This page will answer questions commonly asked by students and parents.
- How do I contact you?
- What does the term Language Arts involve?
- What is the Time Log?
- How does the Reading Log in the Response Journal differ from the Time Log?
- Why are certain books not on the approved list for student reading?
- How much homework is expected?
- How are assignments handled when my child is absent?
- How is late work handled?
- What provisions are there for extra help in your class?
How do I contact you?
You can contact me in three ways: 1. Call the school, 714-534-3947, and leave a message with the secretary saying you
would like me to call back. Please also include a phone number and the times at which you can be reached at that number.
2. Send me a note via your child. Please make sure it is in a sealed envelope. This is to ensure that the contents of your
message is not shared with others. 3. E-mail me. Use the link provided with this web page. No one way is better than
another. I will make every effort to get back to you within twenty-four hours. While I say this, if I've not gotten back to
you in 24 hours, please call the school as it may be an e-mail glitch and I just have not received your message.
What does the term Language Arts involve?
Language Arts is a term that encompasses reading, comprehension, vocabulary, composition, spelling, grammar and
conventions. It is an umbrella term that covers what we do in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing, with
thinking overarching the others. On one of the first days of school I go over this with the students so they know exactly
what points fall under what category on Gradelink. On Gradelink, you will see Literature, with sub-categories of reading,
comprehension and vocabulary, and on Composition, the sub-categories are writing, spelling, grammar and mechanics.
I teach these in tandem, so regardless of the lesson, we will be doing reading, writing, speaking and listening, and of
course, sometimes, viewing. I teach vocabulary in the context in which it appears, and this year we have a new vocabulary "text".
We will employ several different strategies for vocabulary, and I will teach each of these. We will practice several of these
in class, but the students are expected to continue to practice and study at home as well. I expect the students to be able
to spell well the words they frequently use. I will begin by drawing their attention to the misspelled words and give them
the corrected version. Thereafter, the students are responsible to practice them correctly until they are mastered.
Occasionally, I will teach a whole-class lesson on selected words which the students are also expected to work on.
Students' ability to accurately spell these words in context of their writing is what is graded as applied spelling. The
students will be expected to keep a Language Arts Handbook (soft plastic, one-inch thick, three-ringed binder) where
they will keep handouts that are provided as reference in all aspects of Language Arts.
What is the Time Log?
The "Time Log" tracks the minutes each week the student reads. It is on card stock, and is three-hole punched so it will
survive coming to school and going home each day until it is filled. Students are expected to give it to parents to be signed
the same night as they sign the Tuesday envelope, so it can be turned in on Wednesdays. I record the numbers and return
it to the students on Thursdays and the students continue to keep track of their reading at home . Material read can be of
various kinds. The key is that the content is acceptable to you. Students may read books, magazines, graphic novels,
internet articles, newspapers, etc. Reading for homework in the Science, Social Studies or Religion textbooks does not
count for credit on the log. All students who turn in this log on time will receive five points regardless of how much reading
they've accomplished. The Time Log is my way of assuring that all students can get credit for reading even though they might
not read as fast as other students. See the next question on The Reading Log.
How does the Reading Log in the Response Journal differ from the Time Log?
The Reading Log is a sheet of colored paper glued in to the back of the Literature Response Journal. The writing the
students do in the journal is in response to the reading they've don. That reading is recorded on the Reading Log.
Since much of the reading is done in class during Reading Workshop, I ask the students to be reading a novel—whether
fiction or non-fiction— something that will sustain their attention, and keep them involved in their reading. Therefore,
no cartoon, joke or riddle books are permitted during reading workshop. Here, I'm trying to build stamina for reading.
This journal is checked every other week, and students are to complete 100 pages of reading per week in their self-
selected books to earn a "C" in the Reading portion of Literature. Of course, those that read more, will earn more points.
If students are making a concerted effort to read and cannot reach the 100 page goal, they are welcome to discuss that
with me during a reading conference, and I will adjust that goal if necessary.
Why are certain books not on the approved list for student reading?
As an example, several vampire series are not among those that students will be given credit for reading. We are a Catholic School,
and abide by the teachings of the Church. While I appreciate that these series are popular among the teens, they will not accrue
credit in my class, and will not be allowed as reading material in the school. Likewise, some books that have explicit violence
and/sex are also not among those recommended for reading in my class. St. Columban's library has over 12,000 volumes of good
reading and my classroom library has a wealth of reading material that our students can take advantage of. As it is, the media
exposes our young adolescents to much more than they can emotionally and spiritually handle. Please encourage your children
to read at their grade level rather than what is permitted in high school.
How much homework is expected?
Homework is assigned daily. I expect that each student will do about thirty minutes of Language Arts homework per night.
Sometimes this means reading in a self-selected book for the required time if that is the assignment. Other times it will be
some form of writing. Sometimes we begin something in class, and I ask the students to complete it at home. If your child
is consistently doing more than the assigned thirty minutes, have your child write me a note to that effect, which
you need to sign and date. I will then re-evaluate, based on a conference with the child.
How are assignments handled when my child is absent?
Students have as many days as they have been absent to turn in work that they missed, whether it is classwork or homework.
Depending on the length of the assignment, I may give the absentee more time to complete the work, especially if s/he is
making up work for other teachers. I rarely give worksheets as assignments, so it is the student's responsibility to see me to
ensure that s/he has adequate instruction to complete the assignment. Sometimes this may mean seeing me before school
the following day, during recess, lunch, or after school, if meeting before school or during recesses is not sufficient.
Regardless, catching up as quickly as possible is in your child's best interests as lessons will be ongoing even as the absentee
is working to make up assignments.
How is late work handled?
Dealing with late work puts everybody, including me, behind the eight ball. Therefore, if work is not turned in on time, it will
be graded as a zero though the student is still expected to make it up. When the assignment is turned in, the student attaches
a LATE slip to it and submits it, and the zero will be changed as follows: For every day the assignment is tardy, there will be a
grade drop of 10%. Students are encouraged to be on time with their assignments as much as possible. If the LATE slip reflects
a legitimate excuse such as absence, Gradelink will reflect the actual points the student earns with no penalty.
What provisions are there for extra help in your class?
Students are welcome to ask for the help they need. I encourage questions in class. My goal is to have the students
learn to be advocates for themselves. As such, I will not specify days of tutoring though I will be available to help your
child should s/he need it. It has been my experience that students who have been required by their parents to "show up"
on tutoring days, come in with their arms crossed and just sit waiting for me to "do something". I will henceforth expect
that if your child needs help, s/he will come prepared to tell me exactly what it is that s/he needs help with. I also will
expect that the students will have made a concerted effort to help themselves before asking for help. After that, I'm very
willing to spend extra time with those who tried and still have trouble with a concept or an assignment. Thus, I will say,
that if it is something simple, I will handle it at lunch time, when the student lets me know, or will let the child know that
we need to spend the extra time after school, so you can make arrangements to pick up your child at a later time.