How can I be successful in math this year? Success does not necessarily mean an “A” final grade. Success means that you have done your best to learn all of the content, persevered through your mistakes, and have been kind and respectful to all other learners in our classroom (including me!). Learning: Follow along with each lesson and ask questions when you have them. If you’re nervous about asking a question in front of the class, you can ask for help from me or your fellow learners during independent work time, schedule a time to chat before or after school, or consult the textbook. Also, make sure that you complete all of your homework. “Complete” means that all problems have been attempted (no “?s”...always at least take a couple of steps in the right direction), all of your work is shown, all answers have been checked with the back of the textbook, and attempts have been made to correct all errors. Persevering: When you make mistakes AND you learn from them, your brain grows! When you check your homework, you should ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS check your answers. If you have some incorrect answers, try to find the errors that you made. (You may just be missing a tiny piece of the puzzle!) If you’re having trouble, look back at your notes from class, my notes online, or the example from the textbook. Same goes for checkpoints. If you are disappointed with your score on a checkpoint, don’t feel discouraged! Look back at your work and see if you can catch your mistakes independently and rework the problems. Fill out a reassessment form if you want to take another shot at it! Respecting: The learning process is different for everybody...and that’s okay! It would be super boring if we were all the same. Sometimes, we will disagree in class. It is important that we are never rude or judgemental, especially when a fellow student is answering a question. If you think someone is wrong, try to maintain a calm voice and use sentence starters like, “I got a different answer,” “can you explain your process,” “I did it this way,” or simply “I disagree.”
How can I improve my grade? There are a number of things that you can do to improve your grade! First, complete any late or incomplete homework. You can also reassess on any checkpoint from the current quarter or fill out a mastery form to make up for some missed checkpoint points. And, of course, make sure that you keep up with homework and studying for checkpoints and tests in the future!
I completed a homework assignment, but I have a “0” on StudentVUE. Why? There are several reasons why this may be. You may have been absent when it was checked in. Often times, I will enter a “0” on StudentVUE as an indication to you that I need to see the assignment, but I will have recorded that you were absent on my paper gradebook. In that case, I will know to not give you a late penalty. It may be a late or incomplete assignment. If the assignment was missing when I checked it in or you did not show your work, you will receive a “0.” However, “0”s are never permanent, and they can always be changed to a “4” so long as the quarter has not ended. I may have made a mistake! Hey, I’m only human. This is why I keep a paper gradebook as well as an online one. If you think I goofed, just let me know (politely) and I will double check with my records. If I have a “0” on my paper gradebook as well, I will ask you to show me the assignment again. Always keep all of your homework as proof that you did it.
How can I study for a checkpoint or test? The best way to study for math is to actually practice the problems on which you will be assessed. If I give you a worksheet or assign textbook problems the day before an assessment, do them! Additionally, our textbook and its website have a ton of resources at your disposal! In the textbook, you can find Quizzes and Reviews, and there will be many problems that were not assigned for homework. (You could also review homework problems.) You can also check out the online textbook. There, you will find additional practice problems and video lessons. Feel free to explore! Directions for accessing the online textbook are on my homepage. If you would like me to help you with specific concepts, don’t hesitate to ask! But be aware that I will first ask you what you have already done on your own, and I may not be available if you are asking at the last minute.
Can I reassess on a checkpoint? If you took the original checkpoint during the current quarter, then yes! You can print out a reassessment form using the link on the Home page, or pick one up in class. The directions are all there. Read carefully! You must have all completed all of the related homework, corrected every error on your original checkpoint, and correctly completed 5 additional practice problems. Your reassessment grade will replace the original, even if it is lower.
Can I reassess on a test? Nope, sorry. :(
I was absent today. What should I do? Take care of yourself! If/when you are able to, take a look at the lesson and notes that you missed (if available) so that you can ask me specific questions when you return...not just “did we do anything yesterday?” If there was homework due when you were absent, I will expect it on the day you return in order to give you full credit. If this is a problem for you, let me know what your circumstances are. If there was homework assigned while you were absent, I will give you as many days as you were absent to complete it for full credit.
I was absent the day before a checkpoint/test. Will I still have to take it on the same day as everyone else? Yes! You will only get an extension if you miss a lesson. Reviews are not lessons. You will know about checkpoints 2-3 days in advance and tests about a week in advance, so there will be no surprises.