Frequently Asked Questions
How can I monitor my student’s progress before they take a test or quiz?
- The “Formative Assessment” category is where the Checkpoint Quizzes are put into the grade book. These quizzes are only worth 10% of the students overall grade, but will tell you and your student if they are understanding the material being taught. If you see below an 80%, your student needs to review what they got wrong and/or get help immediately.
How is my student graded/what affects their grade? ·
- The student’s grades are divided into “Formative Assessments” and “Summative Assessments.” The “Formative Assessment” category is 20% of the student’s overall grade and made up of Checkpoint Quizzes and Assignments/Homework. The Assignments/Homework is graded on completion (not on correctness),
thus the students are given Checkpoint Quizzes to check for understanding on the homework. It is very important for the student to self monitor the Checkpoint Quizzes to determine when help is needed. The other 80% of the grade is made up of Quizzes and Tests with 50%
of the grade based on Test performance.
- The homework is out of 4 points.
~ A score of 0 means very little or none of it was completed.
~ A 2 means they have more than 1/2, but not the whole thing.
~ If you see an “M” for missing, that means they were absent the day the homework was given or collected, student needs to turn in the next day.
Can my student re-take any assessments?
- Students are able to re-take up to 1 test per trimester. In order to do so they need to do the following:
~ Have ALL assignments for the unit turned in and fully complete (IC printout needs to be attached to the re-take checklist)
~ Have ALL the problems they got incorrect on original test re-worked (on a separate sheet of paper) with a detailed written explanation of what they did wrong and how it needs to be fixed.
~ A retake form filled out and signed by a parent/guardian
~ Re-take needs to be done within 3 days of the test being returned.
~ Re-take tests can be done any morning before school or during the students lunch hour. The student needs to make arrangements to retake the test prior to taking it.
- How does my student get help?
- Every morning from 7:30 – 8:10, Mrs. Stuart is available to offer help.
- On class website (www.mrsstuart83.weebly.com) there is a link to an online tutor under "Links".
- At the end of each section of the text book (where homework problems are located) look for a “take it to the net” icon. This will give a website and codes to online quizzes. These quizzes will give your child extra practice problems with direct feedback on the correctness.
What should I be seeing at home with homework/studying?
- Every night the students have homework, they should have the answer keys pulled up online in order to be checking their work as they go. The keys can be found on the classroom website. Checking their answers ensure your student is completing the problems correctly as they work through them. This also helps to prepare for the Checkpoint Quiz. (Pre-Algebra parents you will not see homework as often, but students should still be studying every night)
-If a student fails to write their homework down in class, they may look on the class calendar on the website. (This is not to be used in replace of their planner, occasionally things change and it may not always be updated).
- Please make sure your child keeps up with their homework and is studying often, it is imperative for their success.
Why is my student struggling more in Algebra than in previous courses?
- This is a high school credit course as well as an advanced placement course for the 8th grade. For these reasons, the content will be much more difficult, the pacing will be increased to cover all material and the students will be much more responsible in being self motivated learners.
- The State/Grandville has adapted the Common Core Standards, which adjusts what is taught to the students, but also how information should be given to them.
For this reason, the shift focuses on “conceptual understanding” of the material instead of memorization of a “process.” This shift is very difficult for students, especially when they have always viewed math as a set of “rules” or “processes.” In Algebra, the students will be responsible for explaining the concepts taught (orally and written) as well as understanding mathematical connections between concepts learned. Also, the students will take more ownership of their learning by working on activities collaboratively to “discover” the math in their groups.
- In previous math courses the students used concrete numbers and operations and applied “rules” or “processes” to them. In Algebra, the students are asked to think about the reason for the rules used and apply them to abstract concepts with the use of variables.
- The assessments given will have more complex questions to check for conceptual understanding and not just rote process.
- They need to make sure they are actively engaged in the group conversations in class (take notes)…this is where the learning takes place!
-They are not actively monitoring their “Checkpoint Quiz” grades and getting help when needed.
- They are not spending enough time studying.
How can my student improve their grade?
- Make sure they are monitoring the Checkpoint Quizzes and getting help when needed.
- Make sure your student reflects on the problems they get wrong on any Checkpoint Quiz, Quiz or Test. This will be imperative to the students learning and understanding, since the material continues to build on itself.
- Make sure your student is spending an adequate amount of time studying before tests and quizzes.
- Have your students log on to the online quizzes (directions given above) in order to practice more.
- Under the course there is a link to "practice sheets" which is printable sheets with more practice problems, just look for chapter and section your child is currently working on. The answers to the problems are on the last page of each file.
- No extra credit is given at any time. Please have your student keep up with their work as we go.
*Please log on to your student’s Infinite Campus to see monitor their progress. Most importantly, make sure they are completing homework and that they are doing well on their Checkpoint Quizzes.*