Welcome to 8th Grade!  I am Mrs. Cook, and I will be your diligent leader on this exciting and academic adventure through literature, writing, communication, research, and analysis.  It all sounds like fun to me!

 

My goal is to create a safe environment where our students can help construct their own knowledge, access information, and find real world relevance for their learning. We will be writing constantly as we study persuasive techniques, analyze texts, compare and contrast author's purpose, and compose research papers. Ultimately, students are learning to communicate intelligently about not only what they read, but what it means, and finally why it matters.

 

North Middle School is dedicated to helping our students achieve their full potential, meet high standards, and be prepared for high school and beyond.  I will do everything in my power to help students succeed, but I cannot do it alone.  It will take the whole team: parents, teachers, staff, and especially the students. I believe there are no limits to what children can learn and do. All they need is our guidance and our belief in them.

As for myself, I am a graduate of both the University of Washington and City University. I have a Masters Degree in Teaching and an urge to continually be learning. Kids constantly amaze me and open my mind to endless possibilities. Teaching is FUN! 

 

My philosophy on teaching actually stems from the classic movie It's a Wonderful Life and my own 8th grade English class experience. I know it's an old black and white movie that probably none of my students have seen, but I watched this movie in my 8th grade English class, and even though I didn't know it then, it has been an integral part of my theory on life and teaching. In the movie, Jimmy Stewart realizes (with help from a good friend Clarance) that the world would be different and not better if he were never born. The analogy from the movie that I just love is about a pebble in a pond - how when you toss a pebble in a pond it makes endless ripples. Those ripples have their own effects and so on. The point being that none of us are here only in our own little world. We are all affecting each other. My goal as a teacher is to try and make the most out of the time I have with others. Hopefully, I will make good ripples

 

Contact Information:

 

425-385-4909

 

North Middle School, Room 109