Class Policies
Cell Phones:
Technology is awesome. It should make our lives easier, and often does. Unfortunately, it has gotten to the point where it serves as a major distraction. For that reason I am limiting device usage in my class, and yes this includes laptops. The policy is that unless I have specifically told you to have your devices out for some educational purpose (answering a Google Form, looking at something on my website, reading an article, etc) your device is not to be out, this includes after tests. On test days, phones will be placed in a secure spot until everyone is finished with their test.
Very rarely will I be lecturing where you will need to take notes. If/when these instances occur, please see the last paragraph of the Extra Credit section about taking notes by hand versus digitally.
If for some reason you "need" to check for something on your phone that is required for this class, you need to check with me first.
Technology is awesome. It should make our lives easier, and often does. Unfortunately, it has gotten to the point where it serves as a major distraction. For that reason I am limiting device usage in my class, and yes this includes laptops. The policy is that unless I have specifically told you to have your devices out for some educational purpose (answering a Google Form, looking at something on my website, reading an article, etc) your device is not to be out, this includes after tests. On test days, phones will be placed in a secure spot until everyone is finished with their test.
Very rarely will I be lecturing where you will need to take notes. If/when these instances occur, please see the last paragraph of the Extra Credit section about taking notes by hand versus digitally.
If for some reason you "need" to check for something on your phone that is required for this class, you need to check with me first.
Extra Credit:
I don't offer extra credit often, so when I do, please take advantage of it. Extra credit will be an extra grade put in, it will NOT replace a low grade. Sometimes these extra credit opportunities will be daily, some will be major, it simply depends on what is expected.
On all tests you will have an opportunity for up to 10 points. To get these points you will need to turn in hand written notes over that unit's textbook chapters. Each chapter will be worth 5 points, although it is HIGHLY recommended that you take notes over whatever you are reading or viewing to better understand the material. Your notes should be in outline, or Cornell format, at least a page and half. (The page and a half is for normal handwriting with no spaces, please don't try to write large, or add extra, unnecessary spaces to get the proper length; I've been doing this long enough, so I'm aware of the tricks. This is my discretion, so trying to pull one over on me will earn you no points.)
Recent studies have shown that hand writing notes is superior to typed notes. Here is one article about a study; and here is another article about the same study. But however you decide to take notes, you should be working with the material, not simply copying the notes and never looking at them again.
I don't offer extra credit often, so when I do, please take advantage of it. Extra credit will be an extra grade put in, it will NOT replace a low grade. Sometimes these extra credit opportunities will be daily, some will be major, it simply depends on what is expected.
On all tests you will have an opportunity for up to 10 points. To get these points you will need to turn in hand written notes over that unit's textbook chapters. Each chapter will be worth 5 points, although it is HIGHLY recommended that you take notes over whatever you are reading or viewing to better understand the material. Your notes should be in outline, or Cornell format, at least a page and half. (The page and a half is for normal handwriting with no spaces, please don't try to write large, or add extra, unnecessary spaces to get the proper length; I've been doing this long enough, so I'm aware of the tricks. This is my discretion, so trying to pull one over on me will earn you no points.)
Recent studies have shown that hand writing notes is superior to typed notes. Here is one article about a study; and here is another article about the same study. But however you decide to take notes, you should be working with the material, not simply copying the notes and never looking at them again.
Retesting:
If you score lower than a 75 on a test, you have the option to retest, and if you score lower than a 70 I expect you to take this opportunity. Before you can retest you must first come in for at least 1 tutorial session so that reteaching can occur. Because of the pace of courses, especially in AP courses, you have 5 school days after I have posted the original grade to get both reteaching and retesting done.
The Reteaching/Retesting process is as follows
Day 1) Come in for a 30min reteaching session, the day after grades are posted, to work on your essential questions
Days 2-3) Finish the reteaching questions on your own in the next 2 days
Day 4) Bring the finished questions in for me to check off and initial
Day 5) Take the retest
You may condense this slightly (finishing the questions on the first day, I check off the next and retest on the third), but 5 days is the maximum cutoff.
If you score lower than a 75 on a test, you have the option to retest, and if you score lower than a 70 I expect you to take this opportunity. Before you can retest you must first come in for at least 1 tutorial session so that reteaching can occur. Because of the pace of courses, especially in AP courses, you have 5 school days after I have posted the original grade to get both reteaching and retesting done.
The Reteaching/Retesting process is as follows
Day 1) Come in for a 30min reteaching session, the day after grades are posted, to work on your essential questions
Days 2-3) Finish the reteaching questions on your own in the next 2 days
Day 4) Bring the finished questions in for me to check off and initial
Day 5) Take the retest
You may condense this slightly (finishing the questions on the first day, I check off the next and retest on the third), but 5 days is the maximum cutoff.
Tutorials:
There is ample time to come in for extra help as needed, but if for some reason you need to see me outside of these times, you'll need to make an appointment with me either in person or over email. Understand that just because you request an appointment does not guarantee that I will be able to meet with you at that exact time. Life happens. |
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