Mrs. Mathis's Classes

I will be sending an email/posting information regarding assignments.

It’s that time of year. Resolutions have been made (and maybe broken) but we all have a sense of adventure looking forward to 2014!

Parents, this is a request from me to you, not from me to your children. Please, and I can’t emphasize this strongly enough, please help your student learn to enjoy the benefits of an organized classroom binder. When I see students pull out binders that are overflowing and stuffed with assignments and handouts from last fall, I feel their frustration. They can’t find what they need quickly or efficiently.

Yes, perhaps it is a logical consequence for their own disorganization, but most students -especially middle-schoolers, especially boys – need some extra help.  Sit down with them for 15 minutes and take out all the work/papers/handouts/etc. from previous units. Moms, once the grade reports have been issued and  you don’t need the work any more, you are free to do with it what you like. Make that YOUR decision, not your child’s. They don’t need to be carrying old papers to new classes.

 

G.K. Chesterton always has wise words for us, but for now I will refrain from pointing out the beautiful symbolism, similes, imagery, and rhythm. Read and enjoy!

A Christmas Carol

by G.K.Chesterton

The Christ-child lay on Mary’s lap,
His hair was like a light.
(O weary, weary were the world,
But here is all aright.)

The Christ-child lay on Mary’s breast
His hair was like a star.
(O stern and cunning are the kings,
But here the true hearts are.)

The Christ-child lay on Mary’s heart,
His hair was like a fire.
(O weary, weary is the world,
But here the world’s desire.)

The Christ-child stood on Mary’s knee,
His hair was like a crown,
And all the flowers looked up at Him,
And all the stars looked down.

It’s that time of year again. I can count on this one at least once per class, per day, until we break for Christmas. “Do you give us homework over vacation?”

The good news? No, I do not. We have planned breaks in our schedule and I believe that we all deserve some time off to enjoy our usual round of activities.

The bad news? It may look as if I assign homework over the break because I do give out an assignment list on the last day of class.

Allow me to clarify. Today, Monday, was the last class before Thanksgiving break. I will see you again in 2 weeks. One of those weeks is PREP’s Thanksgiving break, the other week is not. I give homework to cover the one week class is still in session. I encourage you to work hard in order to truly enjoy that break and not have work hanging over your head.

To reiterate, just because I don’t see you for 2 weeks, doesn’t mean you have two free weeks. You have one – enjoy it!

Blessings,

Mrs. Mathis

Now that our year is underway, it’s time for a friendly reminder. I send home a homework sheet each week for the middle-school classes and post homework each week for the high-schoolers. Please take the time to look over the assignments. Talk to your students about their workload for the week and offer any suggestions for scheduling. Next, and here’s the important part, be sure to look over the completed work before they turn it in.

A verbal “Yes, I did my homework” is not allowed. Please take the time to look over what they have done. Is it neat? Did they follow directions? Are all questions answered?

If the answer to any of the above is “no”, feel free to require a revision. You are the homeschooling parent! Quick feedback and quick revisions give greater results in the long run.

If there is a lack of understanding, feel free to contact me – or better yet, have your student contact me – and ask for help. That’s what I’m here for.

It’s that time of year! I envy those of you who are still in the midst of colored pencils and 3-ring binders. College school supplies aren’t nearly as much fun to buy.

READING & WRITING 1:

WriteShop 1 (student edition only)

Grammar Book (The Magic Lens)
Synonym Finder (or other thesaurus)
Current Novel: We begin with Holes. The book list is on my website: www.mrsmathis.com
3 ring binder with clear view/insert cover. This way the students can keep the syllabus in view at all times.
Tabbed Dividers: Notes, Handouts, Writing, Returned Work, Grammar
Include a pocket divider with one side labeled “take home” and the other side “bring back” to keep track of papers
Colored pencils
Pen (blue or black)
Notebook paper (white)

READING & WRITING 2:

WriteShop 2 (student edition only)

