Dr. Gilchrist’s English Class
Twitter: Follow us @DrGilsEnglish
Instructor: Erin Naugher
Gilchrist Ph.D.
Experience: I
have had the privilege of teaching English for 8 years. I’ve worked directly with Spanish translators
in an 8th grade classroom for English Language Learners, taught
advanced Art in and out of public schools, and this is my second year teaching
6th grade English. My
doctorate, earned in 2012, is from The University of Alabama in English
Curriculum & Instruction.
Welcome: This
6th grade English class is based upon the College and Career Ready
Standards that require our content to revolve around Reading, Writing,
Listening, and Speaking. A large portion
of the year will focus on writing, but students are also asked to critically
think, answer open-ended questions, and participate in class discussion. Compositions for the year vary from creative
to research-based, and students are required to do various projects and presentations
to demonstrate their knowledge of the content and writing. Hopefully, with enough practice and
repetition, given the freedom and environment in which to create, your student
will not only become a better writer throughout the year, be he or she will
grow comfortable and even learn to enjoy writing. My goal is to inspire writers for life! My passion is writing and I hope to dually
spark that fire in the hearts and minds of my students as well.
Contact Information: You may call the
school and leave a message or email me at erin.gilchrist@trussvillecityschools.com
English Supplies:
·
Three Ring Binder
·
Tabs/Dividers
·
Loose Leaf Notebook paper
(Replenish when you run out!)
·
Colored printer paper
Please have these supplies as soon as possible
so that we may begin the year and stay organized together! I prefer that your
student have their own notebook for English class. Large binders and trapper-keepers are just
too small to house all of the information from each class. In English- we create large compositions and
the paper builds quickly!
A Few Class Norms:
Textbook: Each day students are to bring
to English class their own personal book for reading. We use our personal reading material in
English to examine literature and texts; also it’s frequently used as a writing
catalyst. Throughout the year, we will
refer to these books as our “IDR” books.
IDR stands for Independent Daily Reading.
Grades: All
grades are out of 100 points; there are simply various categories for each
grade. Categories are as follows:
·
50%--Mastery
(Tests, Projects, Major Writing Assignments, etc.)
·
30%--Checkpoint
(Quizzes, Smaller Writing Assignments)
·
20%--Practice
(Completion/Participation Credit)
Please check student grades frequently in
INOW. This is encouraged. I will try and keep these as up-to-date as
possible throughout the school year. J
Notebook: Notebooks in this class are
very important. Notebooks are checked
and graded, so students are held accountable for their own papers, class
assignments, and grades. This is an
effort to teach consistency and organization (a thing most 6th
graders need help with!) These notebooks
also allow parents to view student work on a regular basis and examine grades.
Absence & Late Work Policy: When and if a
student is out, it is the responsibility of the student to come to me the day upon
their return to school and ask for their make-up work. They have three days to complete the
work. If the work is not submitted on
the third day, it will be counted as “late.”
All late work is graded with a 30 point deduction.
Technology
Welcome…but not required: Here at HTMS, we have a BYOD
(Bring Your Own Device) policy. I utilize
student technology consistently in my classes.
If your student has technology (such as a smartphone, Ipad, Tablet, IPod,
or laptop), and you feel comfortable allowing them to do so, they are allowed
to use them at the appropriate times in class.
If a discipline issue occurs in conjunction with personal technology, your
child will no longer be allowed to BYOD to school.
