To my little Copper Mountain Colts:

Dear Colts,

   Welcome to ninth grade!  This is a big year for you.  This year counts towards your high school graduation.  It may seem like its just another year at the middle school, but this year is really your first year of high school.  You have new expectations.  No longer are you a lost little seventh grader or a coasting eighth grader. Now you are an accountable ninth grader, and I will be treating you as the freshman you are.  I will not coddle you like a seventh grader or nag you like an eighth grader.  The academic and behavior expectations have been raised.  This may be a shock for some of you, but it will be a good shock.  It’s best to learn reality now than later when the consequences are much higher.   

       We will be implementing Standards-Based Grading in a greater capacity in this class than in most of your classes.  That means that your entire grade will come from mastery of the standards.  Homework, behavior, and assignments will not count towards your final grade (they will count towards your citizenship-which now accumulates throughout high school like your GPA).  Homework and assignments are your opportunity to experiment and practice without consequence and fear.  Take advantage!!! You may think, “Sweet, I can sit back and do nothing in this class and then pass the standards.”  CAUTION: Practice is the only way to master something!!!! Those of you who play sports, a musical instrument, or participate in any hobby know this already.  Don’t fall into a procratinative pit.  Show up to class, be prepared, participate, and take risks.  The rewards will automatically reflect in your mastery of the standards and your grade and you will learn life skills that will serve you throughout college and your future careers. 

       Along with a new way of grading, we will have a global focus this year.  What? This isn’t a Geography class?  We will have the opportunity to digitally interact with students in different countries.  You will be expected to be respectful and empathetic with those students and their culture.  You will be able to improve your written communication skills as well as your collaborative skills.  You will be able to make new friends and learn from those who have very different lives and school experiences from yours.  As you work with your classmates and students from around the globe, remember, “You are no better than anyone else, but you are just as good.”  Tolerance begins with perspective and we will look at many different perspectives this year, including your own. 

           

So, let’s get started! 

Tell me what your thoughts are about working with students in other countries. What are your expectations, fears, and anticipations?  What questions do you have about this class or about Miss Ewell? 

Follow the posting format: Period#FirstNameLastInitial

If there is more than one of you with the same name in a class period, follow the following format: Period#FirstNameFirstThreeLettersofLastName. 

Sincerely,

            Miss Ewell

And Finally the Favela Post!

It took me a bit to get this post because I wanted to make a movie instead of adding photos.  So, it’s a bit out of order.  One of our activities in Rio was to tour a Favela.  Favelas are shantytowns where the people just made their homes out of any kind of material.  They are controversial because the people in Favelas do not pay taxes.  There are very poor conditions because they don’t pay taxes.  They do not have hospitals, garbage removal, sewage facilities, etc.  As you can see from the video, the electrical is crazy!  They just put wires wherever.  Favelas are named after the plant that grows in them.  As we were walking through the favela, we heard the song “People like us” by Kelly Clarkson playing in one of the houses. I thought it was fitting and decided to put the picture to the song.  Erica and Liza took the pictures.  The Favela we toured was the largest in Rio. 

Here is the link for the video: 

Favela Movie 

Educational Visits

On my last day in Jamaica, Mrs. Denis (a Senior Education Officer for the Ministry of Education Region 6) took me on a tour of Ministry 6’s office, Spanish Town High School and an elementary school.   I met some amazing people at the ministry office, including one of the accountants in charge of checking the school budgets. 

The best part of the Ministry of Education Region 6 was Mrs. Denis!  She is an amazing woman!  She is respected and admired by everyone who works with her. I witnessed her putting out fires, handling conflicts, organizing events, and directing a conference.  She is extremely thoughtful!  When she knew my friend and I were going to switch vehicles with her, she made sure we had cold drinks and snacks.  She always made sure she had dressy shoes in her car and was always dressed very professional.  Her answers to my questions were educated and very innovative.  She made the most yummy chicken I have every had.  I feel so blessed to have met her and to be able to learn from her.  

One of my educational heroes!  Mrs. Denis and I at Port Royal.

The accounting department at Region 6 

Mrs. Denis' office

 Mrs. Denis took me to one of the regions best elementary schools.  The elementary was closed because it was summer, but a custodian let us in and a teacher was there and she answered my questions.  The school has a beautiful campus that is very inviting.  The teacher knew lots of resources and strategies.  She was the reading specialist who worked with students in a pull out program (sort of like our resource at the elementary level).  She has seen a lot of improvement with students’ reading. She also helps parents to know what they can do to help the students. She works very close with the teachers and administration. When she is unable to assist a student, that student is sent to a special education school.  She had a brightly painted yellow classroom (it was being painted while we were there) with only one large chalkboard. But, she has obviously spent hours making manipulative to help her students. The school had very good test scores and was a school of choice.  I was very impressed with it.

After the ministry, Mrs. Denis arranged for me to spend some time with the Dean of Discipline at Spanish Town High School.  It was registration day and it was caotic to say the least.  The DofD was bombarded with parents asking her questions.  She explained to a couple of parents that their child would not be able to return to school until he/she had completed a counseling session with the parents because they had received too many discipline marks.  The dean told me she had been a teacher for a few years and then decided she wanted to get to the bottom of things in regards to discipline. When a student gets sent to her (usually from a teacher), she tries to find out why the student is acting out.  She even makes home visits to see what is going on at home.  There was a large gang problem at Spanish HS when she first became the dean. She worked with local police, local gang leaders, and surrounding high schools to get rid of the problem. She said she was able to break up the students who were the gang leaders by taking some other students from the surrounding high schools as a swap program.  Her assignments are not totally defined so she has a huge responsibility to parents, student, and teachers.  She is suppose to meet with the principal often but usually is not included in most administrative meetings.  I was extremely impressed with the dean and the work she is doing to make the school better.  She said they are still working to improve their low-test scores and one of her biggest concerns is how loud and busy the high school is because it is right in the center of the city.  While I was there I had to ask her to repeat her comments a couple of times because large trucks were driving by and I couldn’t hear above the traffic.  

Education in Jamaica may be behind the US as far as technology and resources , but there are amazing educators like Mrs. Denis, the dean at Spanish Town HS, and the reading specialist at the elementary who make education valuable.  In all of my travels this summer, I have learned that the teacher makes the greatest difference.  Not technology, not facilities, and not the culture.  Teachers are a students greatest resource for knowledge and motivation.