Precalculus 11 is an academic course intended to prepare students for Precaluclus 12. Good attendance, completed homework, and positive class participation are all essential to success. Students who enter this course are expected to have strong math skills from Foundations and Precalculus Mathematics 10.
Students must attend regularly in order to be successful. You will be engaged with mathematics every class; not being here means you miss out on the excitement.
Regular updates will be provided through the Google classroom, including assignments and classwork. You are responsible for any work missed due to absences, and should be prepared to hand in assignments upon your return.
Please keep your teacher informed if you know ahead of time that you will be missing a class. Students are encouraged to write a quiz early if they know they will be absent.
We will be using a class set of notes and exercises instead of a textbook. You will be given one paper copy for each unit. If you lose it, you will need to print out another copy yourself, or rely on the electronic copy (available on this website and through the Google classroom).
You will need a notebook to use for your learning log, and this should be with you each class.
You may wish to have a scientific calculator. If you are able to download apps for a smart phone or iPod, there are free graphing calculators available which can be very useful. We will make use of technology to help us with graphing in class, however, electronic devices are not allowed during tests or exams.
Desmos (online graphing calculator)
My goal is to keep the focus of this course on learning mathematics, rather than the attainment of a grade. Marks will be determined for the midterm and final reports, but students will be informed of their progress through written and verbal feedback, during conversations and through reflections. The goal is for students to get to know their strengths, understand what they need to work on, and set personal goals.
Assessment will be based on:
assignments
group quizzes
tests
group work
reflections
observations
conversations
final exam
Students will be involved in the assessment process throughout the semester.
It is possible to attempt a quiz again in order to show progress in your understanding. In order for this to happen, it is up to the student to set up a time for the re-quiz to be written, and demonstrate that adequate preparation has been undertaken before writing. This includes: quiz corrections, practice problems and an up-to-date learning log.
You should be doing some math at home every day, in order to become comfortable with the ideas and concepts looked at in class. The goal is to gain fluency in the material. Your math homework will be a combination of writing in your learning log, working through practice questions, or finishing assignments. You will need to decide how much homework is the right amount for you, but it is important to develop a routine to deal with the out-of-class work. Practice will help you gain a better understanding of the ideas we are learning in class.
It is important to ask questions when you are curious or when you don’t understand, and to search out answers. The beginning of class is a great time to ask questions, as your question may be one that inspires the curiosity of other, or one that other people are wondering about.
You should be asking each other questions as well. Working together outside of class time will allow you to help one another. You will find the act of discussing what problems and questions you have with your peers, will help you gain a better understanding.
Read through the feedback on your quiz.
If any of the question numbers have been circled, corrections are needed. Once the corrections have been completed and submitted, there will be a discussion about whether a re-quiz is needed.
fixing mistakes
analyzing why the mistake occurred: was it a careless mistake? a miscalculation? a misunderstanding? a lack of comprehension? What have you learned from fixing the mistake?
writing a statement that highlights something positive about your quiz: an answer that surprized you; something you feel good about; why you think you did well on a part of the quiz; something you enjoyed
Complete the corrections on a separate piece of paper and attach it to your quiz, or do the correction on a sticky note. It should be obvious what is being corrected, and separate from the original quiz. You have two full school days to complete the quiz. For example, if the quiz is returned on a Tuesday, you have until the end of the day on Thursday to hand it in.
If you would like to do a re-quiz to demonstrate that your understanding has progressed, you need to set up a time/date to do this with Ms Robinson (in a flex block) and demonstrate that you have completed some work to help with your understanding (practice questions, up-to-date learning log, corrections).