How to Succeed in Class

I'm not telling you it's going to be easy — I'm telling you it's going to be worth it.

You DO WORK! It's our school motto! We work hard and try our best. If you put in the work and communicate with your teachers, you will see results. Many of my students say they struggled in math in elementary school. I teach math a different way but it's going to take a lot of perseverance. That means working hard, even when it's difficult. Not giving up. Asking for help when you don't understand. 

It also means keeping up with your notebook. 

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU'RE ABSENT

(You are still responsible for the work you miss)

• Before coming to class if possible:

  • Check the online planner. on the NB, Planner, and Extra Help page to see what you missed. Update your planner. 

  • Check the  NB, Planner, and Extra Help page for the online notebook  for the warm ups you missed. If It's not there, send me an email and I will get it updated. 

  • Update your table of contents.

  • Do the HW assigned from when you were absent so you don't get behind. 

• When you come to class:

  • If you missed notes, grab them from the tray on the cart and get them glued into the notebook. If there aren't in the tray, look in the box on the next chelf down. 

• When you go home:

  • If you were missing notes, update the  notes you got in class using the notebook on the  NB, Planner, and Extra Help page. If you don't understand after writing the notes, watch the video in google classroom. They might not be exactly the same, but they are pretty close. 

How the Class is Set up

Warm ups

• • Monday through Thursday we start class with a warm up with of 4 questions. You are given 10 minutes to work with your group to complete it. (If you don't finish that's okay.) The warm ups are handed in and I will pick 4 of you to go up to the board to write the question. 

  • Then those students call on someone to come do the next step. If you aren't sure what to do, that's okay, you can call up a classmate to help you. 

  • Once all the problems are on the board and correct, you are given time to copy the questions, work, and answers into your math notebook.  

  • Your warm ups that were turned in are corrected and returned later that week in your cubby. 

  • You have until the end of the quarter to make corrections on the warm ups, or to finish unfinished problems, and can get full credit once corrected. Don't let this pile up!

  • I  encourage you to correct your warm up and THEN check your notebook to make sure it is correct. 

  • Since students are given the answers to the warm ups and there is a copy on the Notebook, Planner and Extra Help page, there is NO REASON for you to have low scores  on them.

Homework

• You have HW Monday - Thursday. I will assign somewhere between 1 and 10 problems. The HW is review and NOT from the current chapter we are on. 

• When HW is turned in, it gets corrected, and if it is not 100% you will get it back in your  cubby for 1 chance to correct it for the full points. You have until the end of the quarter to make corrections. Don't let this pile up!

• If you turn in the HW Monday-Thursday on time, then you are on the "No Thursday HW List". You are excused from Thursday's HW but will get the full points for it. 

• HW is considered on time and complete if:

  • • • You wrote the original problem.

      • You showed your work.

      • You turned it in at the start of class (visual and multiple verbal reminders are given).

      • You wrote in pencil. (work in pen will not be accepted)

      • All the problems are finished .

Quizzes

• You will be given a quiz (almost) every Friday. 

• The first 5 questions are the "Planner and Notebook Quiz". You are expected to use your notebook and planner to answer questions like: What was the HW on Monday? What was the agenda Tuesday? What page is your warm up from Monday on? What did you highlight on page 45?

• The next 5 questions are math questions. These questions come from the warm up from that week. The same types of problems with different numbers. 

• The following Friday you get the quiz back (during the quiz for that week) and have a chance to correct any of the problems that were incorrect for the full points. If you do not finish you can have additional time the following week, up until the end of the quarter. If you still need additional time, there will be days at the end of the quarter where I'm open at lunch for test corrections and dates will be communicated on the board, and through remind.

• When the math portion is graded, it will be put in the gradebook under each standard. So each test can have up to 5 entries in the gradebook. This can help you clarify what concepts your child is struggling with. 

Notes

• We have guided notes for each section of the math curriculum. These are step by step directions on how to complete the problems for that lesson. 

• Directions are broken down into smaller pieces with examples to make it easier to learn.

• You should have your notes up to date at all times and there is a copy of my notebook on the Curriculum and Extra Help page of this site. 

• Notes are able to be used on ALL assignments, tests....EVERYTHING, except state mandated testing. 

Additional Information

• The material not mastered is being spiraled, meaning while we push on to new material we will continue to see the old material  on the warm ups and during whiteboard practice.