Please follow the links below to Mr. Gentile's classes.
Information
should include (as best I can) daily agendas, activities, homework,
assignment descriptions, and other announcements.
LOCATION: Second Floor, Room 225 (back in the "cavern")
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Mr. Gentile's 7th Grade Social Studies
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Mr. Gentile's 8th Grade Social Studies
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Advisory & Brain Boost
(Sorry -- no blogs)
BITS AND PIECES ABOUT MR. GENTILE'S CLASSES
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * ** *
Welcome Letter!
Goals/Purpose of 7th and 8th grade Social Studies
Trackers & Spirals
Homework & Late Work
Grades
Absences
Cell Phones& Backpacks
Supplies and Materials
Monday, September 10, 2018
Tuesday, September 4, 2018
WELCOME LETTER
Welcome to the new 2019-20 Roseway Heights Middle School (and Mr. Gentile's Social Studies 7th and 8th grade classes!)
I will be teaching three 7th grade and two 8th grade SOCIAL STUDIES this year. I have taught 6-8th grade language arts and social studies in this building since 1998.
Not quite a dinosaur, but getting there!!!
My online goal is to maintain an almost daily blog for each class on what we are doing in class and what the homework is each week.
Now that we are a middle school again, 2019-20 is our second year of a being a very brand new school community and culture! Roseway teachers met quite a bit at the end of last year and this year to look at ways to make our second year better, stronger, more efficient, and funner (yes, I did just use "funner" as a word. I know the rules of grammar and language usage. I can also break the rules of grammar and language usage.)
Continuing to build a better middle school is exciting and challenging, but it's also going to continue to be a learning process as we keep working creating a single community with a system of traditions and expectations.
One thing remains the same for us all, however: the expectation that we all practice SAFE, RESPECTFUL, RESPONSIBLE behavior.
This includes coming to class on time, being prepared with needed information, and having both materials, as well as completed work.
Our new motto this year is "Roseway Heights students G.E.T. it!" Our students give respect, engage daily, and take responsibility - mantras that we will focus on, teach, model, and discuss all year long. Not only do we want your students to succeed, we want them to want to succeed as well.
A successful attitude also includes trying your best to be an active, focused member of the classroom community -- being engaged in class, trying to be positive in all interactions with others, and allowing others (including yourself) to share ideas openly.
It's okay to make mistakes and we all need to support each other when we take a risk.
Our goal is to create a strong, fun, comfortable, welcoming and SAFE community of learners. That takes effort from all of us as we venture into this exciting new year.
I will be teaching three 7th grade and two 8th grade SOCIAL STUDIES this year. I have taught 6-8th grade language arts and social studies in this building since 1998.
Not quite a dinosaur, but getting there!!!
My online goal is to maintain an almost daily blog for each class on what we are doing in class and what the homework is each week.
Now that we are a middle school again, 2019-20 is our second year of a being a very brand new school community and culture! Roseway teachers met quite a bit at the end of last year and this year to look at ways to make our second year better, stronger, more efficient, and funner (yes, I did just use "funner" as a word. I know the rules of grammar and language usage. I can also break the rules of grammar and language usage.)
Continuing to build a better middle school is exciting and challenging, but it's also going to continue to be a learning process as we keep working creating a single community with a system of traditions and expectations.
One thing remains the same for us all, however: the expectation that we all practice SAFE, RESPECTFUL, RESPONSIBLE behavior.
This includes coming to class on time, being prepared with needed information, and having both materials, as well as completed work.
Our new motto this year is "Roseway Heights students G.E.T. it!" Our students give respect, engage daily, and take responsibility - mantras that we will focus on, teach, model, and discuss all year long. Not only do we want your students to succeed, we want them to want to succeed as well.
A successful attitude also includes trying your best to be an active, focused member of the classroom community -- being engaged in class, trying to be positive in all interactions with others, and allowing others (including yourself) to share ideas openly.
It's okay to make mistakes and we all need to support each other when we take a risk.
Our goal is to create a strong, fun, comfortable, welcoming and SAFE community of learners. That takes effort from all of us as we venture into this exciting new year.
GOALS and PURPOSE of SS
Welcome to 7th & 8th SS -- Social Studies class
The Portland Public Schools vision for our students is simple:
KNOW THE PAST. ENGAGE THE PRESENT. IMPACT THE FUTURE.
As we cover our particular 6-7-8 grade level topics, concepts, and eras, social studies classes are striving to give your students a rigorous academic experiences and authentic learning opportunities.
Learning in Social Studies should deepen and open your student's knowledge of the world and history. As we do so, we hope to ignite passions for learning and analyzing and understanding.
