08.14.07

Core 1+4:

1. Write-On: How can what you expect affect what you receive?
2. Share your expectations with your group and create a master list of expectations that you will want to hold the class, the teacher, and yourself to. (They may be the same.)
3. Compile and vote on expectations to go on our syllabus.
4. Discussion: What are the barriers to reaching your expectations?
5. Begin Reading dear-students-orginal.doc
6. Extensions:
   • Finish reading “Dear Students”
   • Take anecdotal notes in the margins or on another sheet of paper(notes that show you relate to the subject, notes that tell little stories; in this case, notes about how you have felt barriers between yourself and learning, yourself and others, or you and your true self.)

Class Notes:

[slideshare id=91891&doc=class-expectations-7th4655&w=425]

Core 2+3:

1. Totally Wired Teacher of 2007
2. Changes to the Classroom Environment.

It is strange that it only take one repetition of an action, just two moments, to create a tradition. It is altogether odd that doing one thing twice means that it becomes an expectation that you will do it again. Tradition can challenge us to be great, but it can also box us in. Because I have had (nearly) all of you for two years, we are faced with the unique opportunity to continue the valuable traditions and discard the useless ones. It is our job this week to decide as a class which expectations we are going to hold fast to and which ones we are going to leave in rubble of last year’s classroom.

1. My new traditions/non-negotiables:
   • Class time is sacred.
   • Everything for a reason.
   • Community and individuals in balance.
2. What are the traditions that you want to preserve or drop for:
   • Mr. Wilkoff
   • The Class
   • Yourself
3. Extensions:
   • Revise the traditions that think are essential for the three categories of our classroom to be voted on tomorrow.
   • Buy/bring a spiral notebook to be placed in the folder.

Class Notes:

[slideshare id=91888&doc=traditions-8th3000&w=425]

08.13.07

Welcome to the best two years of your life. This is not an overstatement. It is not hyperbole. Up until this point your life has either been pretty great or somewhat bland, but at this moment, you become a part of something so much bigger than yourself. You become a part of the Academy of Discovery at Cresthill Middle School. You are the first class to be bestowed with such an honor. Take it and run with it.

Core 1+4:

1. The Academy of Discovery
2. Discuss non-negotiables for Mr. Wilkoff’s Language Arts Class.
   • Class time is sacred.
   • Everything for a reason.
   • Community and individuals in balance.
3. The Write-On, Talk-On, Discuss-On, Search-On, Question-On phenomenon.
4. Write-On and Search-On: Using the keen powers of observation and deductive reasoning, what is important in this classroom? Why do you think it is important?
5. Discuss three types of expectations: For the Class (others), For the teacher (Mr. Wilkoff), for yourself.
6. Extensions:
   • Write out your three categories and a list of at least 5 expectations for each, to be discussed tomorrow.
   • Draw on and label your Language Arts Folder
   • Buy/bring a spiral notebook to be placed in the folder.

Class Notes:

[slideshare id=91524&doc=around-the-room4002&w=425]