Algebra FAQ

If you have questions, we have answers.  

In order for you to learn efficiently, you are recommended to bring the following with you to each class: 

No. This is school property and is only used at school. You will be assigned a graphing calculator for the whole school year to use during class and you must turn it in before you leave class. You may purchase a TI-84 Plus CE calculator to practice at home in order not to fall behind. Many questions on the assessments and STAAR require you to use a graphing calculator to solve. It is much convenient if you are proficient in using a calculator, so you can ace the tests easily. This calculator is accepted for all exams like STAAR, PSAT, SAT, ISEE, ACT, AMC, Math Olympia and other AP courses like Algebra 2, Pre-Cal, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Probability and Statistics, Biology…etc. So, owning a TI-84 calculator now is a wise long-term investment.

Yes. You may download the TI-84 Plus CE Graphing Calculator for a 90 day-free trial to serve your learning needs in Algebra and Geometry classes.

Yes. You will be provided with a planner. Another way to keep you updated is to sign up for your Remind class since I always send out the reminder after each class.  

Yes. If you want to reinforce your concepts and skills that you missed from Math 7, please click here.

Yes. If you want to reinforce your concepts and skills that you missed from Math 8, please click here.

Yes. If you want to reinforce your concepts and skills from Algebra 1, please click here.

Please check out the Scope and Sequence adapted from HISD here.

Yes. It is called Desmos. Please access Desmos graphing here, Desmos calculator here, Desmos scientific here, and try to play around to be familiar with this platform.

Yes. Please check out the whole bunch of tutorial videos here. You better watch them before and after class to enhance your understanding of concepts and skills.

Math is one subject that usually requires homework. Homework is not intended to make life miserable. It is simply necessary if you want to develop good reasoning and problem solving skills. One of the biggest problems students have when completing math homework is that they don't study the notes associated with the assignments and then just give up when they can't see how to do it.

"Studying notes and doing your homework consistently can always help obtain achievements." 

I expect you to do your own assignments. My goal is that you have a daily practice so that no one falls behind in my class. You are expected to have an assignment for each class consisting of classwork and homework. Homework should be completed at home and checked & corrected wrong answers with keys in class. However, evidence showed that my students finished both classwork and homework in class since they paid attention, followed directions, and worked productively. We also have the study guide to prepare for each assessment. The study guides are crucial and usually handed out one or two weeks prior to the exams for you to prepare. So please, don't procrastinate or you definitely feel overwhelmed. 

"Many great things can be done in a day if you don't always make that day tomorrow."

Learning math takes attitude, perseverance, and courage: Many people have trouble learning math because they never develop the particular study habits which are conducive to success in math. If you practice the following suggestions, they should prove invaluable to you.

Yes. You must communicate your process used to arrive at solutions to earn full credit. With that being said you need to show your step process and can verbally explain yourself like what I did in the notes since every step has a grade associated with it. A student who knows the process but makes a calculation error at the end will get (almost) full credit. A student who stumbles on an answer by luck will get a zero since they did not follow the process. All that said, I expect you to demonstrate your understanding of the material taught in class. It is not about finding the "correct answer." Furthermore, your assignments must be neat and legible with the answers clearly indicated. Use scratch paper for preliminary computations and submit only polished work. Your homework will be graded based on accuracy rather than on completion because I want you to build your strong foundation of work ethic to grow on. In addition to accuracy, neatness will be taken into account. Your work must be checked with keys by using a red pen before you turn in to earn full credit. Be sure your name is on your submitted work.     

Yes, of course. The more methods you learn, the more proficient you are. In class, I always encourage you to employ different methods to approach the same problem. In the exams, you will be asked to solve the same problem with two different methods. It definitely helps you a lot during the exams if you are stuck on this method, you can try different ones as long as you arrive at the solution. Especially on the ISEE, PSAT, and SAT exam, you should be able to spend less than 90 seconds/question to complete the test on time. For example, There are 3 common methods to solve a linear system called substitution method, elimination method, and graphing method. You must know all three methods to benefit you from getting the solution fast and correctly.

Yes. They all will be graded and counted towards your classwork grades (35%). "Do Now" is used to check for your understanding of the concepts learnt from previous lessons. "Exit Ticket" is used to check for your understanding of the concepts learnt from current lessons. So, you must actively pay attention and use time wisely during class. I strongly encourage you to take time to work on "Do Now" and "Exit Ticket" seriously because they can help you obtain a lot of achievements, one of those is upcoming STAAR test.

All assignments must be turned in in person before the class starts. Don't turn in your assignments on Canvas.

A physical copy of textbooks will be distributed at the beginning of the school year.

Information is on my homepage. Don't be shy about asking in class since our classroom is a risk-free environment. Ask for help if you need it. Use your teacher, classmates, or parents if necessary to get your learning needs supported. Do not wait until the last minute to get help. Math is cumulative. So if you miss a concept, you are likely to get behind quickly. 

