When I spend time explaining my syllabus on the first day of school or at open house, I often get that deer in the headlights look: Acquisition, Storyasking, Standards Based Grading…it’s a lot to take in at once! And because there is never enough time on either of those occasions to accomplish everything that I desire, I am sure that questions go unanswered. So in preparing for a new school year at a new school, I created THIS SYLLABUS HOMEWORK (click here to download) for students to take home and complete with their parents. It’s a questionnaire for parents and students to complete with reactions to the syllabus (which means that they have to read it!). We’ll see how it goes. If you’d like an editable version that isn’t very pretty, but you can work with, click here.
In the past, as a student, I was given a syllabus quiz or had to have my parents sign it, but I am hoping that this will help me to address some concerns about the course structure before the end of the first marking period rolls around.
Do you give out any assignments to accompany your syllabus?
Martina…are you on Edmodo…you should be!!!
From: The Comprehensible Classroom <comment-reply@wordpress.com> Reply-To: The Comprehensible Classroom <comment+rfobfagsqr19p0cw7clbkww@comment.wordpress.com> Date: Wednesday, August 14, 2013 8:21 AM To: Wilkins_Janeen <wilkins_janeen@asdk12.org> Subject: [New post] Syllabus Homework
Martina Bex posted: “When I spend time explaining my syllabus on the first day of school or at open house, I often get that deer in the headlights look: Acquisition, Storyasking, Standards Based Grading…it’s a lot to take in at once! And because there is never enough time o”
I give a syllabus quiz at the end of the week. They can even use their syllabus when doing it. Main thing is they read it one more time…….Thanks for reminding us to do something with the syllabus.
One of my colleagues does a scavenger hunt activity with her students; they have to use the syllabus to find the answers to several questions. After that, then she goes through the syllabus with the students
I used to give a quiz on class rules and expectations when I taught general music in a K-8 Catholic school.
Martina, I really loved this idea and tried it myself this year. It’s the 2nd week of school and I’ve had awesome responses (only 3/40 didn’t turn theirs in yet). I added a few questions of my own, but I don’t know if I would’ve thought about having parents be involved in this before reading about it on your blog. I’ve only had students answer questions or do a mini-quiz to show me they understand their expectations. But this was a hit with parents this year. Thanks so much for all of the ideas you share. You are wonderful!!
(Also, I shared a lot more about how I used this idea on moreTPRS and shared your link)
Bendiciones!
You are so welcome! I was surprised myself when I first assigned it–the parents ate it up!