Happy Thanksgiving!

This week we had our VOC/Grammar quiz. The test was not only on grammar, but on Present Simple and Present Continuous tenses. The class is still not used to this type of quiz, but with more practice they will learn to master it.

I sent home the story we will read next week. I hope the children can do more at home reading. If they read the story a few times at least, and they fully understand it, they will have an easier time remembering the VOC words. It would be great if the students could read the story once a day or every second day. I know it is too heavy for the children to take home the text books every night, so I've made copies.

Harrison has let work pile up in class. There is a lot of incomplete work that he needs to finish. He is having more trouble concentrating in class again.

Ashley is doing fine. She passed her test with a decent score. I believe she could make a significant leap forward if she pre-read the stories and made note of when she got to a VOC word she needs to know. (Once she understands she won't need to memorize)

Richard could have improved on his test score. He was a little confused I think with the format of the test, which was one he had never seen. I believe he had an epiphany when he realized that is/am/are are actually forms of the verb "to be". (something I have taught the class, but I don't think it actually sank in until we corrected the test together in class.)

Ben did an EXCELLENT job on his test. This shows that he listens in class. Those who pay good attention in my class will be rewarded, and Ben is proof that if you work hard in class you can make great strides forward.

Both Jordan and Joe have great natural English abilities but although they have a great head-start in learning English, they will encounter problems in other area's if they cannot begin to take more responsibility for their education. I heard Joe say in class that he didn't care. I know he doesn't actually mean it but I'm going to have a chat with my fellow teachers about an intervention to help these two understand how important learning is. I want them to understand that it is not WHAT they learn that is the most important for them right now, but that learning HOW to learn is the most important.