Dear Students, First, I want you to know that it is my privilege to work with you this year. For those of you that I had in class or knew from last year, I am excited to continue our journey. If you are new to Arlington, the middle school, or just new to my classes, I will look forward to getting to know you academically and as a person. I expect ALL students in my class to learn, but I also realize that nobody learns exactly the same or at the same rate. If you learn quickly, I will expect you to explore the 'Extend Your Learning' links on the class page. If you happen to have trouble in a concept, check out the links to help you through the difficult concept. There will be times for most students that some concepts come quickly, and others are more difficult. Embrace both. We learn most when it hurts. A good analogy is that when you work out hard, you actually tear down your muscles first, but when they heal, they are stronger. The same goes for your brain - when it hurts, you are breaking things down, but it comes back stronger and stronger. This is true whether you are reading a difficult passage or learning a new concept. It is also true that we need each other. As your teacher, I am here to help when I can but you also have classmates to use as resources. In all my classes this year students will work in study groups. These are assigned for a length of time (from a quarter to the entire year) for the purpose of learning how to help each other learn, and to learn from others what works best for yourself. You are always encouraged to teach others things that you know, whether it is subject specific or something you learned elsewhere. You may reach the class pages from the drop down menu under the student tab above, or click on the links below.