Science/Social Studies Homework
November 7th - November 24th
Date                        Assignment                    Due
11/08  The Study of Culture (Economics)    11/09
11/10  North America Map Test  (in class only)
11/14  What is Culture?                                 11/15
11/17  Study of Culture (Take home test)      11/18
11/17  Central America Map Test (in class only)
11/18  Cultural Collage                                  11/24
11/21  Beliefs and Values (4 Corners)           11/22

Science/Social Studies Homework
October 24th - 28th
Date                        Assignment                    Due
10/26  Weather & Climate Take Home Test  10/27

Science/Social Studies Homework
Date                  Assignment                   Due
09/26  Geography A-Z  #1                       09/27
09/28  Landforms Booklet                       09/30
10/03  Geography A-Z #2                       10/04
10/06  5 Themes Take Home Quiz         10/07
10/12  5 Themes Final Test    (in class only)

To the parents of the Sixth Grade Students of Brentwood 2016-17:

There is definitely something different about this year.  It’s more than just the new front entrance to the building or the enhanced lighting in the hallways.

Perhaps no other period in recent memory has there been so many changes in education.  

They say that the only people who truly like change are wet babies.  

While this may be true,  all of us have been frenetically preparing  for these changes.   

Are these positive changes leading to higher levels to learning, greater retention and more relevant and focused skills; or are we simply rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic?  

Common core what is it? 

Common is merely a set of standards or outcomes and that is a good thing in any aspect of life. 

But will these standards bring about the educational reform that prepares our children to compete in the ever-expanding global marketplace?  

Will they lead our country once again to a formidable position amongst the best educated nations in the world?

Will it be the magic dust that allows Dumbo to fly?  

Or does it represent once again the triumph of hope over experience?  Only time will tell.

I am sure that many of you have read or heard of the modern failure of our public schools.  How our kids are somehow dumber  or less well educated than they were a generation ago when maybe you were in public school.  Let me share my perspective  from someone who taught a generation ago.

In fact, I have former students who are now Brentwood sixth grade parents.  Let me ask you…think back, when you were in sixth grade were you factoring quadratic equation or solving systems of equations at the application level.  Last what I was teaching those very algebraic concepts to our Brentwood sixth graders.  For nearly all of you that was 8th or 9th grade.  I taught 6th grade a generation ago, and now what I see being taught in 4th grade is what was more like what I once had as my basic sixth grade curriculum.  So do I accept the premise that we are failing?  Absolutely not.  

Can we do better?  Absolutely.  We are constantly looking to improve. 

But my biggest concern regarding all of this is that the policymakers both in and out of the education system have put so much stock in numerical data such as these standardized test scores.  It makes me wonder if maybe they have forgotten something very important.  Behind every test score is a child.  Your child for instance.  A child whose ultimate success is most likely to be determined by how they feel about themselves.  How they handle challenges both inside and outside the classroom.  Their anxiety, their uncertainties, their stress level.  

They need that little voice inside their head tell them that they are valued, they are important, they are competent, they are safe and they can be successful in school. 

We have not forgotten that.  

To us, their teachers, your children are not  their test scores. Rather they are unique and special human becomings.

Determining true success in any classroom is finding a way to measure their joy of discovery, their love of learning and their determination to take on new challenges.  

Find me a test that will measure this and then we will have true education reform.   

Sadly, these cannot be quantified on a standardized test. 

On the second day of school, we assembled all the sixth grade students together and told them that this year has the real possibility of being the very best year in their school lives.  

In order for this to become a reality, they had to be willing to listen to us, and to do what we ask.  They had to believe in us and trust us.  If they did that then amazing things would happen. 

We made commitment to these kids to give 100% and work our hardest to make sure that they would get the best education possible.  

It didn’t matter to us what kind of grades that they got in the past, or what kind of trouble they have been in before; this is a new year and a new start, and if they were willing to follow the procedures and do their best, this year they would become a star.  I believe with your help we can end the year with a truly amazing  sixth grade class.  And not because of any test scores, but because they have taken on a new spirit of reaching towards higher peaks personal performance through grit and determination.

We have the good fortune of having a very formidable track record.  To me anyway, some of our most important judges as to our success come from the 7^th grade teachers.  Some time ago, one of the 7^th grade teachers in working towards getting her students to correctly follow the prescribed procedures finally just asked her class, “If you went to Brentwood last year would you raise your hand.”  

The Brentwood kids in the class raised their hands.  

“Okay the rest of you,” she added, ”watch these guys and do what they do.”

We must be doing something right, but we’re always looking to do it better.

But we can’t do it alone.  You, their parents,  are far and away the most significant teachers, mentors and role models in these kids’ lives. 

I understand that research has been conducted in order to determine the single most significant criterion leading to children’s success in school.  The study found that it was parents who show up at school.  To open houses or parent teacher conferences to those important events that affect the children.  It is therefore incumbent for all of us, the teachers, the parents and the children to forge a true partnership in three part harmony.  Missing any one part is like a singing group without a baritone.  It lacks harmony.  Discord becomes evident.  Success becomes unfulfilled.  

A CEO of a national fruit chain once proffered his solution for improving education saying that schools should be run like his very successful business.  

BUT…

Students are not like produce.

We take them all.

We take them big, small, rich, poor, gifted, exceptional, abused, frightened, confident, homeless, rude, brilliant and emotionally damaged.

