WELCOME TO FRESHMAN SEMINAR!

What is this class really about? Class objectives and expectations

Freshmen Statistics Nationally 30-40% of students aren’t successful in 9 th grade Failures aren’t limited to students with low skills If you don’t pass classes, you don’t graduate. Each class that is failed keeps you from graduation.

How can you change the statistics? Come to class. If you have to be absent, check in with each teacher and make up the work Participate in class Become active in school activities Set study times and have a quiet place to think.

Make classes interesting to YOU How can you do that? What classes are more challenging for you? How do you stay focused?

What do you do now to be successful in school?

Add these dates to your Planner or Phone calendar: September: –9 th : Parent expectation sheet due Wordle due Wiki reply and 2 comments –12 th : School Pictures: Bring $ and sheet –Blog due –15 th : Speaker evaluation due –Advisory 9:30-10:00

Who are You? A large part of being successful is knowing who you are. We often know who we are not. We’ll start off by thinking about our name.

Mrs. Smith My parents both liked the name Susan. I don’t think there was really any other reason for that choice. My grandmother (dad’s mom) didn’t like Susan and so she would call me the French version, Suzanne. My father would really get angry about that and finally she called me Susan. I didn’t really like the name at all when I was growing up. An older girl in the neighborhood was named Mary and that’s the name I wanted. Now I like the name, although most people call me Sue. My favorite nickname was from my mom’s sisters. They would call me Suz. A very few people called me Suzie. My maiden name was terribly long and difficult for people to pronounce, so I enjoy being a Smith. Susan is from Hebrew origin and means lily.

Please include the following:  What does your name mean?  Why were you given your name?  What experiences have you had in regard to your name?  How do you feel about your name? Do you feel that it fits you?  If you could change your name, what would it be? Why?

Questions from book reading to think about: How does Esperanza feel about her name? How can you tell? What have you learned about her family and neighborhood? Do you think it is important to like your name? Why?