History is not just now. We didn't just all show up here today. Our goal in social studies is to help students understand the interconnected nature of history, of human movements, of the impact of geography and thought on societies.
Ultimately, we are seeking to provide a solid foundation of learning that help your students become critical thinkers who are motivated to contribute as citizens in their communities -- from the school community to the neighborhood, city, state, national, and global communities.
Social Studies also helps support language arts by continuing to reinforce wherever possible vocabulary, grammar, reading, research, and writing skills.
The Portland Public Schools vision for our students is simple:
KNOW THE PAST. ENGAGE THE PRESENT. IMPACT THE FUTURE.
As we cover our particular 6-7-8 grade level topics, concepts, and eras, social studies classes are striving to give your students a rigorous academic experiences and authentic learning opportunities.
Learning in Social Studies should deepen and open your student's knowledge of the world and history. As we do so, we hope to ignite passions for learning and analyzing and understanding.
History is not just now. We didn't just all show up here today. Our goal in social studies is to help students understand the interconnected nature of history, of human movements, of the impact of geography and thought on societies.
Ultimately, we are seeking to provide a solid foundation of learning that help your students become critical thinkers who are motivated to contribute as citizens in their communities -- from the school community to the neighborhood, city, state, national, and global communities.
Social Studies also helps support language arts by continuing to reinforce wherever possible vocabulary, grammar, reading, research, and writing skills.
TRACKERS & SPIRALS
TRACKERS/PLANNERSPart of Part of my Social Studies classes will also include practicing how to organize work IN our trackers (also called planners).
Daily SS agenda and SS homework will always be written daily in the tracker. The tracker is a resource for parents as well as students.
This online blog will be a place to generally, but not always, find the daily agenda and work for the week. (Sometimes I fall behind).
Parents and students should be able to find my blog at all times by tapping on the name “Jeff Gentile” in the staff section of the Roseway Heights Middle School website.
WRITING (in Spirals!)
Students will keep the majority of their writing in a color-coded 70-page, college-lined spiral provided in the classroom by Mr. Gentile. Spirals stay in student binders and will include notes, paragraphs, concept webs, lists, rough drafts of essays, poems and other types of writing. Parents should be able to and are encouraged to see their student’s work in these spirals at any time.
HOMEWORK & LATE WORK
HOMEWORK
Unless indicated in our student trackers and discussed in class, expect weekly Social Studies homework assignments. This work will vary and will include a mix of vocabulary-building, reading practice, and map/geography exploration.
Typically, homework will be handed out on a Monday and students will be expected to complete by Friday (However, in most cases, I always accept work on Mondays, without penalty, for those who want or need more time).
As part of my class structure and teaching style, we also take time to write and plan a work schedule for HW in our trackers.
LATE WORK
Deadlines are important and this is a time to learn time management so that deadlines can be met!!! However, since reading and writing and vocabulary practice is so vital, giving up on assignments is not encouraged in my Social Studies classes. Therefore, late work is still work that is due.
Unless negotiated in advance with me, or as part of an IEP or 504 plan, all unexcused late work receives a reduced score. Students concerned about low grades may have opportunities to raise grades through...you guessed it, reading or writing activities based on social studies themes.
GRADES
I grade all work based on a five- or ten-point scale, depending on the degree of complexity and individual effort required.
Grades also reflect proficiency or mastery of a task (as per Oregon PROFICIENCY SCORING standards).
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5 = A = (0-100%) High level of mastery at or beyond grade level
4 = B = (80-89%) Mostly proficient (some gaps in complete mastery or skill)
3.5 = C = (70-79%) Satisfactory, but still has areas to work on for full mastery of skill
1-2 = F/D = Not yet at grade level (but still making some progress); or
Too little work turned in for complete or clear assessment
* I do not follow the same D/F scale as the typical system built into Synergy.
D = 41-64 % (I override the district system and plug in a C for 65-69%)
F = 0-40 % (typically indicates NOT doing work at ability level or not providing enough to score)
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All grades will be inputted into Synergy almost always within two weeks of an assignment. Sometimes there are glitches, but I try to let students and parents know if this happens.
Tasks/Assignments are also DESCRIBED IN SYNERGY, as well as comments on the grading scale used for each assignment.
When I can, I include individual comments for students and parents who may wonder why a score went one way or another.
If available, make up or changes for a higher grade are usually included in the comments section for an assignment.
Although it doesn't mean you'll always get an "A," (which, as mentioned above, indicates grade-level mastery of a task or skill), NO STUDENT WHO IS TRYING HIS OR HER BEST and AT HIS OR HER ABILITY LEVEL CAN FAIL MY CLASS. I am always striving to build and improve reading and writing and critical thinking skills. You can't improve if you don't try and you won't try if you don't think it's worth the effort.
