Greetings!

Welcome to Mrs. Hurst-Wilson's home page.

Respect and Cooperation Mean Success!

Teaching Philosophy

It is our mission to give each student an equitable, diverse, and challenging educational experience through focusing on his/her needs and varied learning styles.

Curriculum

The seventh grade language arts curriculum is based upon the North Carolina Standard Course of Study, as well as the Wake County Public Schools Curriculum Guide.  The curriculum includes:  using language to express individual perspectives in response to personal, social, cultural, and historical issues; synthesizing and using information from a variety of sources; refining the understanding and use argument; refining critical thinking skills and creating criteria to evaluate text and multi-media; responding to various literary genres using interpretive and evaluative processes; and applying conventions (grammar and language usage).

State Testing

The North Carolina Writing Test will be administered on March 4, 2008.  Students will receive an evaluative or problem-solution prompt and will then have 75 minutes to write a composition.  Scorers evaluate the writing in the following areas:  focus, organization, support and elaboration, style, and conventions.  Throughout the year, students will practice through a variety of writing opportunities and mock tests given in October and January.  Students will file their writing in classroom folders provided by the teacher.  Writing folders are required by Wake County and may not be checked out.  However, parents may schedule a conference to review a child’s writing folder.

In May, all seventh grade students will take the North Carolina End of Grade Test in Reading.  This multiple-choice test evaluates mastery and growth of reading skills.  Students will practice for this test by taking periodic Blue Diamond assessments.

This website provides more information on state testing: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/testing/

Quarterly Grading

Classwork:  50%

Tests/Projects:  30%

Homework:  10%

Accelerated Reader:  10%

Reading Log/Homework

Students are required to read for 20 minutes Monday- Thursday nights and complete a reading log.  Logs are handed out the first school day of the week and are collected on Fridays (or the next school day if Friday is a holiday).  No late reading logs will be accepted.  Other homework assignments will be assigned occasionally.

Accelerated Reader

Accelerated Reader is a school wide reading program.  Each student will complete a STAR test to determine his/her reading level.  Based on this level, the student will be assigned a point goal that he/she works towards each quarter.  A student earns points by reading books and taking tests in the language arts classroom.  AR is 10% of the total language arts grade.  Half of that grade comes from the percentage of the goal achieved and the other half of the grade is an average of the AR test scores.

AR Deadlines:  October 19, January 11, March 20, May 30

Late Work

Besides reading logs, other homework and classwork will be accepted late for 70% credit. 

Work Missed Due to an Absence

It is the student’s responsibility to make up work missed due to an absence.  If a student is absent, he/she must follow the school procedures concerning attendance as stated in the student handbook.  The student must check the classroom assignment notebook located in the student center the day he/she returns from an absence.  Work assigned prior to the absence is DUE UPON RETURN.    The student will have the amount of time absent, plus two days to complete work assigned during the absence.  Tests and quizzes will be made up at the teacher’s discretion.

Communication/ Thinkwave

Thinkwave is an Internet program that allows students and parents to view grades anytime.  All students and parents are provided with Thinkwave accounts and passwords.  Parents are encouraged to check grades via Thinkwave often.  Each teacher updates Thinkwave at least bi-weekly.

Communication between home and school is essential for success.  Please feel free to email any questions or concerns to the Wake County email address on the front of this syllabus.  Do not use the email function on Thinkwave because it does not send the information to the school email provider.  Parents may also send notes with their children or call and leave a message with the school office staff at 460-3504.

Supplies

Each student is required to keep a common three-inch, three ring binder for core classes.  The language arts section should be divided into three sections:  Literature Activities, Writing Activities, and Reading Logs/AR.  Notebooks reflect all classwork.  We will spend a portion of the second week of school labeling and organizing binders. 

Other supplies needed:  one composition notebook, pencils, lots of loose-leaf notebook paper, and three dividers.  Students in Mrs. Hurst-Wilson’s class will also need a one-inch, three ring binder and 30 sheet protectors.

Please have all supplies by TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4.

This page is maintained by Dorchell Hurst-Wilson. Updated on 2007-08-22 14:09:07.