Welcome to Learning Strategies Ms. Niro

What is GLS? “This course focuses on learning strategies to help students become better, more independent learners. Students will learn how to develop and apply literacy and numeracy skills, personal- management skills, and interpersonal and teamwork skills to improve their learning and achievement in school, the workplace, and the community. The course helps students build confidence and motivation to pursue opportunities for success in secondary school and beyond.”

UNITS OF STUDY

Unit 1: Introduction to GLS Icebreakers and community building GLS Olympics! Your duo-tangs:  Calendar pages  Learning Logs  S.M.A.R.T Goal  Course summative components

Unit 2: Learning Strategies Note-taking skills  Note-Taking Skills Assignment Organization and using a calendar  Calendar Skills Case Study Assignment OSSLT preparation  Reading for Understanding, Writing a News Report, and Writing a Series of Paragraphs Social Justice Portfolio MOCK OSSLT – MARCH 27 TH AND 28 TH Presentation skills Word-processing skills  Word-Processing Skills Assignment Test-taking skills and key words

Unit 3: Character Education Character attributes  Honesty, Inclusivity, Caring, Cooperation, Respect, Responsibility Identity Mask Assignment

Unit 4: Getting Along with Others Personal Management  Stress management  Mental health Bullying  Types of bullying  Affects and consequences of bullying  Bullying Survey Assignment Restorative Practices  What are restorative practices?  Mean Girls Assignment

Social Justice News Report Presentations Every Thursday starting after the March Break. Present two relevant news stories (in partners) to the class and have discussion.

Catch-Up Fridays Every Friday starting in March. Complete your Learning Log and have me sign off on it. Structure:  1. Finish GLS work  2. Finish other course work  3. Organize binders  4. Silent reading  5. EQAO (literacy/numeracy) practice

Course Summative Assignment Three components, each worth 10%:  Your Time Counts (volunteerism)  Tracking My Success (Learning Logs)  Skills, Knowledge, and Attitudes (choice) Absolute deadline is June 15 th MISSED DEADLINE for the summative will result in a ZERO – no excuses!

CLASS RULES AND EXPECTATIONS

Angel I will be using Angel for this course. The site will have reminders, links, and course material. If you lose a handout I will not provide another one – my expectation is you will go to the site and print another one for your binder. I will provide the details of how to access the site. You will need your student # and you will need to create a password. I also ask that you add your address (no one will see it) as another means of communication outside of the classroom.

What Should You Bring to Class? Binder! Lined paper Pencil Case with… Pens/Pencils Erasers/Whiteout Pencil Crayons Ruler

Administrivia My expectation is that you are in class everyday and are on time everyday. Poor attendance and punctuality will limit your success in this course and if it becomes a serious issue, I will issue detentions, make phone calls home, and speak to your VP. When work is due, I expect it to be handed in on time. No excuses – excuses will not help you be successful in this course. Cheating and plagiarism are not tolerated, and will be dealt with appropriately. RESPECT – show it to me, and you’ll get it back in return. Respect each other and be polite. There are lots of supplies and resources available in the classroom for you to use, so take care of them or you will lose them!

Responsibility If you are away, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed that day and get caught up.

Food and Drink There is absolutely NO food or drink in class, with the exception of water. Save your food for lunch! Plus, you never know who has an allergy – and some allergies are very serious!

Electronic Devices Are the bane of my existence? Maybe… Here’s the deal: NO CELL PHONES! EVER! You can text your friends outside of class. It is rude and disrespectful to both myself and your classmates. iPods… if we are doing INDEPENDENT work, I don’t usually mind if you listen to music QUIETLY – I don’t want to hear it. However, when I am teaching, or we are having discussion or working in groups, I don’t want to see the ear buds out!  If you can’t follow this ‘arrangement’, the PRIVILEDGE will be gone!