Grades also reflect proficiency or mastery of a task (as per Oregon PROFICIENCY SCORING standards).
***************************************************************************
5 = A = (0-100%) High level of mastery at or beyond grade level
4 = B = (80-89%) Mostly proficient (some gaps in complete mastery or skill)
3.5 = C = (70-79%) Satisfactory, but still has areas to work on for full mastery of skill
1-2 = F/D = Not yet at grade level (but still making some progress); or
Too little work turned in for complete or clear assessment
* I do not follow the same D/F scale as the typical system built into Synergy.
D = 41-64 % (I override the district system and plug in a C for 65-69%)
F = 0-40 % (typically indicates NOT doing work at ability level or not providing enough to score)
**************************************************************************
All grades will be inputted into Synergy almost always within two weeks of an assignment. Sometimes there are glitches, but I try to let students and parents know if this happens.
Tasks/Assignments are also DESCRIBED IN SYNERGY, as well as comments on the grading scale used for each assignment.
When I can, I include individual comments for students and parents who may wonder why a score went one way or another.
If available, make up or changes for a higher grade are usually included in the comments section for an assignment.
Although it doesn't mean you'll always get an "A," (which, as mentioned above, indicates grade-level mastery of a task or skill), NO STUDENT WHO IS TRYING HIS OR HER BEST and AT HIS OR HER ABILITY LEVEL CAN FAIL MY CLASS. I am always striving to build and improve reading and writing and critical thinking skills. You can't improve if you don't try and you won't try if you don't think it's worth the effort.
ABSENCES & VACATIONS
Because my particular style of teaching is a lot of direct instruction,
(which can't always be made up)
ABSENCES can significantly IMPACT GRADES!
I do understand that there are times when a student will be absent and try to find ways to accommodate missed work or lectures. But it is not always possible.
I do not just hand out work and say "go do it"
In the classroom, the following is always often happening:
I explain.
I break work down into chunks (and walk through HOW to break down work into chunks)
I write assignments, agendas, notes in our trackers.
I walk through the brainstorming and organization process.
I create To Do lists that are very specific so that I know how much "homework" I might have.
thinking about and taking into consideration time we have and time it takes to do a task
If we are reading, I often break down the reading process of finding information
We will walk through every aspect of the writing process, from how to read instructions and determine our task, through the initial brainstorming processes, through the several revision steps that all writers SHOULD go through, but often don't.
My hope is that this constant modeling helps students become more confident and independent on any and all reading or writing tasks.
For some students, they do these things automatically, but don't know how to articulate their process on paper or verbally.
For others, who struggle more when reading or writing, they do not know or are not comfortable with the small steps that reading or writing takes.
VACATIONS: I get it. A lot of families take vacations during school weeks.
Please let me know, when you can, of upcoming vacations. I cannot always provide the work we will be doing (as it may not be ready or I am making adjustments as I see necessary for the class).
Missing days of instruction and practice and participation do impact a student's overall grade. However, whenever possible, I can digitize work and email it to you. When I know a student will be gone, I make an extra effort to keep the blog updated with instructions and information. Or students that can be (sometimes) checked from wherever you and your student may be.
(which can't always be made up)
ABSENCES can significantly IMPACT GRADES!
I do understand that there are times when a student will be absent and try to find ways to accommodate missed work or lectures. But it is not always possible.
I do not just hand out work and say "go do it"
In the classroom, the following is always often happening:
I explain.
I break work down into chunks (and walk through HOW to break down work into chunks)
I write assignments, agendas, notes in our trackers.
I walk through the brainstorming and organization process.
I create To Do lists that are very specific so that I know how much "homework" I might have.
thinking about and taking into consideration time we have and time it takes to do a task
If we are reading, I often break down the reading process of finding information
We will walk through every aspect of the writing process, from how to read instructions and determine our task, through the initial brainstorming processes, through the several revision steps that all writers SHOULD go through, but often don't.
My hope is that this constant modeling helps students become more confident and independent on any and all reading or writing tasks.
For some students, they do these things automatically, but don't know how to articulate their process on paper or verbally.
For others, who struggle more when reading or writing, they do not know or are not comfortable with the small steps that reading or writing takes.
VACATIONS: I get it. A lot of families take vacations during school weeks.
Please let me know, when you can, of upcoming vacations. I cannot always provide the work we will be doing (as it may not be ready or I am making adjustments as I see necessary for the class).
Missing days of instruction and practice and participation do impact a student's overall grade. However, whenever possible, I can digitize work and email it to you. When I know a student will be gone, I make an extra effort to keep the blog updated with instructions and information. Or students that can be (sometimes) checked from wherever you and your student may be.
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