Dear Biology Student,
Hi, I my name is Rohan and I was a 9th grade Biology student in the 2016-2017 school year. I took Algebra 2 Honors, English 9, Spanish 1, Freshman Band, Band P.E. (for first semester only), Biology, and Geography/Health and Drivers Ed. I took part in the Saratoga Marching Band which lasted from August to the end of October. I then took Winter Percussion which started late November and lasted until April. I was generally nervous about what high school would be like and how strict and difficult the teachers might be like.
My third period was Mr. Orre's Biology Class. Mr. Orre uses a flipped classroom which means that we learn from home in "vodcasts," which are lectures that Mr. Orre makes that explains important topics in class. Usually, Mr. Orre assigns a vodcast for homework, and we have to take notes in our Biology notebook. We come to class the next day and take out and read the Do Now, written instructions of what to do when you enter the classroom. It is usually a question about the vodcast that is due that day. While we are doing our Do Nows, Mr. Orre checks our notebook to make sure we have done our vodcast notes. After this is done, we go over the vodcast in our table groups and then review it with the entire class. What happens for the rest of the class varies from day to day, but we usually do a lab that relates to the unit we are learning. There are some things in Mr. Orre's class that differs from other Biology classes. One is the biology notebook. This notebook is organized and is set up in a very particular way. The way we take notes of our vodcasts is also done in a very particular way and you must do it this way to receive credit. Another difference is our biology blog. We rarely turn in paper to Mr. Orre because all our reflections are in our biology blog. This blog is used to show all your work of the school year. One important thing you will encounter next semester is the 20 Time Project. In this project, Mr. Orre gives use 20% of all class time to work on our own personal project. It could be on a wide range of topics, but it must relate to science and you should have something to show that you have accomplished something. Mr. Orre will make us right a few blog posts about our project and our progress in it. By the middle and end of the project, you will either have an interview with Mr. Orre or write a blog post giving yourself a score that you think you deserve, and then justifying it with evidence.
Mr. Orre's class can be very easy, or very difficult depending on your approach to his class. If you want to get a good grade, you must complete all your homework and classwork on time. You could ace all your tests and still have a failing grade if you don't complete your classwork on time. Mr. Orre expects everything other than vodcast notes to be on time. Submitting something late will give you half credit first semester and no credit second semester. One thing Mr. Orre does not like is excuses. Do not try to negotiate with him about giving in late work unless you have a dire situation. If you were absent and never asked him for makeup work, then you will get a 0 on that assignment. You have to ask him for the makeup work. Mr. Orre also expects us to be independent and does not like giving directions to you when you are given a procedure for a lab. Mr. Orre does not like repeating himself and if a lab takes too much time because we weren't listening to him, then he won't let us go until everything is cleaned up. He also wants you to respect him and your other classmates so you shouldn't talk out of turn. My best advice would be to do exactly what he tells you and be attentive in class. If you follow this, then the class will not be a challenge for you.
Overall, I am glad that I got to have Mr. Orre as my Biology teacher. It is a good class if you pay attention and you will learn a lot. Mr. Orre teaches us many concepts to try to help us in not only his class, but in all of school. This includes actively studying, having a growth mindset, being assertive, etc. If you use the work ethic that he teaches you through the school year, and apply it to all your other classes, you will learn more from those classes and get better grades. I hope you enjoy your freshman year and time with Mr. Orre in his Biology class, and I wish you well through you journey into high school.
Sincerely,
Rohan Joseph
