8th Grade Math / Algebra I

My name is Laura Anderson, and I am your algebra instructor. I absolutely love algebra and I am super excited to work with you!

Contacting Me

I am only teaching three classes so I will be leaving campus prior to lunch. If you have questions about your homework your best bet is to email me at landerson@selwynschool.com. I will check my email for messages until 5:00 pm. If you find you need help after 5:00, please see me before class the following day as I will be on campus at 7:30 am (I will notify you if that time changes). If you are unable to meet me before class let me know as my schedule is flexible and I want to be sure you get the help you need.

Textbook

We will be using the Algebra 1 California Edition text published by Prentice Hall. We will also be using Kahoot, Blooket, and Google Sheets.

Grading

You will have homework, test, and quiz grades.

I have outlined below how I intend to weigh your grades.

·         Quizzes 10%

·         Homework 40%

·         Tests 50%

Quizzes

I plan on giving you one short quiz a week, typically on Monday. This is to help me assess where you are and if I need to adjust our schedule to review the previous week’s lessons.

Homework

You will be assigned daily homework, which you should be able to complete in class. I expect this to be turned in the day after assigned unless I note an exception when assigning your work. Late homework will automatically be docked 20%, and I will not accept late work once we have completed the chapter exam. I will publish our weekly schedule on our school portal, Facts. You can refer to Facts to view upcoming assignments and your grades as I will typically update your account daily. Important note: I will publish your schedule for the week, but it may change as we adapt our pace to the needs of the class. You shouldn’t have more than 30 minutes of math homework, so if you find it is taking you longer to complete your assignments, please let me know so I can adjust your work accordingly.

Use of Online Resources

You have access to a vast array of online resources that will solve your Algebra problems for you, and even show you the steps. I caution you against relying on these sites. It’s nice to be able to check your work or get help on a problem you can’t seem to solve, but overuse of these sites will hinder your learning. Algebra is a skill you need to complete your high school level math and science classes. Without the necessary skills, you are going to find a future full of challenges you are not equipped to meet. Using the sites to check your work or to get help when I am not available is perfectly acceptable. Using the sites to complete your homework assignments is not. 

Note Taking

I encourage you to take notes during class. These will help you prepare for quizzes and tests. Note taking is a critical skill and the sooner you learn to take good notes the better. You may use any note-taking format you like, but I encourage you to try The Cornell Method as it has a long history of success.

Class Structure

You will have three options when it comes to your pace and learning method. Those of you who want to work ahead may choose the flipped class. With this option you will watch a video of my lecture outside class before completing your assignment in class where I am available to answer any questions. Flipped students must watch the video lesson. If you do not want to watch video lessons, or cannot learn by watching video lessons, join us in the on-pace group.

If you are happy working at a pace that will see that you complete our Algebra book by the end of the year, you will work on-pace. You will receive a lecture daily and will use the remainder of the class period to complete your assignments. You can also take advantage of the video lessons if you need a review or are absent from class.

Finally, for those who need some review prior to tackling Algebra, I will also give you a daily lecture. You will be using an 8th Grade Pre-Algebra workbook I have created just for you! This workbook will also serve as your notebook, and you will have use of it during exams.

The on-pace and flipped class students will begin their class period with a warm-up exercise. I will use this time to cover the lesson for the students studying 8th Grade Pre-Algebra. The class will then review the warm-up exercise and I will present the day’s lesson to the on-pace Algebra students. Flipped class students should begin their daily assignment.

Near the end of class, the on-pace Algebra students will reflect on the day’s lesson, sharing what they learned or what they found most challenging.

Phone Use

There have been changes to the middle school rules regarding the use of cell phones in school. Use of mobile phones is prohibited for all middle school students. If your parents need to reach you during class time, they can phone the front office and leave a message or text me (I will be giving them my cell number). I have a hanging “parking lot”  where you will need to place your phones during class time. If you are caught using your cell phone, it will be given to the Head of Middle School (Mrs. Kinder) for the remainder of the day. Your parents will need to come in to retrieve your phone after school. You are allowed use of your cell phone after school.