Welcome
Thanks for clicking through! (no really, knowing that someone clicked through my email link will motivate me to continue sending these)
Look below for details about your student’s class this week.
Entrepreneurship
This class is off to a great start, with the largest enrollment I’ve EVER had for entrepreneurship. The class focuses on beginning business skills and starting a small business. Some of the major projects they will complete include participating in the Asotin Christmas Craft Fair (Nov 5), the “who can make the most money in 2 weeks” contest I call “the $5 challenge”, and “Bigger n Better”, the trading and negotiation game we will run in the spring. Excitement is high for them and for me.
I refer to these students a “Entrepreneurs” every day, because I believe they already ARE; they are just looking to improve their knowledge and skills.
Economics
My Economists will spend their semester learning about career choices, making personal finance choices that benefit their whole lives, investing, and other personal finance topics. They also will learn about supply/demand, international trade, GDP, recessions and the business cycle, and yes, #inflation. This is the course where students come up to me years later and say thanks for teaching me about investing/taxes/etc… It’s super useful stuff.
AP Computer Science Principles
Our high school’s only Advanced Placement class is AP CSP, a mile-wide-foot-deep course on a broad range of computer science topics. It’s about 50% programming in Python (with HTML/CSS, mySQL, etc), 30% discussion of how technology impacts all fields of life, and 20% AP testing and prep. These computer scientists have a broad range of ability levels at this point; some have completed a whole course using Python, others haven’t yet. I am prepared for this! The class focuses on growth in their the fundamental skills, not on having every student end up in the same place at the end.
Business Communications
Another jam-packed class, this group of juniors and seniors will earn their ELA credit this year with me. I’ve tried to make this “the most useful English class you’ll ever take”… we’ll see if I’ve succeeded. This is a “Project-Based learning” class that breaks down roughly into the following progression:
Q1: Grammar refresher, Learning to write letters/emails with a business-like tone
Q2: the Podcast Project: Student-groups will start a real podcast with their own topic. They will interview people, write professional communications, build a webpage, and more. It’s going to be a challenge, but a real hoot!
Q3: student-driven projects: Students will have the opportunity to develop their own projects, as long as they (1)include an outside audience, (2)include written and spoken communications, (3)fit the timeline (and are appropriate, obviously). Examples might include: running social media for a company they know, starting a business, competitive projects like FBLA, building a website for an event or business, etc. … Note: this project is a real risk and a stretch. I might change the plan before we get here.
Q4: Career Research and Job Hunting Skills: personality tests, career research, resumes, interviewing. Culminating with the big Mock Interview event. If you’re interested in helping out for the Mock Interview, let me know!
Middle School Tech
These 7th and 8th graders are starting with typing and word-processing, moving through spreadsheets and 3d design, all the way into programming webpages in HTML/CSS and “coding” in Scratch. That’s a lot of ground to cover, and it’s really important that they learn to work hard while they’re IN class. Because with no tests and no homework, there is not really any other option!
An addition this year is “E-Bucks”, our class currency. They earn them whenever they act according to the Foundational Values, and can spend them at the four Auctions we will hold this year… There will be opportunities for parents to help support the auctions coming up. I’m really excited about teaching them about principled behavior, ownership, and the power of markets *alongside* learning basic computer apps.
FBLA
Future Business Leaders of America is my co-curricular club. FBLA teaches students leadership, how to speak/present, work on projects and how to rub elbows with driven students from other schools. Our leadership-team is full of ideas for this year, and our first meeting is on Sept 7th during lunchtime. If you think your student would be interested, have them come talk to me about it!
Makerspace
I also manage the AHS Makerspace. Located in the library, we offer workspace, equipment and helpers for students doing projects for class or (especially!) their own curiosity. Check out the Makerspace website for more details.
