How can I raise my grade?

First of all, even if you get all 0s on every test you ever take in this class, you can still get at least 63.4 percent for your quarter grade.  You can guarantee yourself that -- it doesn't depend on how you do on a test.

Here's how:
  • Do your HW early and get it checked by Ms. Krishnan, by the day before it's due.  This helps you in many ways...
    • Ms. Krishnan will check your work, so if you're doing it wrong, you'll know right away.
    • Since you know right away what's wrong, you can fix it to make sure you don't lose points on the HW.
    • If you make the corrections, you get 25% extra credit on that assignment.
    • HW is worth 20% of your grade.  If you do the extra credit twice a week (2/3 of the time), that's worth 23.4 percentage points in your overall grade.
  • Pass all your benchmarks. 
    • If you didn't pass them on the tests, then you have to do them in the math lab after school, Mon-Fri.  You can continue to take them, one at a time, until you pass them or until the deadline.  (The deadline for BM 1-13 is 10/9.)  Since you have this opportunity, there is NO REASON that you shouldn't pass all your benchmarks.
    • BMs are worth 10% of your grade, or up to 10 percentage points in your overall grade.
  • Come to class on time, with all your materials, and participate appropriately to get full credit for Process of Learning.
    • You lose points every time you're tardy or don't have all your materials.
    • You lose points if you're rude, off task, or if you pack up early.
    • POL is worth 20% of your grade, or up to 20 percentage points in your overall grade.
  • Get your binder together!
    • Binder checks are the biggest part of your classwork grade.
    • You MUST have a 1.5 inch binder with the 5 sections Ms. Krishnan specified (see link).
    • You must fill in your calendar sheet daily, even (especially!) for days you are absent.
    • All your classwork must be in your binder at the time that Ms. Krishnan checks it.
    • Your binder should be neat and organized.
    • Classwork (binder) is worth 10% of your grade, or up to 10 percentage points in your overall grade.
23.4 (HW) + 10 (BMs) + 20 (PoL) + 10 (binder) = 63.4, even if you get a 0 on every test!

Beyond that, the best thing you can do to raise your grade is to do well on tests and quizzes.  If you have not been doing well on tests quizzes, it's time to take a look and how you study.  Do you do practice problems?  Do you try them by yourself before starting to work with a group?  If you need help/suggestions, please come see me or make a visit to the math lab -- I/they can help!

If you have tried these strategies and you still need more, then we can talk about it.  However, if you haven't tried these, please try them first!