Curriculum Binder - French
Cliffside Public School : 2010/2011
Curriculum Binder - French
Mr. R. Veilands
-Core French Teacher (grades 4-8)
-Physical Education teacher (Kindergarten, grades 1-4 & MID class)
e-mail : [email protected]
Bonjour! I am the French and Physical Education teacher at Cliffside once again this year. I am pleased to be back, to see all the new and familiar friendly faces of students, staff, and parents.
A. Philosophy of Education
I choose to teach because .....
....I love working with children.
....I love to share with others, be it with students, other teachers or parents.
....I believe that I possess many skills, abilities, interests and resources that make me an ideal teacher, and teaching allows me to use all of these to help others.
....I believe that I am a good intellectual, social and emotional role model for children.
....teaching challenges me in the best way ; it brings out the best I have to offer as a professional.
....I am confident that I am a good teacher, and that I will only improve over time.
....I am a committed, caring and hard-working person.
....simply put, I want to teach and I love teaching.
=========================================================================================================
Classroom Management
Due to the heavy emphasis on oral skills in Core French, perhaps more than in any other subject, it is necessary for students to pay attention, participate and show proper learning behaviour in the French classroom. I strive to be very clear and exact with students when I explain what behaviour I expect during French class, and do my best to uphold these standards when students misbehave or do other things that may get in the way of their own learning and/or the learning of other students.
Students will be made aware that they will receive a clear warning for misbehaviour in class, and that if the misbehaviour continues they will face being relocated in the classroom, being sent into the hallway to work, a detention at recess, and in more extreme cases, being sent directly to the principal's office. In any case of persistent misbehaviour, students will be asked to complete a "Problem-Solution Sheet" (see a sample on the following page) where they must write about what the problem behaviour was, and what would be appropriate solutions and/or consequences for that behaviour in the future. At minimum, this sheet will be signed by myself, the student, and their homeroom teacher. In more severe or persistent cases, it might also have to be signed by the principal or parents. I keep a running file of all Problem-Solution Sheets completed by my students to track student behaviour and provide a record should parents and/or the principal need to be contacted to review further solutions.
Students who persistently misbehave during class will have their behaviour monitored and recorded on a tracking sheet by me, which will be confidentially kept on file by me, and use as a resource to plan for the student's improved behaviour during a meeting with parents, homeroom teachers and the principal. Please feel free to contact or meet with me to discuss your child's behaviour at any point, and to see any documentation I have about their behaviour in my files in order to discuss the problem and find solutions.
On the other hand, instead of just managing behaviour with the threat of punishment and loss of priveleges at school, I also have a rewards system for my French students whereby they can earn participation "checkmarks" that accumulate on my list, and can be cashed in for small rewards after a certain number are accumulated.These checkmarks are often given out during French language games and activities during class to encourage participation, and are automatically given out to students weekly if they have had few or no warnings for misbehaviour in the previous week. Checkmarks in no way affect grades given on the report card ; they are meant to be motivational only. Ultimately however, I think that positive student behaviour and participation is best encouraged by providing a wide variety of activities learning experiences in the classroom to keep students interested and motivated. Personally, I like to use music (rap, language rhythms, singing), games, role-play, physical exercises, humour, and activities that encourage students to be creative in order to create a fun and interesting classroom environment for students, while still teaching French at the same time. Classes as a whole might also enjoy receiving gifts of preferred activity time if they have been using lesson time responsibly during the week.
In general, students are to bring simple writing materials, any homework, and any required French materials to French class each day, unless otherwise instructed by me.
Homework Policy
As in previous years, homework will be assigned only as necessary. Even up to grade 8, the primary emphasis of the Core French program is oral, meaning that most emphasis in teaching and evaluating will be made through listening and speaking in class. For all grades, if and when homework is assigned, the bulk of it will be given towards the end of a unit of study, when students typically prepare a project using what they have learned and prepare an oral presentation.
Students and parents are welcome to ask for extra French homework to bring home if they want extra practice, challenges or simpler work to boost skills. I also encourage students and parents to consult the newsletters I will periodically send home outlining what students are and will be learning in French if they are looking for more ways to practice French at home. Students are always free to bring home their notebooks and textbooks for further study, as long as they obtain my permission. Even if a student is new to French, or is not confident speaking it, the best "homework" I can suggest is to practice speaking and listening to it, perhaps with a brother, sister, friend or even a parent.
As can be expected, any homework assigned will be taken up orally and/or collected by the teacher for marking as soon after it is due. If students persistently fail to complete and return assignments and project work, I will likely suggest a "better time" for students to complete assigned work, such as during recess or immediately afterschool. Parents will be contacted if work remains incomplete or missing, and grades are starting to fall rapidly as a result.
Communication with Parents
Although parents are rarely fluent in French, and may not always consider French to be on the same level of importance as other subjects like Language and Mathematics, I pride myself on keeping parents aware and informed of what I am teaching in French class. I don't believe that it is enough to merely have contact with parents when they have a question or a concern, when I have concerns regarding behaviour or student progress, on Curriculum Nights, or during Parent-Teacher interviews each term. Therefore, I have set up my Curriculum Binder, as a source of information for parents, so that you have a way of knowing and understanding what students are learning during French class.
Throughout the school year, I will attempt to send home newsletters periodically as a more direct way to keep parents informed of what I am teaching in French to a particular class, and what students will be expected to learn and do throughout the current unit of study. Also look for related information in copies of the Cliffside School Newsletters that occasionally are sent home.
If you would like to meet or contact me, you can call me at the school or e-mail me. If you like to come in to speak with me about something, please call the school to arrange an appointment. I am usually at the school from at least 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. afterschool each day, and I'm typically available each morning between 8:20 - 8:50 a.m., if you would rather meet me before school.