We take them with ADHD, autism, tourettes and even those who speak no English.

We take every child.  We embrace every child.  We celebrate every child.

We educate every child.

We are not a business.

We are a school. 

Dale Pfiffner 

               My Personal Educational Philosophy

                                                   by Dale Pfiffner

I believe that as a teacher I am morally obligated to enter the classroom with only the highest of expectations for each and every one of my students.

In this way, I can maximize the positive benefits that naturally come along with any self-fulfilling prophecy; with dedication, perseverance, and hard work, my students will rise to the occasion.

As Goethe once said, "If I treat you as you are you will remain that; 
but if I treat you as you are  what you are capable of becoming, you may become that."

I intend to bring an open mind, a positive attitude, and high expectations to the classroom each day.  I believe that I owe it to my students, as well as the community to bring consistency, diligence, warmth and passion to my job in the hope that I can ultimately inspire and encourage such traits in the children as well.

Furthermore, I will keep in mind that a child’s ultimate success will most likely be determined by how they feel about themselves.  How they handle challenges both inside and outside of the classroom.  

I will not forget their need to hear that little voice inside their head tell them that they are valued, they are important, they are competent, they are safe and that they can be successful in school. 

                                                                                                                         

 From Your Child’s Math Teacher

It is my goal that the students that I teach will be very well prepared to more easily take on the challenges of the 7th or 8th (or 9th) grade math courses that they
will be taking next year.  As a past teacher of these classes, I am very familiar with the prerequisite skills necessary to succeed in these classes.
In order to be successful, it is imperative that students actively participate
in math daily.  Math is not a “spectator  sport” and anyone maintaining passive presence will fall very short of their potential.  Their commitment must extend beyond the classroom and include homework.

Homework is usually given daily except for Friday (but not always!)
In either event, each day’s homework is always posted on this blog.
Homework helps drive the instruction.  It is the best indicator for me to determine if the instruction was adequate.  Each day I monitor and adjust  based on the outcome of the prior day’s homework.  Essentially the  homework indicates to me whether I can move forward, or if I need to re-teach a specific concept.
Each day I try to make myself available to any student who requests it.
In addition, I invite you to contact me by phone or email to help with this.
Shortly, we will be setting up an interactive website for Brentwood sixth
grade student and teachers only (Nicenet).   (Additional information on this
will be provided to you later).  This will allow students to ask question regarding homework on line and receive additional tutoring in response.

Several factors contribute to students’ shortcomings in math.   I’ll list some of
the more important ones below.

Absences.  Frequently not avoidable.  Keeping your child home when
they are running a fever is always a wise course of action.   However, it goes
without saying that what was missed in math on a particular day may be an
important building block towards overall understanding of a major concept.
The more successful students connect with a peer when they return to school,
one who may have picked up assignments for them, and can share with them
any notes that came from the class that they missed.  If possible connect with
the teacher as soon as possible.  The homeroom teacher can help them through
any challenges that they may encounter.  Simply showing up for class upon their
return and expecting the teacher to take class time and spend inordinate time tutoring them over what they missed is probably not realistic.


Not asking questions in class.  Ask a typical student who asks
the most questions in class and the names that most frequently come up are the more
highly capable students.  For successful students the goal is solid understanding.
These children are way less concerned about how other students might
perceive them then those more silent, image conscious students.  The only
bad question is the one left unspoken.

Classroom logistics.  Currently there is no assigned seating for those coming
to math class.  The students self select their seats.  Sitting amongst students
who are success oriented and will not behave in a manner that will limit other
students from maximizing their potential is always the most prudent advice to follow when students self select their seats.

Basic Facts.  Don’t throw away those flash cards yet!  In addition, I have some
very good, interactive games to play at home.  One I would recommend is
“Fraction Slap”.  Take the opportunity in the car, or at the table to ask your child
a few basic facts.  (8x7; 16-9; etc.)

Thank you for taking the time to read this.  I truly believe that we can advance
this group of sixth (and fifth) grade students to become the best in the Mead School District. But I do mean we.  This is my goal for the 100+ sixth graders, your children, whom I have the privilege to help teach this year.  Together only we can accomplish this mission.  I appreciate all you do to help your children succeed in math.  Please let me know what I can do to make this task easier
for you.

                   

September 11, 2015

One Teacher Remembers 9/11
Much discussion took place following the recent anniversary of this now historic tragedy.
For me personally, it was a grim reminder of an event which cost the lives of two significant people in my life.
Ann Judge and Joe Ferguson both lost their lives when Flight-77 crashed into the Pentagon.  Ann and Joe were both colleagues and mentors for me during the times that I was trained in Washington, DC learning to become a NGS National Teacher Consultant.
They were both excellent people with warm and outgoing personalities and easy to converse with.  
Ann was extraordinarily patient with me (as some of you know how I can be!)  She not only knew all the answers, she knew all the questions.
She treated every encounter with me like it was the most important thing she had to do that day.  I really need to be more like her in that way.
Joe was so knowledgeable about how to make things work in a classroom, though he wasn't a classroom teacher.  He was all about kids and learning and encouraging us to allow our students to be creative.  How can we make the learning meaningful and fun at the same time seemed to be his mantra.
In the end either as teachers or as people, we are a compilation of the people we have had the opportunity to come in contact. 
Today I just wanted to share two such people whose lives ended tragically on that most tragic day. Two amazing individuals that have been, and remain being, role models for me.