Byzantine Empire Map

Diagram from class today

To help with latitude and longitude, notice the amazing artwork!

Welcome letter

Your child should have brought this home today if they are in my home room.

Greetings,

I would like to extend a warm welcome to all of my homeroom students' and their families.  I've met some of you last year at FCCS and I look forward to meeting you if I have not already done so.

As your child's homeroom teacher, I'd like to take this opportunity to tell you a bit about myself.  I am Mr. Collin Kenny and in addition to being your son or daughter's homeroom teacher, I also teach 5^th grade ancient history and 6^th grade medieval history.  I student taught at Windsor Knolls Middle School, teaching grades 6^th and 8^th grade history (Western Cultural Geography and American History 1).  I then taught at West Frederick Middle school for six years, teaching grades 6^th -8^th, teaching tech ed, ancient, medieval, and American history.  This will my forth year teaching at Frederick Classical, teaching ancient and medieval history the entire time.  I am very passionate about the subject of history, especially ancient and medieval.  My graduate degree, although labeled as Humanities, contained almost exclusively coursework pertaining to ancient and medieval history.  Much of my free time is spent listening and reading history, particularly ancient and medieval.  I am the proud father of a newborn daughter named Emilia Rose.  I am a musician, and incorporate this into my instruction using the guitar and mandolin. Lastly, my wife and I attend Faith Church in Frederick.  I am very excited to teach your child.
 

A griffin triangle consisting of parent, teacher, student - is our foundation for your child's success.  Respectful and open communication between the three members of this triangle is necessary for trust to develop.  Students will succeed in an environment that fosters trust.  In week one, we will communicate our expectations and virtues to the students so that they can count on some things remaining the same.  As the students settle in, we can focus more and more on the true, the good, and the beautiful in what they will be learning.

Classical education uses a direct instruction approach in which the classroom is for academic learning.  I will use direct instruction a majority of the time and after students are taught how to take notes, will be expected to do so regularly.  In addition to direct instruction, students will occasionally do group work, conduct laboratory investigations, and learn content-related songs and chants.  Students should be respectful and tolerant and a teacher should be professional, according to grade.  We believe in teaching and modeling appropriate behaviors during the first few weeks of school and students should be respectful of the classroom rules.  As the school year progresses, students will need occasional reminders and review appropriate and inappropriate behaviors.  During direct instruction, I will be actively teaching, walking the room to check for progress.  It is through this approach that students will be respectful, focused, eager to learn, and consistently display positive behaviors that will contribute to an overall wonderful environment for learning here at Frederick Classical.

The best way to get in touch with me is through email:  Collin.kenny@fcps.org.  I will do my best to respond to you within 24 hours. 

Please complete the contact form, http://goo.gl/zHEISc , if you have not already.

A Few 5^th and 6^th  Team Updates

●     Students may wear P.E. uniform to school on P.E. days.

●     Students need to be prepared for class every day.  This means each student should have sharpened pencils, an adequate supply of binder paper, completed homework, and any other supply indicated in the handbook or requested by the teacher.

●     A critical component of classical education is a respectful relationship between teacher and student.  Please support this beautiful aspect of classical education as we ask students to say “Yes ma’am,” “No, sir,” etc.

●     To that end, please do the same as you interact with your child’s teachers throughout the year.  Please use a teacher’s formal name:  Mr., Miss, Ms., or Mrs. sets the tone for positive, professional, and respectful interactions.

●     My website, MrdotKenny.blogspot.com is used often to convey information, it also has classroom notes and assignments, study materials, educational games, and other things of interest.

Thank you for supporting your child and our school as we embark on what is sure to be a wonderful adventure and great conversation.  Teaching is a joy, and I am thankful to partner with in the education of your child.

Eagerly,

Mr. Collin Kenny

Ancient and Medieval History

collin.kenny@fcps.org         240-236-1231

mrdotkenny.blogspot.com   @collinkenny

Welcome back!

I am so excited to be starting the new year.  Please fill out the google form below so that I can have your contact information and easily communicate class details, assessment dates, project information, and more!