Course Expectations

Algebra is a branch of pure mathematics.  In a study of elementary algebra, you will learn to work with multiple representations: symbolic (equations and expressions), visual (graphs), and tabular (x-y tables).

It is important that you are comfortable with the three various representations and their analogous forms.  It is also important that your arithmetic and reasoning skills are functioning at a high level.  Most students find Algebra 2 to be a much more technical course and, therefore, more difficult.  Paying careful attention to small details will help you.  Be prepared to challenge yourself.

You will need to discipline yourself to keep up with homework assignments, practice extra problems to ensure understanding, and advocate for yourself when you don't understand.  Much of your success in this class can be directly related to your responsibility and work ethic.

This is an Honors course.  I would invite you to consider why you are in an Honors course.  Do you like the challenge and/or pace?  Do you wish to take AP math classes?  Either way, your placement in this class should be intentional, not just because it is the next course in your high school math progression.


Supplies:
3-ring binder, loose-leaf paper (no spiral-bound notebooks), graph paper, pencils and erasers, calculator (graphing preferred)

Grades:
Your grade will consist of three weighted categories:
50% - Unit Exams
10% - Mid-unit Quizzes
20% - Homework Quizzes
5% - Preparation/Participation (This category includes the homework completion checks)
15% - Final Exam

Homework:
You will have homework most of the time.  It will rarely be a long list of problems.  If it is, it is because I want you to repetitively practice those particular problems.  It is not meant to be "busy work".

I will never collect a homework assignment.  I may check for completion on occasion.  At the beginning of most weeks, however, you will be given a homework quiz which consists of problems directly from the homework assignments.  You will be allowed to use your completed assignments to reference during these quizzes.  With this system, it is imperative that you stay caught up and get help on any and all problems that you personally have.  The homework quizzes will pertain to all homework assignments from the previous Friday - Thursday week.  Please see the calendar for these specific windows.

Homework assignments should be completed the day/night they are assigned.  Try not to rely on an unscheduled hour before your class meets.  In the event that I check (for completion) an assignment with which you had an extraordinary amount of difficulty in completing, you can fill out this form in lieu of completing the assignment.

Assessments:
Each unit will include a mid-unit quiz, and a unit exam at the end.  There will be a final exam at the end of the semester that is comprehensive for that semester's material.

Make-ups:
If you miss a homework quiz, mid-unit quiz, or unit exam it will need to be completed within one week of the original date.  Each school day that passes after that will result in a 5% reduction from the overall score.  Visit the "Resources/Useful Links" Page to schedule a make-up.

The MDTC options are:

Tuesdays after school: 2:30pm - 3:28pm     OR    Thursdays before school: 6:17am - 7:15am

Attendance/Tardies:
All district and AHS policies apply, including the rules regarding make-up work. But, in general:

• It's very important to attend class every day. There’s a high positive correlation between attendance and success in school. Obviously if you are very sick, coming to school is a bad idea but, otherwise, you should be here. If you are absent, you are expected to check online to see what you’ve missed before coming back to school (and to begin working on it). This will provide you the best opportunity to be successful.
• If at all possible, don’t be tardy. Being late under normal circumstances is disrespectful to your classmates, your teacher, and yourself, and it makes it more difficult for you to be successful in our class, so please don’t be late.

In the unlikely event that attendance or tardies become an issue, then we will have a conversation and an appropriate plan will be developed to fix the problem.


Free Passes:
At the beginning of the semester, you will be given 3 free passes that can be used

• to excuse a missed homework completion check
• to leave class (to get something from your locker, to get a drink, or to go to the bathroom)
• to enter a raffle at the end of the semester