Welcome! 


    Welcome to my website and Eighth Grade Reading – 2009-2010! After being Oak View’s literacy coach for a while, I’m excited to return to the grade level and curriculum that I’ve loved for years. I hope this website will help us stay in close touch to assure that and your parents are able to stay informed about what we're doing in Reading classes this year.
   
     Eighth grade is a big jump from seventh because the material gets more difficult. In addition, expectations are higher for student responsibility, academic and behavioral performance, AND that our students leave Oak View ready for high school. That means  lots of work. These changes might mean that, even when you haven’t had to do so yet in school, you might need to study more actively. That's something we'll learn to do in class but out of class time will be required for success. Parents might need to be more actively involved by helping students review and practice materials. Serious focus on our work doesn't mean that it can’t be interesting and fun. A wide variety of reading material, open and lively discussion, classroom modeling and practice, independent and group learning circles, and creative activities will be used to accomplish those goals. The level of these learning tools will be determined by student readiness both academically and behaviorally. We can ALL become better readers, so no matter what level you begin the year the plan is that you make at least a year's improvement; more would be even better. Our goals are to:

• Develop lifelong, independent readers,
• Prepare students for the challenges of high school and life, and
• Instill curiosity and love for words and their power.

     
     You might notice that the state reading assessment isn't listed among those goals. Although assessments are important and helpful measures for teachers to use, my primary goal is to prepare students academically for the challenges of further schooling and productive citizenship. In Eighth Grade Reading students will address the state benchmarks (the areas and skills identified as necessary to build literacy) every day. If I do my part, which I pledge to do, and you do your part, you will be prepared for your next step in school and the state assessment will take care of itself. With consistent focus and attention to quality from me, from you students, and from parents we will see significant academic growth. 

     Please feel free to contact me via my email address: shawmb@gm.sbac.edu.