ABout Ms. Ackerman
Welcome to my class! I knew I wanted to be a teacher when I was in Kindergarten (I kid you not, ask my mom!), but it took until 2010 after several other career paths for it to come true. Now that I am here, I know this is exactly where I want to be.
The first thing you will learn about me is that I expect A LOT...not just from you, but from myself as well. My expectations are always high, but I promise that as long as you don't mind stretching a little, they are within reach. I will NEVER expect you to be perfect (nobody is, especially me). I will, however, expect you to try and give it your all. That is how we grow.
I am a BIG fan of making learning fun. Trust me, why would I want to teach something boring? I like projects and hands-on activities, especially if they include some student choice so we can learn from each other. My absolute favorite thing though is debating. I majored in Philosophy when I was at California State University, Hayward (now East Bay) so conversations are so my "thing." I find it very empowering to know that there is not a "correct" answer to a question - how good an answer is depends solely on how well you present the evidence that supports your opinion. There is just something wonderful about always being right! :)
I was born in San Diego, raised in Milpitas, spent 14 years living in Illinois, and now I am happy to call Santa Rosa my home. My daughter, Alexx, would probably describe me as weird, but in our family that is a HUGE compliment. In my free time, I like to bake and crochet. I also have a propensity for drama, so don't be surprised if you see me on stage. During the summer I travel with students all around the world. Please let me know if you would be interested in joining me on my travels. In August, however, it is all about Drum Corp. I am a diehard Santa Clara Vanguard fan, having been a part of their Colorguard, so watching DCI finals is a must for me.
The first thing you will learn about me is that I expect A LOT...not just from you, but from myself as well. My expectations are always high, but I promise that as long as you don't mind stretching a little, they are within reach. I will NEVER expect you to be perfect (nobody is, especially me). I will, however, expect you to try and give it your all. That is how we grow.
I am a BIG fan of making learning fun. Trust me, why would I want to teach something boring? I like projects and hands-on activities, especially if they include some student choice so we can learn from each other. My absolute favorite thing though is debating. I majored in Philosophy when I was at California State University, Hayward (now East Bay) so conversations are so my "thing." I find it very empowering to know that there is not a "correct" answer to a question - how good an answer is depends solely on how well you present the evidence that supports your opinion. There is just something wonderful about always being right! :)
I was born in San Diego, raised in Milpitas, spent 14 years living in Illinois, and now I am happy to call Santa Rosa my home. My daughter, Alexx, would probably describe me as weird, but in our family that is a HUGE compliment. In my free time, I like to bake and crochet. I also have a propensity for drama, so don't be surprised if you see me on stage. During the summer I travel with students all around the world. Please let me know if you would be interested in joining me on my travels. In August, however, it is all about Drum Corp. I am a diehard Santa Clara Vanguard fan, having been a part of their Colorguard, so watching DCI finals is a must for me.
Grading
For me, the focus in class should be on helping students grow academically because they will all come to me at different academic levels and with different abilities and needs. Students will be tracking their academic progress by focusing on the Common Core Standards for English set forth by the state of California. If you have any questions regarding your child's current progress, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Because LCMS has not transitioned to a standards-based grading system, your child will still be receiving a letter grade for English using the standard percentage scale. The online grade book provides information on what assignments were turned in. Two points are given to assignments completed and turned in on time & one point to late assignments. I will not accept incomplete work or work that appears to have little effort put forth in completing it (i.e. - random answers given so the work looks complete, but little thought was given to the answers written down). At the end of each quarter, your child and I will sit down and determine what their final grade should be. Below is a breakdown of how their grade will be determined:
Late Work
Because my focus is on the quality of the work, I will allow students to turn in work late; as well as redo any assignment. I am not looking for perfection from students, but rather the fact that they are willing to grow and fix their mistakes. There will also be numerous chances for students to show me their proficiency in any given area of study.
Homework
Parent's Role in Learning
The best things parents can do to help their child learn is to increase their child’s background knowledge.
Because LCMS has not transitioned to a standards-based grading system, your child will still be receiving a letter grade for English using the standard percentage scale. The online grade book provides information on what assignments were turned in. Two points are given to assignments completed and turned in on time & one point to late assignments. I will not accept incomplete work or work that appears to have little effort put forth in completing it (i.e. - random answers given so the work looks complete, but little thought was given to the answers written down). At the end of each quarter, your child and I will sit down and determine what their final grade should be. Below is a breakdown of how their grade will be determined:
- Academic Level
- Is your child understanding the material?
- Work Completion
- Is your child completing his/her work and turning it in?
- Is your child trying his/her best when they do complete work?
- Is your child reading 30 minutes everyday at home to practice the skills they are learning at school?
Late Work
Because my focus is on the quality of the work, I will allow students to turn in work late; as well as redo any assignment. I am not looking for perfection from students, but rather the fact that they are willing to grow and fix their mistakes. There will also be numerous chances for students to show me their proficiency in any given area of study.
Homework
- Read 30 minutes every night - novels, newspapers, magazines, graphic novels, comic books, etc. If it has words, they can read it.
- Study for grammar and vocabulary quizzes.
- Work not completed in class.
Parent's Role in Learning
The best things parents can do to help their child learn is to increase their child’s background knowledge.
- Make sure your child is an avid reader of both fiction and non-fiction.
- Talk to your child about current events.
- Share stories about your childhood.
- Make connections to books, movies, events, etc.
- Increase your child’s vocabulary by using big words around them.
- If you are bilingual, speak to your child in your native language and have them learn how to read and write in this language as well.
SCholastic Book Clubs
Shop Online: scholastic.com/readingclub
One-Time Class Activation Code: HQJ6Q
Encouraging reading is one of the most important things we can do to help your child succeed. It can be tough finding the right books to keep them interested, which is why I am so excited that our class will be participating in Scholastic Reading Club this school year.
With Scholastic Reading Club:
Each month, your child will bring home Reading Club flyers. Together you can choose from books hand-selected by teachers and experts, and then order online or by returning your order form and payment to me.
I'd also love some help growing our classroom Reading Club. If you'd like to help out, please let me know! I'm excited to get our class reading!
One-Time Class Activation Code: HQJ6Q
Encouraging reading is one of the most important things we can do to help your child succeed. It can be tough finding the right books to keep them interested, which is why I am so excited that our class will be participating in Scholastic Reading Club this school year.
With Scholastic Reading Club:
- Every book you buy earns FREE Books for our classroom library
- You can choose from handpicked, grade- and reading-level-specific books for your child
- You'll find the best values on a variety of formats, including eBooks
Each month, your child will bring home Reading Club flyers. Together you can choose from books hand-selected by teachers and experts, and then order online or by returning your order form and payment to me.
I'd also love some help growing our classroom Reading Club. If you'd like to help out, please let me know! I'm excited to get our class reading!
- VISIT scholastic.com/readingclub
- ENTER the one-time Class Activation Code
- SHOP from a carefully curated selection of the best books, value packs, and Storia eBooks
- SUBMIT your order and earn FREE Books for our classroom
- All book orders will be shipped to our classroom so we can celebrate the joy of reading together!