Grammar Book (The Magic Lens)
Synonym Finder (or other thesaurus)
Current Novel: We begin with The Wind in the Wiillows. The book list is on my website: www.mrsmathis.com
3 ring binder with clear view/insert cover. This way the students can keep the syllabus in view at all times.
Tabbed Dividers: Notes, Handouts, Writing, Returned Work, Grammar
Include a pocket divider with one side labeled “take home” and the other side “bring back” to keep track of papers
Colored pencils
Pen (blue or black)
Notebook paper (white)

 

CLASSIC LIT & AMERICAN LIT:

3 ring binder with clear view/insert cover. This way the students can keep the syllabus in view at all times.
Tabbed dividers, at least 4: notes, handouts, quizzes, papers,
Pen and pencil
5 retractable highlighters: orange, green, blue, pink, yellow. (Retractable makes life a lot easier! Buy two sets. These will not last the entire year.) Here is a sample:

Retractable Highlighters (Click for link to Amazon.com to see an example)

Student composition book (sewn type, not spiral) to use for a Commonplace Book: a place to collect vocabulary, quotes, and examples from their reading.

More from Mulroy’s The War Against Grammar. This time – why on earth study literature? Where is the value in that?

“Other diversions do not belong to all times, all ages, all places. Literary studies sharpen the minds of youth, entertain the elderly, glorify successes, offer refuge and comfort in adversity, give delight at home, are no impediment in society, stay with us through sleepless nights, on foreign journeys, in the lonely countryside.” – Cicero

(Thank you to Jen Jones, PREP Latin teacher for recommending this wonderful book. Thank you to Cindy Rollins at www.ordo-amoris.com for the idea for the Wednesday posts.)

“As a practical discipline, grammar has two, closely related goals. It preserves and perfects understanding of the great literature of the past, and it contributes to eloquent self-expression.”

Adding to this, a comment from my Aunt Linda. She is a retired elementary school teacher who kept my mom supplied with books and workbooks so that I could become an early reader. Aunt Linda gave me a copy of A Wrinkle in Time for my birthday one year. When someone loves you enough to contribute to your reading life, they are special indeed!

“One of my favorite memories from junior high(middle school today) English classes. We had graded assignments of diagramming. It was so satisfying to fit every word in a space. It’s like working s mathematical problem and having it come out correct.”

Beginning this fall, both of my middle-school language arts classes will include formal grammar study. You might have a question or two…

Haven’t you always included grammar? Yes, but in an informal way. We use it when we discuss writing, and in fact Write Shop requires a basic knowledge of grammar in order to understand how to implement sentence variations. I’ve always required correct grammar and have woven it into whichever lesson we are learning.

Why add an additional curriculum? I love the subject. It’s hard to teach “just” reading and writing and not include grammar. Several parents have asked me to consider adding a grammar component and I think it’s a wonderful idea!

Do we have to buy another book? Yes, and I have exciting news! The Magic Lens by Michael Clay Thompson (Royal Fireworks Press) is a non-consumable text that can be used in Reading & Writing 1 AND 2. This book simplifies grammar and makes it easy to understand, and dare I say, love! With only 8 kinds of words and 2 sides of a sentence, we can create literature, poetry, conversation, and thought. Thompson employs a unique way of analyzing a sentence (not diagramming in case you are worried) that helps students to see — on 4 different levels– the parts of the sentence. Punctuation isn’t so scary once you understand what those little marks are accomplishing and what they are dividing.

What’s with the title? “Magic”? – I’ll let the author speak for himself here: “(Grammar) is sort of a magic aesthetic lens, through which we can view the delicate structures of ideas. As scientists marvel at the silicate skeletal frames that support and form living organisms, through grammar we view the delicate relationships that give form to the phenomena of the mind. If this comparison strikes  you as idealistic and metaphorical, please consider it further. These relationships do exist, and they are beautiful.” -from the foreword

We have a world of sentences waiting to be explored! I hope you will consider joining us!

If you go to the Book List page for each class, you will discover something new when you click on each title: Direct links to Amazon.com.  If you prefer to order from them – great! If not, you will be able to see the book itself and can find the ISBN# so that you may purchase elsewhere. I hope this is a help for you! Please let me know if you have any questions.