You must have a conversation with me to discuss about the process how to fill out a recommendation letter for you. If everything goes well and I feel positive about your progress, I will do it. You will provide me with an electronic form to fill out and a link to submit. Recommendation forms must be given to me ahead of the due date. Last minute forms will be done last, and there is no guarantee that they will be completed before the due date.

There is no retake for a quiz. Also, per HISD guidelines, under no circumstance will a student be allowed to retake a midterm or final examination to improve his/her grade. Per "Student and Parent Resource Guide", however, students will have an opportunity for reassessment for major tests/performance assessments/projects when the grade received on an assessment is below a 70. All reassessments must be completed within one week from the time the assessment is returned to the student. A student’s grade in the gradebook for any reassessment will be an average of the original and the retake grade and must not be higher than 75. (i.e., if the original grade = 60; the retest grade = 85, then the average grade = 73, you will receive a 73. If the original grade = 60; the retest grade = 95, then the average grade = 77.5, you will receive a 75.)

Per HISD Code of Student Conduct, cheating, plagiarism, or copying the work of other students, which includes failure to comply with test security procedures and use of cell phones, smart watches, and electronic devices during testing, all violate the Academic Dishonesty Policy.

Cheating means gaining unfair advantage by using unauthorized materials/notes/information relating to all assignments (homework, classwork, quiz, project, test...). Cheating includes, but is not limited to, the following:

Consequences for cheating depending on the severity of the infraction may result in, but are not limited to, the following:

As you know, cheating will not be tolerated and severe consequences may be applied if you violate the academic integrity. So, please be aware of your action, make a wise choice. If you are unsure about what you are going to do, please ask your teacher for clarification. 

"If you can’t explain what you wrote down, then you are cheating." 

Be aware of attendance, late work, and make-up policies. There are multiple ways to keep you updated. It is your responsibility to check out the Canvas immediately for notes and assignments on that day, check out my blog for tutorial videos to help you get your homework done, check out the Remind for up-to-date announcements, turn to your classmates for information about what happened in class and ask if they can share more information. If you have any more questions or concerns, please email me as soon as possible.

Be reminded that Math is a very sequential subject. What you learn today builds on what you learned before and is required to support your future learning needs. It is like building blocks. If you miss any of the building blocks, you cannot progress. This is why it is so easy for students to fall behind if they miss school or don't complete homework on time. 

Yes. I offer huge extra credit and encourage all of you to take advantage of this chance. Extra credit will be given during class and after class. It is not only an opportunity for you to benefit from an additional challenge, but also a way for you to improve your grades. Extra credit may include, but is not limited to, the following:

You will take the Algebra 1 STAAR EOC (State Test)  and Final Exam (District Test). 

Check out the helpful STAAR Mathematics Resources here, Multiplication Tables here, Mathway from Pre-Algebra to Calculus here, Math-Aids including Pre-Algebra, Algrebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry here.

Instructions:

Step 1: Click on the link above and bookmark it.

Step 2: Hit the green “Sign In” button

Step 3: Hit the drop-down menu at Student Grade Level to select your grade level:

      Algebra 1 students: Pick EOC

      Geometry students: Pick 8

Step 4: You can pick one of the tests under the following to practice:

      2021 STAAR New Item Types

      STAAR Released and Practice Tests

Being a member of the 100 Club is not very easy and requires a lot of determination. In addition to the assigned problems in each chapter, you are encouraged to 

It will be your advantage to write out your solutions in detail, carefully, and neatly.  


Please click HERE.

The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) progress measure provides information about the amount of improvement or progress that a student has made in a subject area. This measure is based on a comparison of a student’s test score in the previous year with his or her score for the current year. For STAAR, progress is measured as a student’s gain score, the difference between the score a student achieved in the previous year and the score a student achieved in the current year. 

Your child’s scores include performance scores for each subject area. Here are the performance levels and what they mean according to TEA:

 Masters Grade Level: This outstanding performance shows mastery of the course content — student is on track for college and career readiness.

 Meets Grade Level: This performance shows strong knowledge of course content — student is prepared to progress to the next grade.  While there is room for improvement, your child doesn’t need a lot of extra help in this subject. 

 Approaches Grade Level (Passed): This performance shows some knowledge of course content but may be missing critical elements — student may need additional support in the coming year.

 Did Not Meet Grade Level (Not Passed): This performance shows a lack of basic understanding of course content — student needs significant support in the coming year.

Yes. Check out Texas mathematics competitions here.

Depending on where you go for high school, some high schools have different paths, especially IB high schools. However, in general, the most common course sequencing is as follows:

Algebra 1 → Geometry → Algebra 2 → Precalculus / AP Statistics / IB Math SL (IB Schools) → AP Calculus AB / AP Calculus BC / IB Math HL (IB Schools) → Multivariable Calculus/Linear Algebra/Differential Equations.

If you are completely lost when it comes to choosing your course, it is wise to first consult an academic counselor about what courses are most appropriate for your current academic level.

The aims of MYP mathematics are to encourage and enable students to:  

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