 

Your job is to ask them about their day.  Talk to them on the things that they have learned, and never accept the answer of “nothing” when you ask them what they did today.

You them need to sign the little folded up piece of paper and have your child return it to school the next day for credit.

The Daily Review SHOULD reflect the 20 minutes a day of reading and 20 minutes of summarization all students need to do daily.

Any questions please contact me here at school.

 

Course Scope

The course emphasizes the development of strategic reading behaviors.  The course focus is on utilizing vocabulary, thought process, and strategies to become independent readers and learners.

Course Goals

  1. Students will know and use word analysis skills and strategies to comprehend new words encountered in text.
  2. Students will use reading process skills and strategies to build comprehension.
  3. Students will read to comprehend, interpret, and evaluate literature from a variety of authors, cultures, and times.
  4. Students will read to comprehend, interpret, and evaluate informational texts for specific purposes.
  5. Students will write a variety of texts that inform, persuade, describe, evaluate, or tell a story.  They will evaluate, revise, and edit for origination, style, tone, and word choice.
  6. Students will write with a clear focus and logical development.  They will evaluate, revise and edit for organization, style, tone, and word choice. 
  7. Students will write using standard English grammar, usage, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling. 
  8. Students will listen to and evaluate oral communications for content, style, speaker’s purpose, and audience appropriateness. 
  9. Students will speak using organization, style, tone, voice, and media aides appropriate to audience and purpose.
  10. Students will participate in discussion to offer information, clarify ideas, and support a position.
  11. Students will formulate research questions, use a variety of sources to obtain information, weigh the evidence, draw valid conclusions, and present findings. 

Course Overview

Word Analysis

  1. use word parts to determine word meaning
  2. use context clues to determine word meaning
  3. identify and interpret literal and figurative language in text

The Reading Process

  1. apply reading process skills and strategies
  2. differentiate between main ideas and supporting details
  3. summarize information from several sources

Literature

  1. identify the characteristics and elements of various literary forms
  2. read and respond to various forms of literature
  3. describe how an author creates mood by choosing words with specific connotation
  4. compare a variety of themes generated by a single topic
  5. analyze the influence of setting on characters and on conflict resolution

Informational Text

  1. identify elements of informational text
  2. finds similarities and differences in a text in the treatment, scope, or organizational ideas
  3. evaluate how authors' ideas and purposes shape the content of texts
  4. analyze the historical and cultural perspective of nonfiction
  5. follow multi-step written directions to complete a task
  6. practice interpreting maps, charts, and graphs
  7. draw conclusion or make inferences
  8. interpret information in new contexts
  9. identify purpose or viewpoint
  10. read independently to gather information

The Writing Process

  1. apply the five stages of the writing process
  2. write responses to literary selections
  3. write summaries of nonfiction text
  4. write with clarity and express ideas concisely

The Research Process

  1. evaluate information from primary and secondary sources
  2. use a given format to document research sources
  3. use note-cards, etc. to record information
  4. use written text and/or media to present research findings

Communication/Study Skills

  1. speak and listens cooperatively
  2. practice active listening skills
  3. asks and answers questions to generate possible solutions to a problem
  4. evaluate oral presentations
  5. apply techniques to aid memory
  6. apply test-taking strategies