Curriculum Binder - French
Mr. R. Veilands
-Core French Teacher (grades 4-8)
-Physical Education teacher (Kindergarten, grades 1-4 & MID class)
e-mail : [email protected]
Bonjour! I am the French and Physical Education teacher at Cliffside once again this year. I am pleased to be back, to see all the new and familiar friendly faces of students, staff, and parents.
A. Philosophy of Education
I choose to teach because .....
....I love working with children.
....I love to share with others, be it with students, other teachers or parents.
....I believe that I possess many skills, abilities, interests and resources that make me an ideal teacher, and teaching allows me to use all of these to help others.
....I believe that I am a good intellectual, social and emotional role model for children.
....teaching challenges me in the best way ; it brings out the best I have to offer as a professional.
....I am confident that I am a good teacher, and that I will only improve over time.
....I am a committed, caring and hard-working person.
....simply put, I want to teach and I love teaching.
=========================================================================================================
Classroom Management
Due to the heavy emphasis on oral skills in Core French, perhaps more than in any other subject, it is necessary for students to pay attention, participate and show proper learning behaviour in the French classroom. I strive to be very clear and exact with students when I explain what behaviour I expect during French class, and do my best to uphold these standards when students misbehave or do other things that may get in the way of their own learning and/or the learning of other students.
Students will be made aware that they will receive a clear warning for misbehaviour in class, and that if the misbehaviour continues they will face being relocated in the classroom, being sent into the hallway to work, a detention at recess, and in more extreme cases, being sent directly to the principal's office. In any case of persistent misbehaviour, students will be asked to complete a "Problem-Solution Sheet" (see a sample on the following page) where they must write about what the problem behaviour was, and what would be appropriate solutions and/or consequences for that behaviour in the future. At minimum, this sheet will be signed by myself, the student, and their homeroom teacher. In more severe or persistent cases, it might also have to be signed by the principal or parents. I keep a running file of all Problem-Solution Sheets completed by my students to track student behaviour and provide a record should parents and/or the principal need to be contacted to review further solutions.
Students who persistently misbehave during class will have their behaviour monitored and recorded on a tracking sheet by me, which will be confidentially kept on file by me, and use as a resource to plan for the student's improved behaviour during a meeting with parents, homeroom teachers and the principal. Please feel free to contact or meet with me to discuss your child's behaviour at any point, and to see any documentation I have about their behaviour in my files in order to discuss the problem and find solutions.
On the other hand, instead of just managing behaviour with the threat of punishment and loss of priveleges at school, I also have a rewards system for my French students whereby they can earn participation "checkmarks" that accumulate on my list, and can be cashed in for small rewards after a certain number are accumulated.These checkmarks are often given out during French language games and activities during class to encourage participation, and are automatically given out to students weekly if they have had few or no warnings for misbehaviour in the previous week. Checkmarks in no way affect grades given on the report card ; they are meant to be motivational only. Ultimately however, I think that positive student behaviour and participation is best encouraged by providing a wide variety of activities learning experiences in the classroom to keep students interested and motivated. Personally, I like to use music (rap, language rhythms, singing), games, role-play, physical exercises, humour, and activities that encourage students to be creative in order to create a fun and interesting classroom environment for students, while still teaching French at the same time. Classes as a whole might also enjoy receiving gifts of preferred activity time if they have been using lesson time responsibly during the week.
In general, students are to bring simple writing materials, any homework, and any required French materials to French class each day, unless otherwise instructed by me.
Homework Policy
As in previous years, homework will be assigned only as necessary. Even up to grade 8, the primary emphasis of the Core French program is oral, meaning that most emphasis in teaching and evaluating will be made through listening and speaking in class. For all grades, if and when homework is assigned, the bulk of it will be given towards the end of a unit of study, when students typically prepare a project using what they have learned and prepare an oral presentation.
Students and parents are welcome to ask for extra French homework to bring home if they want extra practice, challenges or simpler work to boost skills. I also encourage students and parents to consult the newsletters I will periodically send home outlining what students are and will be learning in French if they are looking for more ways to practice French at home. Students are always free to bring home their notebooks and textbooks for further study, as long as they obtain my permission. Even if a student is new to French, or is not confident speaking it, the best "homework" I can suggest is to practice speaking and listening to it, perhaps with a brother, sister, friend or even a parent.
As can be expected, any homework assigned will be taken up orally and/or collected by the teacher for marking as soon after it is due. If students persistently fail to complete and return assignments and project work, I will likely suggest a "better time" for students to complete assigned work, such as during recess or immediately afterschool. Parents will be contacted if work remains incomplete or missing, and grades are starting to fall rapidly as a result.
Communication with Parents
Although parents are rarely fluent in French, and may not always consider French to be on the same level of importance as other subjects like Language and Mathematics, I pride myself on keeping parents aware and informed of what I am teaching in French class. I don't believe that it is enough to merely have contact with parents when they have a question or a concern, when I have concerns regarding behaviour or student progress, on Curriculum Nights, or during Parent-Teacher interviews each term. Therefore, I have set up my Curriculum Binder, as a source of information for parents, so that you have a way of knowing and understanding what students are learning during French class.
Throughout the school year, I will attempt to send home newsletters periodically as a more direct way to keep parents informed of what I am teaching in French to a particular class, and what students will be expected to learn and do throughout the current unit of study. Also look for related information in copies of the Cliffside School Newsletters that occasionally are sent home.
If you would like to meet or contact me, you can call me at the school or e-mail me. If you like to come in to speak with me about something, please call the school to arrange an appointment. I am usually at the school from at least 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. afterschool each day, and I'm typically available each morning between 8:20 - 8:50 a.m., if you would rather meet me before school.