Welcome to My Classroom!

WELCOME to the 2010-2011 School Year! I am very excited to be here at Immacolata School! I thoroughly enjoyed teaching here the last two years; this is a very welcoming environment. This year will have 6^th, 7^th and 8^th grade math and 7^th and 8^th grade science and religion.

I graduated from Missouri State University in Springfield, MO in December 2007. There I majored in Math Middle School Education. I am originally from the St. Louis area; I grew up in Florissant and went through Catholic education at Sacred Heart in Florissant and then attended high school at Rosati Kain. For three and a half summers I worked at a Catholic outdoor summer camp in Wisconsin, Camp Gray. There I mostly worked with middle school aged kids, both on main camp and taking them on backpacking and canoing trips. For four summers I worked with Catholic Heart Workcamp. There teams of ten college and post-college students travel to set up and present a week long service retreat, this is with middle school and high school aged teens.

There is detailed list of the curriculum we will be covering for all three subjects. For 6^th grade math we will be using the Sadlier math book. Both the 7^th and 8^th grade will be using the Glencoe/McGraw Hill series books. In all classes I hope to make great use of the SMART board in our class and bring in some manipulatives to make better understanding of math concepts. In science we will be using the Prentice Hall series. Earth science will be taught to 7^th grade and physical science s, including an introduction to chemistry and physics, to the 8^th grade.

My hope is that the students come in everyday ready and open to learn. I know that some days will be more exciting than others, but we can all still be open to new ideas and ways of learning, even if we are not excited about it. My main expectation of class is that it is a learning environment. I expect that questions will be asked and students will participate. With that I also expect that there will be respect as students learn from mistakes that may be made as we are learning at the board and trying new things. We are not all experts with the material and the environment needs to be safe for all to learn. The expectations in my class are parallel to most classrooms, especially those of listening and respect for others and the property of others and school. Two final, but very important expectations are that students will turn in completed homework and they will use pencils in class, especially math. In science and religion pens are allowed. For the first day late they will receive a 25% deduction that homework grade, the second day late and any day after that will be 50% off.  If the student does not hand the assignment in within a week, a zero will be put in the gradebook.  The first time the student forgets their homework, I will let it go, but every time after that the points will be deducted.  If a student is absent, the absent policy found in the handbook will be followed.  Also, when a student uses pen on any math work collected they will have one point deducted for using pen. It is very important pencil is used.  Finally, this year I will be using a number system in all classes and I expect that all students put their number along with their name on top of everything turned in.

If at any time an amendment needs to be made to any of these expectations or consequences they will be put on the class web page and be told to the students before going into effect.

Again, it is my joy to be working here at Immacolata. Parents, if at any time you would like to get a hold of me please feel free to contact me via email at cburkard@immacolata.org or by calling school and leaving me a voicemail; my extension is 432. I will return your message as promptly as possible. Students, please know I am here to answer questions and help you. It was very difficult for me as a student to ask my teachers questions and get help, but once I began asking questions I never stopped and it was the best thing I did. I wish I would have started asking for help earlier. I look forward to a wonderful year of working with you all and know that you and your families are in my prayers as we begin this new school year.

Peace,

Ms. Burkard