Deaf education Writing instruction Laura Whitfield’s Class Atascocita High School 2016-2017 School Year Deaf education Writing instruction Course Description Class Rules Be in seat when tardy bell rings. Put proper heading on all papers. Do not use electronic devices in class without teacher permission. Use restroom during passing breaks. Maintain a clean and orderly work area. Bring all of your supplies to class daily. Complete all of your work to the best of your abilities and turn it in on time. All AHS rules and policies shall be observed within the classroom. Welcome to Deaf Education Writing Instruction! This course will pair with Deaf Education Reading Instruction. Our focus this school year will be learning and developing our skills as writers. Writing is not limited to only formal essays, but is a crucial skill to have in order to be successful in life. The development and mastery of communicating through writing is will aid in achieving excellence in other school subjects, building strong relationships with others, and attaining a flourishing career as an adult. Basically, the quality of life you experience now thorough adulthood will depend a lot on how well you read, write, and communicate with others. About the Teacher I am excited to be working with students at the Atascocita High School this year. I have been teaching Deaf and hard of hearing students since 2010 and have experience with students ranging in ages from pre-kindergarten to seniors in high school. I attained my bachelors degree from Stephen F. Austin in the area of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education, and I have recently graduated from University of North Texas with a Master degree in the area of Education Leadership. I have a passion for seeing Deaf and hard of hearing students’ progress in their reading and writing skills. I have presented at Texas Woman’s University on the subject of writing strategies for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students and have completed extensive research on the topic. I am looking forward to seeing your student improve their writing skills this year. What are the consequences if I don’t follow class rules? 1. Warning: the teacher provides a verbal reprimand/reminder to the student. 2. Deduction of participation grade: repeated warnings will lead to a deduction of participation grade. 3. D-Hall: referral to D-Hall will be written. This can be served Thursday before school or after school. 4. Referral to Administration: a student will be immediately referred to administration for severe behavior problems. Where do I go to find agendas and assignments? Your assignments will be written on the board everyday. I strongly suggest that you keep a planner to write down your assignments in order to keep organized. Additionally, all assignment’s due dates are on my teacher website – you can check it at home to make sure you’re not missing anything! What happens if I turn in an assignment late? Work not completed and turned in by the assigned date is considered late. If a student is absent on the date work is due, the assignment is due the second day the student returns to school. Assignments will be deducted ten points per day they are late. INCOMPLETE LATE WORK will not be graded and will result in a zero for the assignment. Laura.Whitfield@Humble.k12.tx.us (281) 641-7670 1

Laura Whitfield’s Class Atascocita High School 2016-2017 School Year   How will I check my grade in class? Grade Scale Progress reports and report cards will be sent home to parents by the school. You can access Home Access Center at any time (parents or students) to check grades and attendance. A+ = 100% A = 94% - 99% A- = 90% - 93% B+ = 87% - 89% B = 84% - 86% B- = 80% - 83% C+ = 77% - 79% C = 74% - 76% C- = 70% - 73% F = 0% - 69% What do I do if I am absent? Come see Mrs. Whitfield. All assignments are due two days after you return to school. Any quiz is due the same day you return. Do I have to write outside of class? Yes. Just as with any skill, consistent practice allows for improved writing. I will require students to write independently at home 3 out of the 7 days a week. The writing can be any style and can even be kept in a private journal. I don’t require students to let me read their writings (unless they would like to share) but I do need to confirm that they have practiced writing in order to provide a grade for the student. This independent writing will be required along with any class writing assignments that were not completed in class. Grade Breakdown Assessments / Quizzes = 40% Homework / In-Class Assignments = 60% Do I have to buy supplies for class? Please bring the following items: Post-it notes High lighters Pencils Colored pens (any color but black and blue) Composition notebooks College-ruled paper Tissues Hand sanitizer Join REMIND! I will send out homework reminders through this app. Once the app is downloaded, you can add my class in order to receive my announcements and reminders. Text the message @c6kaf to the number 81010. Laura.Whitfield@Humble.k12.tx.us (281) 641-7670 2

Laura Whitfield’s Class Atascocita High School 2016-2017 School Year Please Read the course information, sign, and return this sheet to Mrs. Whitfield Students: Please sign below to signify that you have read the course sheet for Mrs. Whitfield’s class, will keep it in your folder, and will be responsible for the information throughout the year.   _______________________________ _____________________________________________ Student printed name Student signature Parents/Guardians: Please sign below to indicate that you have read the course sheet for Mrs. Whitfield’s class and that you will help your student be accountable for the information. If you have questions about the course or your student’s work, please do not hesitate to contact me; email is the best way to reach me quickly. See the front of this sheet for my email address.   Parent/Guardian printed name Parent/Guardian signature _______________________________ ______________________________________________ Parent/Guardian e-mail Parent/Guardian daytime phone number (please print) Parents and guardians, please CIRCLE the best way for me to contact you: e-mail phone text Check all the statements that apply to how you would like to communicate with Mrs. Whitfield about your student’s progress. I will, of course, call for major concerns or accomplishments, but I like to know how you’d prefer to communicate. _____ I/We have internet access at home, so we will check Home Access to check on my/our student’s progress. I/We will contact Mrs. Whitfield about any concerns we have. _____ I/We plan to email Mrs. Whitfield weekly or monthly for an update. _____ I/We do not have internet access at home, but I/we would like to have regular contact with Mrs. Whitfield. I/we will call for an update on a regular basis. _____ Other: _______________________________________________________________________________ Laura.Whitfield@Humble.k12.tx.us (281) 641-7670 2