Ms. Simon Says…

Here is my tutoring schedule from November to February. Please note that I normally stay on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM and that I tutor primarily for the verbal sections on both the SAT and ACT exams, as well as both the multiple choice and free response sections on the AP English Language exam. Sessions may be one-on-one or in groups of your choosing. It is entirely up to you. In addition, I will be holding whole group tutoring sessions for both the SAT and ACT starting in January (check the schedule below). Anyone can attend these sessions — the second my classroom reaches 25 students, however, I will close the session in order to avoid overcrowding. If you are unable to stay on Tuesdays or Thursdays and would like to request another day, please let me know via email and I will try to coordinate with you. If you would like to request any of the available days below, please do so via the comments. Your comment should include your name, period, and date requested as well as subject area. First come, first served!

FEBRUARY
2/1, Wednesday (special session): Geniel Gonzalez
2/2, Thursday: No tutoring due to Early Release.
2/7, Tuesday: Alexsa Mejia, Joannelys Mir
2/9, Thursday: Daniel Reyes, Julissa Aquino, Idelis Martinez, Sofia Martin, Rebeca Alfonso; Demi Fabelo
2/14, Tuesday: Rene Soto
2/16, Thursday: Lianna Sanchez
2/21, Tuesday: No tutoring — faculty meeting
2/22, Wednesday: WHOLE GROUP SAT VERBAL SECTION REVIEW
2/23, Thursday:

2/27, Monday: Lianna Sanchez (special session)

2/28, Tuesday: Barbara Ortega and Ashley Pena

MARCH

3/1, Thursday: Zuzel Alonso

3/6, Tuesday: Aaron Gonzalez Cancelled due to Faculty meeting.

3/7, Wednesday: Zuzel Alonso (special session)

3/8, Thursday: Sofia Martin, Julissa Aquino, Kelly Quintelo, Eleani Pita,  and Demi Fabelo

3/19, Monday: WHOLE GROUP SAT VERBAL SECTION REVIEW

3/20, Tuesday:

3/22, Thursday

3/27, Tuesday: Demi Fabelo and Sofia Martin

3/29, Thursday:

The Miami Book Fair International is a great experience for readers, young and old. If you’ve never been before, I highly recommend you go this year! It will be taking place next week, from November 18-20 (Friday-Sunday). A select number of my Book Club members will have the opportunity to attend this event next Friday, November 18th, on a field trip. We will be meeting on Thursday during lunch in my room, 346, at 12:20 to discuss the details of this field trip. Please note that only official Book Club members will be able to attend — you need to pay the $5.00 Student Book Club fee to be considered an official member. However, there is no charge for attending the field trip. Should  you have any questions or concerns, please let me know in the comments! Please visit the official website of the Miami Book Fair International for more details and to see their schedule of events.

My 9th grade English I students will need to complete two 45-minute sessions of Reading Plus a week in order to earn a participation grade for this assignment. But don’t think of this as just as a boost to your grade — think of it as a boost to your reading comprehension skills, which will ultimately go a long way to helping you do your best on the FCAT Reading Examination.

To log into Reading Plus, just follow these easy instructions:

1. Go to htttp://www.readingplus.com/users.
2. Type in the following site code when prompted: hialehigh.
3. Select your class from the drop-down box.
4. Find your name in the roster, and then type in your password, which is your student ID #.

I will be checking every Sunday evening at 9:00 PM to see if you’ve completed your two sessions for the week. You can check how many sessions you’ve completed by clicking on “My Progress.” Each session can last anywhere from 30-45 minutes. Sessions may be completed on separate days or even on the same day, however the system only allows you to complete two sessions per day. Don’t forget to read at a pace that is comfortable to you, but don’t race — remember the system will suspend you if it feels you are going too fast.

Make sure to complete your two sessions every week, or it will negatively affect your grade in my class. Should you have any questions or concerns, please let me know in the comments below.

Update: If you find that your computer seems to be unable to run the Reading Plus program, you may need to download Java, an application required in this program. You can download Java for free here: http://www.java.com/en/.

As requested, here is a list of the novels we’ll be reading this year. Most of our nonfiction pieces will be handled through The Norton Reader. You are not required to purchase the novels below but it is recommended, especially if you like making marginal notes and other annotations. Both the books on the list as well as the order are tentative and subject to change.

• The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• The Crucible by Arthur Miller
• Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
• Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass
• Catch 22 by Joseph Heller
• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
• The Awakening by Kate Chopin
• Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
• Beloved by Toni Morrison
• Othello by William Shakespeare

We will be holding our first official Student Book Club meeting on September 28th, Wednesday during lunch in room 346. We have a lot of exciting ideas for the club this year, including new book recommendations, ideas for fun field trips, and fundraising strategies. All students are welcome to attend, even if you’re a new member. Please pass by the Club Fair on September 15th (see post below) to sign up and receive more information. If you’d like to learn more about our club, you can visit our page.

Hialeah Senior High will be holding its annual Club Fair tomorrow during lunch in the Annex courtyard, 2nd floor. This is a great opportunity for you to learn more about our student clubs and even join a few of them, like the Key Club, Cooking Club, or Book Club. You won’t want to miss it!

Juniors, Mrs. Grandal just sent me an email informing me that she will not be giving waivers for the SAT/ACT until December 1st. Due to the limited amount of free waivers she is receiving, she is giving preference to seniors at this time. Remember that only students who receive free and reduced lunch qualify for fee waivers, and that you may only receive 2 waivers per test. Once you receive a waiver and register for the test, you must show up on that test date or you will lose that waiver. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.