CLASS INFORMATION – Essential Mathematics

REQUIREMENTS FOR DOING WELL

There are two basic requirements for doing well in this class: 1) hard work and 2) persistence. This class is designed to prepare students for both the high school qualifying exam and future math classes.

GRADING

Grades in this class are not competitively based. In other words, I have no set requirement for so many A’s, B’s, etc. If all of you work hard enough to get an A, that would be wonderful. Grades are based on 90-100 being an A, 80-90 a B, and so forth as described in the student handbook. Grades are broken down in this class into three categories: 1) homework/seatwork -- 20%, 3) Tests -- 80%.

Homework/seatwork-- 20%

This category includes practice homework and seatwork. Practice homework is graded on attempts, not correct answers. When graded, incorrect answers on practice homework are circled and students are encouraged to get help on problems they did not understand. Because of this policy, NO LATE HOMEWORK IS ACCEPTED! Practice homework is just that -- practice on concepts covered in class. It is essential that students attempt all problems on homework and get help when they do not understand where their mistakes were made. Only in this way will true understanding of all the material be accomplished. No homework is returned to the student unless requested.

Seatwork is graded in a fashion similar to practice homework, but may vary depending on the assignment. Seatwork is work done in class and graded in class. Many seatwork assignments in class will be notes on sections of the textbook. When students are required to take notes from the textbook, they will be given one of four grades based on the quality of the notes they took: zero, 70, 85, 100. After students take notes they will be given a homework assignment. The number of homework problems they must do will depend on how well they took notes in class. The better the notes, the fewer problems they will be required to do for homework.

Tests-- 80%

Tests in this class will be comprehensive and given frequently. Those students who earn less than a 70 percent on a test may, at any time during the semester prior to the end of the semester (on a date to be determined by the teacher), raise their grade on an exam to a 70 percent by redoing all problems on the exam at lunch time. If the instructor is satisfied that the student understands the concepts and procedures on the exam, then the grade will be raised to a 70 percent. Students may submit themselves as many times as they wish in an effort to improve their grade.

SEMESTER EXAM

A semester exam will be given in this class. It will count for 20 percent of the semester grade. The semester exam will be comprehensive. The semester exam grade is final, there is no option to improve the grade as there is with tests.

MAKE-UP POLICY

As stated in the student handbook, students will have two days to make up work that they missed in class. Please note that this applies to new material and/or seatwork/homework that you missed due to an absence. This does not apply to tests on material that has been covered in class prior to your absence! In other words, if you know about a test and are absent that day, you will be required to make-up the test immediately on return! Students with extensive absences due to illness will need to make arrangements with me about what is needed to be made up and when it is due.

EXTRA CREDIT

Extra credit may be arranged in a contract between student and instructor. In no case will the semester grade be increased more than 5 percent for extra credit work.

PET PEEVES

Throwing things in class. Disrespect for yourself, your peers, and me. Vulgar language. Students out of their seats without permission. Taking things off my desk without my permission. Students may receive a misconduct report and be sent from the classroom if their behavior or language is not school appropriate or if they interupt the learning of other students.

Problem grading

Problems on tests will be graded in the following manner. Each problem will generally be graded in fourths, although some problems will be weighted with more points due to difficulty. A student will earn full credit for a problem if the student shows work which leads to a correct solution to the problem. A student will earn 3/4 credit if there is one minor mistake but the rest of the solution reveals that the student understands the concepts needed to solve the problem. A student will earn half credit on the problem if work is shown but a major concept is misunderstood or several minor mistakes are made in attempting to find the solution. A student will earn 1/4 credit on a problem by attempting the problem. A student will earn no credit for a problem if it is blank.