Welcome!
 Hello, and
welcome to 6th Grade Advanced Math! This should be a great year for
growing your math skills, and for having fun while you're doing it! Here
is a brief look at how our math class works.
Welcome Letter
(pdf)
Classroom Rules
Our classroom will be structured with the following major
“umbrella” themes:
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Respect
We will respect all people and all things.
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Responsibility
We will be responsible for our assignments and our choices.
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Honesty
We will be truthful in all that we do.
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Character
We will strive for great personal character.
Consequences for following the rules include gaining
personal pride in your performance, having the best opportunities for
successful learning, earning good grades, and enjoying some fun rewards.
Consequences for breaking the rules include writing a note
home to parents, writing an action plan, phone calls home to parents,
serving detention, seeing the principal, earning lowered grades, and
others, as stated in the student handbook.
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Homework policy
Homework is critical for success, just as football
practice is for the football player, or piano practice for the pianist.
It is due on the date assigned. It will be graded. Sometimes there will
simply be a grade for completion; other times there will be a percentage
score given.
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Student’s
Homework Responsibility
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You are
responsible to copy homework assignments in your homework log.
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You
are responsible to complete the entire assignment, and leave no
blanks.
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You are responsible to turn the assignment in when it
is due.
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When absent, it is your
responsibility to request the work you need to make up.
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Grading:
"I don't give
grades, you earn them!"
Most papers will be graded in a percentage-based way. I
will mark incorrect answers, and in some cases write in the correct
answer. Some projects will be graded on a point system (rubric), set up
for that assignment specifically. The points will be converted to a
percentage or grade.
You will
often grade your own papers. You will put a check mark by each correct
answer, and target what you need to work on or ask questions about by
circling answers that are incorrect. This gives you immediate feedback!
Some papers will receive a grade that indicates completion and
accuracy of the assignment. Other papers will receive a check mark
that credits completing
the assignment.
Grades on report cards
will be calculated using the following weights:
-
40% for Chapter
Tests/Exams
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20% for
Achievement Test Preparation Assignments
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15% for Daily Work
and Quizzes
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15% for Homework
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10% for Basic
Facts
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FAQs (Frequently Asked
Questions)
-
Will I have homework in your class?
Why do we even have homework?
What if I turn in my homework late?
What happens to my grade if I turn in my homework late?
What if I don't know how to do some of my homework?
Why do you give some students different homework?
Do I have to show my work in math?
Do you have any
advice for your students?
How can parents help
support their child in math?
Will
I have homework in your class?
Yes. I give math homework every day that I teach
math.
Why do we even have homework?
Homework gives you a chance to practice, much like you practice skills for your sports teams or dance or piano. To get good at something, you need to practice, practice, practice!
What if I turn in my homework late?
The first and primary result of turning in your homework late (or not doing it) is that you won't get the practice you need in order to be where you need to be for the next day's lesson. When we go over that homework, you will not know for sure whether you really understood it. And, you won't be in the best possible position to ask the questions you would have if you had completed it. THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THE BEST LEARNING TAKES PLACE!
What happens to my grade if I turn in my homework late?
Turning your homework in late is much better than not turning it in at all. It is almost impossible to recover from a zero on an assignment! I do deduct points for late homework. I still expect you to turn it in, however, so the next night you end up having double homework which is no fun at all! I also
contact your parents. Be your own best friend, and keep up with your homework every night. You will always be happier knowing that you came to school ready to learn!
What if I don't know how to do some of my homework?
That is a good question. First, I recommend that you ask your parents or phone a friend from class for help. Second, make sure that you go ahead and fill it in, draw, or write something -- don't leave it blank! By giving it your best guess possible, I will at least be able to see what you were thinking as you worked on it, and will know how to help you the next
day!
Why do you give some students different homework?
As learners, we are all different. We all have strengths and weaknesses in different areas. We also have different speeds at which we complete assignments. I try to help my students by assigning practice work in areas that they really need to work on, even if it is different from the rest of the class.
Do you have any advice for your students?
Here are some sayings that I sometimes use to help students focus on
success:
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If you don't have time to do it right, you must
have time to do it over!
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Some people find an excuse, others find a
way.
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You have to do math to know math.
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Don't leave blanks. I will at least know what
you were thinking, and we can build from there!
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The answer is in the evidence, so the evidence
should be in your answer!
How can parents help support their
child in math?
Parents, you can support your child's efforts by:
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providing encouragement
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checking their homework log, especially early in the
year, as (s)he develops a routine
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providing the time, tools, and location (a quiet
place with good lighting
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providing help (positive, without
making it YOUR homework!)
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making sure that your child is organized and prepared
for the next day of class
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making sure that your child has
packed his/her bookbag
before
going to bed
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letting me know if there are
homework concerns
More Parent Tips..
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