Welcome, Students and Families!Alison Lanigan
This year I have a variety of roles at school. I teach Creative Writing and AVID. I also am an Instructional Specialist/Support Teacher for part of my day. I advise the school-wide literary magazine (Dragons' Fire), facilitate submissions to the Scholastic Writing Contest, and support masters-level projects in literary arts. This is my 14th year at Da Vinci.
Each day, I update our classroom schedule on a white board dedicated for this purpose. This posted schedule includes the day's agenda, learning target(s), and due dates. This board is located in the room's "Student Center," where students turn in work and pick up copies of handouts missed when absent. I take time most days to clarify assignments, give reminders about task timelines and due dates, and provide the opportunity for students to make notes in their paper or digital planners. Typically, there is no homework for Creative Writing, unless a student falls behind on a project. I put class-related information on this website, which I update daily. Student planners and binders may also have information about and/or handouts for assignments. About the TeacherDeschutes National Forest, Summer 2017
As you can probably guess from the pictures, I am a mom as well as a teacher. This year, our daughter is a sophomore at Roosevelt High School, and our son is a sixth grader at Ockley Green Middle School. They are both in Spanish immersion programs, and they both play a lot of competitive soccer!
I have been a teacher longer than I have been a mom. For my first five years of teaching, I taught upper elementary students. Then I realized that I really wanted to work with middle schoolers, which I have been doing for the past 13 years. I love the energy of young people at this age. And I particularly enjoy teaching writing, which I feel is critical for sixth through eighth graders, as it is the key to ongoing success in high school and beyond. I teach because I believe in the importance of supporting youth in developing as critical thinkers and literate, healthy human beings. I am licensed and experienced in teaching language arts, mathematics, and social studies with this age group. This is the fifth year Da Vinci has offered (and I have taught) the Creative Writing elective. |
Class Syllabus and ExpectationsAnna and Jake, Nisqually Vista Trail, Summer 2019
On or about the first day of school, teachers usually send home various pieces of "backpack mail," including items such as a letter of introduction, a syllabus or year-long curriculum plan, class expectations, and a discipline plan. To save paper and reduce waste, the only paper I will send home with all students is a copy of my introductory letter. Other information is available on this website, To learn about the classes I am teaching in 2019-20, click on the syllabus files below (to be updated prior to the first day of school--except for term Creative Writing, which I will update by the start of the first term class at third quarter):
If you would like to know more about my how our classroom works, click on my Classroom Practices Plan or this explanation of Classroom Expectations. Supplies I prefer for students to use a three-ring binder as their major school supply. In AVID, this binder (and for sixth graders in general) a binder is required. The binder should have with dividers for each class and a pencil pouch or box with writing utensils inside. Arts and crafts supplies, like scissors, glue sticks, and colored pens or pencils may be useful from time to time. Creative Writing students may choose to keep a one-inch binder for the course in the classroom. I am working on acquiring donations of one-inch binders. Da Vinci gives each student a paper planner that they are expected to use on a daily basis.. Contact Information The best way to contact me is to send me at email at [email protected]. You may also call the school at (503) 916-5356 to leave a message on my voicemail. Finally, you are welcome to make judicious use of my cell phone for text or voicemail at (503) 805-8834. |