About Mrs. Vespe and 8th Grade Social Studies

 

About Mrs. Vespe

This is Mrs. Vespe’s 6th year teaching at MMS and her 8th year teaching middle school social studies. She is passionate about the subjects that we study, and is excited to share her love and knowledge of American history with you!

Mrs. Vespe has an eclectic background in US history, historical research, psychology/cognitive neuroscience, archaeological excavations, geography, and government, and incorporates her diverse experiences into the classroom. She constantly strives to make this course challenging yet accessible to all learners. In graduate school, Mrs. Vespe studied under Dr. Howard Gardner and thus incorporates his theory of multiple intelligences in her teaching, addressing students’ individual and varied learning styles.

Education:

BA in History from Boston University

BS in Social Studies Education from Boston University

EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education from Harvard University

Course Demands

Students that are being challenged in school may experience some degree of frustration at times, and this course is designed to encourage students to push themselves beyond their comfort levels in order to enable them to grow as learners. Mrs. Vespe will ensure that no one is overwhelmed with the workload, and she is always available for extra help when needed.

Extra Help Schedule

Before School in room 134, but please let me know in advance if you plan on seeing me for extra help so I know to be there. I am always here in the mornings, but if I don’t know a student is looking for me I may be elsewhere in the building. I am also available after school at times, but please check to see if I can work with students before expecting to stay with me.

Contact Information

Phone: 655-2518, ext. 3683

Email: kvespe@darienps.org

Student Responsibilities/Classroom Procedures

1. Binders, journals, and 2 pens/2 pencils shall be brought to each class. Please make sure you are ready to go when the bell rings!

2.   Your textbook, The American Journey, is to be covered with a proper cover at all times. Your textbook is your responsibility. If it is lost or damaged, the student is responsible for paying for its replacement/repair.

3.   A binder with a Social Studies section is required. After a chapter test, you will be told which items can be removed (and stored at home) from your binder.

4.   In addition to your binder, all students are required to have a one-subject spiral notebook. This notebook will serve as your social studies journal. It will contain the daily bell ringer and summary/reflection on each day’s lesson. Journals will be further explained in class.

5.   When entering the room, students will quickly take their seats, copy the homework from the homework board, and begin the “bell ringer” activity that will be found on the board.

6.   All missed work (including homework, classwork, tests, and quizzes) must be made up by the student. It is the student’s responsibility to check with me for work needed and to arrange a time for its completion. Extra help is available but should be arranged in advance. I am usually available for extra help before school, but there are times when I have a meeting or other obligation that will prevent it. Making an appointment will guarantee that I will be there to see you.

7. Restrooms and water fountains are to be used before class. Students are still responsible for coming to class on time, however. Once the bell has rung, students will only be allowed to leave the room if it is an emergency. To be admitted late to class, a student must have a pass.

8. All school and classroom rules are to be observed. The most important “rule” to follow while in our classroom is to treat Mrs. Vespe and your classmates with respect. Treat each other the way that you wish to be treated and we will have a great year!

Grading Policy

Homework is expected to be done on time and will either be collected and graded or will receive a “check”  (“credit”) or “no credit”  for its completion. It is the responsibility of the student to consult the homework board daily and copy the assignment into his or her agenda.

Assignments must be handed in on the day that they are due. Unless an extension has been granted or the student has an excused absence, late assignments will be reduced by one half of a letter grade for each day that they are late. For example, a project that would have received an A- that was handed in two days late would then receive a B. It is therefore essential to keep track of due dates for all assignments.

Scheduled tests and quizzes will be given throughout the academic year. Students are advised that these should not be stressful as there are various other assignments and projects that will make up their final grades. Pop quizzes may also be given at any time and will be based on the readings assigned from the previous night. They will count as a homework grade.

At the end of each term, students will be asked to complete a Portfolio Assessment. Students are required to keep accurate binders and save materials from previous units at home for their own benefit. More information on portfolios will follow, and a list of necessary items will be given to students when portfolios are assigned. In addition to assembling various student work in the portfolio, students will be required to write a reflection on their progress in social studies, particularly with respect to their personal goal that they set at the beginning of each quarter.

Student grades will be calculated based on the following:

Tests/Quizzes: 50-40%

Projects/Essays: 40-30%

Homework: 10%

Final Assessment (4^th quarter only): 20%

There will be no extra credit projects, so as to ensure that students do their best work during the quarter. However, bonus bucks (extra credit points that can be applied to assignments) will be awarded throughout the year. There are many opportunities to earn bonus bucks, including turning in long-term assignments early, exceptionally creative or “outside the box” thinking, intellectual risk taking, and being “caught” helping others.

Policy on Academic Honesty

It is expected that all assignments will be your original work and will reflect your best effort. Plagiarism, or the act of using someone else’s words or ideas as your own, is unfortunately becoming prevalent in the academic world and can be seen on many campuses, ranging from the middle school through university levels. It is important for students to begin to learn at an early age that this is an unacceptable practice and to develop a strong sense of academic honesty. Therefore, cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated. If either is suspected, the students involved will receive a zero (0) or an “F” on the assignment and a letter will be sent home detailing the incident. We will learn how to properly cite the resources that we use before we start our first research assignment, and more information will be provided at that time.

Welcome

Again, let me take this opportunity to welcome you to social studies and the Green Team. Please see me at any time with questions or concerns. If we all follow the guidelines listed above, we will have a great year!