"The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically.
Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education."
- M.L.K.
Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education."
- M.L.K.
Pacific Trails Middle School
5975 Village Center Loop Road,
San Diego, CA,
92024
2018/19
Dear Parents and Guardians,
I am looking forward to getting to know you and your student over the course of this school year. As we prepare for the year, I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself and talk a bit about my teaching philosophy and classroom expectations. It's my highest priority that my students feel they are a part of a community in my class, and that I am doing everything I can to help them succeed.
First, I’d like to talk about what I believe success looks like. I have set several goals for our class this year. First, it's my hope that I can help the class develop an excitement for learning about the history of the United States. My second goal is to help each student make the absolute most of their time in my class, to grow in their academic and historical thinking skills. I’m particularly interested in seeing growth over time.
In terms of general academic skills, we'll be working on preparation, organization, time management, focus, group collaboration, and a host of other things. More specifically related to the study of history, we'll be working on understanding and applying cause and effect, comparison and contrast, contextualization, and continuity and change.
As a teacher, I strive to foster a classroom environment in which all are welcomed as equal members of a community, all are respected, and all feel that they are in safe place to express themselves freely and share ideas. As it turns out, the study of history is an excellent context to help students learn to be helpful members of a community that recognizes and values the differences we all have. One way we'll work to accomplish this by practicing the Characteristics of Kindness.
Quick tips to help your student(s) succeed...
IMPORTANT! Please take a moment to fill out the Parent Contact Form. This will help improve our communication throughout the semester. To access the virtual classroom, visit edmotivate.com/us-history.
Sincerely,
Mr. Gillette
brian.gillette@sduhsd.net
5975 Village Center Loop Road,
San Diego, CA,
92024
2018/19
Dear Parents and Guardians,
I am looking forward to getting to know you and your student over the course of this school year. As we prepare for the year, I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself and talk a bit about my teaching philosophy and classroom expectations. It's my highest priority that my students feel they are a part of a community in my class, and that I am doing everything I can to help them succeed.
First, I’d like to talk about what I believe success looks like. I have set several goals for our class this year. First, it's my hope that I can help the class develop an excitement for learning about the history of the United States. My second goal is to help each student make the absolute most of their time in my class, to grow in their academic and historical thinking skills. I’m particularly interested in seeing growth over time.
In terms of general academic skills, we'll be working on preparation, organization, time management, focus, group collaboration, and a host of other things. More specifically related to the study of history, we'll be working on understanding and applying cause and effect, comparison and contrast, contextualization, and continuity and change.
As a teacher, I strive to foster a classroom environment in which all are welcomed as equal members of a community, all are respected, and all feel that they are in safe place to express themselves freely and share ideas. As it turns out, the study of history is an excellent context to help students learn to be helpful members of a community that recognizes and values the differences we all have. One way we'll work to accomplish this by practicing the Characteristics of Kindness.
- Consider others first
- Listen intently to their ideas
- Value the efforts of others
- Respond with patience and respect
- Do not act in anger
- Be willing to admit fault
- Be ready to make amends.
Quick tips to help your student(s) succeed...
- Allow students to take the lead - While I always welcome parent communication, students should be encouraged to take the lead on ongoing communication regarding things like assignment questions, confusion about things that we're learning, etc. Allowing students be the primary contact will help them develop valuable skills in self advocacy.
- Allow students to learn from adversity - Failure is a critical component of future success. A low test score, or a low score on an assignment or project, are opportunities for students to reflect honestly and seriously about how they prepared, how they managed their time, how they followed instructions, etc.
- Check Aeries regularly - I'll do my best to update the grade book frequently. This is a valuable tool that you can use in order to track your students progress in the class. To access Aeries, go to Aeries Parent Portal
- Check the class website regularly - The class website will help you stay in tune with what your student is learning in class, and what they should be working on at home. You'll be able to access a master calendar for each unit that includes all homework and project due dates, as well as the dates of upcoming quizzes and unit tests.
- Respect due dates - Barring and excused absence or a specific accommodation detailed in an IEP or 504 Plan, late work will be penalized up to 50%. It's imperative that students practice organization and time management skills that will help prevent them from missing due dates.
- Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns - I believe that teaching students is a collaborative effort, and that parents and guardians are the primary stewards of their students education. As such, I look forward to regular communication. I will do my very best to respond to emails within 24 hours. My email address should be the first point of contact. If you'd prefer to speak to me directly, you can try to reach me on my classroom phone. 858-509-1000 x4718
IMPORTANT! Please take a moment to fill out the Parent Contact Form. This will help improve our communication throughout the semester. To access the virtual classroom, visit edmotivate.com/us-history.
Sincerely,
Mr. Gillette
brian.gillette@sduhsd.net
