Classroom Procedure and Grading Policy
Mrs. Ivankovics- Fall 2006
Mathematics is enjoyable and exciting! In order to appreciate the content in this class, you will need to do your work, participate in class, and think! Some things will be difficult, but by no means impossible to understand. Fell free to ask me for help if you need it. If I cannot answer your question during class time, we can arrange to meet another time.
CLASS RULES AND PROCEDURES: All school rules apply in addition to the following:
Students will respect the teacher and each other.
Students will come to class prepared (bring your book, notes, paper, and pencil) and remain on task for the entire period.
Talking during a lecture or presentation or at any other point when someone else is speaking in front of the class in considered disruptive and disrespectful - not to mention rude.
Assignments are to be started in class when there is time. I do not want to hear anyone tell me “this is HOME-work, so I’m going to do it at home.” There is no excuse for wasting class time.
Students are expected to work until they are dismissed. Students must remain seated until the bell rings (and not seated ON desks at any time).
All math work should be completed in pencil. It is the correct tool for my class. You will make mistakes, and it is neater to correct mistakes made in pencil. I will not accept a test or quiz if it is not done in pencil.
No food, drink, personal stereos, cellular phones, or other distracting item will be allowed in class!!! See the School Rule for further details.
Please leave the room in the same condition it was in when you arrived-if not better. You will need to pick up after yourself and use the trash can for trash and the recycle bin for whit paper only. Writing on desks is NEVER permitted.
Your book is to be covered at all times (NOT with the self-sticking kind). Even the stretchy ones are not that great, but better than nothing. The best book covers are still good old-fashioned paper bags.
CHEATING: Some people have trouble understanding what constitutes cheating, let me fill you in.
ü If you copy someone’s homework- CHEATING
ü If you let someone copy your homework- CHEATING
ü If you look at someone else’s test/quiz- CHEATING
ü If you let someone look at your test/quiz- CHEATING
ü If you are talking during a test/quiz (whether you are finished or not)- CHEATING
ü If you ask someone what is on the test they have taken and you have not yet taken- CHEATING
ü If you talk about questions on a test taken earlier with someone who has yet to take the test- CHEATING
Cheating will not be tolerated in this class!!!!!!!!!!
LEAVING CLASS: Students will only be permitted to leave class with their own agenda. You have five minutes between classes to take care of bathroom and locker calls (you do NOT need to go to your locker between every class). The five minutes between class is your time, don’t come running to me and tell me that you are going to the restroom; just go and if you are late, then you are tardy. You will receive 5 passes at the beginning of the semester to use when necessary, (if you forget something or did not plan your time wisely.) Once they are all used up, there will be no more leaving class.
NOTES: Some of the information given in class is helpful. You should write down samples from the board and any explanations given by the teacher. These will be helpful to study from in the future. This year, we will be working on developing good study habits and note-taking is a big part.
CALCULATORS: The mathematics department has instituted a calculator policy. Students enrolled in Algebra 1 will not use calculators the entire year (with the exception of the mid-term and final). Algebra 2 students are allowed to use them for the entire year. A graphing calculator is not necessary, but may be useful for the following year. It is up to the parent if they want to trust their child with an $89 calculator. There will be time when we will use a classroom set of graphing calculators to show the students what can be done on them.
QUIZZES AND TESTS: Each chapter will end with a test. Most chapters will also have quizzes given mid-chapter. The purpose of taking a test or quiz is to determine whether or not you have mastered the material. Do not ask questions during this time. The time for questions is each day leading up to the test or quiz. Make-up tests and quizzes will be given at some date shortly after the original test. You need to be prepared for quizzes and tests. I will give at least two days notice. In the past, students have talked their parents into excusing them on the day of the test because they are not prepared. This is not a good practice.
MIDTERM/FINAL EXAM: These exams cover the entire semester. Keep all your notes and assignments so you can study from them. Many students only learn the material for the current test and then forget it. The goal is to master the material so it can be recalled months later on the final. Your semester grade is made up of 40% for each marking period and 20% for your final exam.
GRADES: Your grade is based on total points earned in the semester. A test is worth more than a quiz, quizzes are worth more than homework.
PARENTCONNECT/STUDENTCONNECT: Please understand how this system works. In the past, parents never saw the teacher’s gradebook, only the final grade when sent home. You are now able to see the gradebook as often as you wish. There is some variation to how teachers handle this. In my classroom, I will have tests posted by the end of the next day (actually, they are usually done the night of the test). Homework is graded most days, but sometimes I don’t get them entered into the computer for a couple days. By Friday, it I am usually caught up. What you are seeing is a running total of the grades. If a score is in red, it means the assignment has been given and is in the book, but the student’s score has not been entered yet. It doesn’t mean your child has not done it; I just haven’t entered the score yet. Wait a day and it will more than likely be entered. If a score is a zero for a particular assignment, it means your child earned a zero. This is a bad thing. If it is on a daily assignment, it will not be a big burden on the overall grade, but if it continues, there is a problem. If the zero was on a test or quiz, then the student is going to need more help in mastering the concept. This is available to everyone who has access to a computer on line. Please sign up for this service and check it often. I will periodically show the students their grades in class, but parents and students can check them at anytime.
ADDITIONAL HELP: In the past, students have needed extra help and they usually don’t take advantage of that help. The first step would be to ask for as much help as possible during class time. The only dumb questions are the ones that go unasked. The next step would be to stay after school for clarification. I am in the building everyday until 3:00 (35 min of help) each day. Some days I am here even longer. (Sports are not supposed to start until 3:00) If both of those options are still not helpful, the counseling office has a list of student and adult tutors available at your convenience.
I look forward to our time together being successful and enjoyable.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. My phone # is 362-2419 but you will be leaving a message and I will call you back (a good game of phone tag is always fun). The best way to reach me is by e-mail ivankom@gischools.org I will most likely respond by the end of the day, if not sooner.