BRIEF PHILOSOPHY for 21st CENTURY MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
Geometry is one of the best classes your son or daughter can take to prepare them for their future. This course lays the foundation for using logic, expressing reason in a practical progression, solving problems, applying critical thinking skills, translating concrete ideas into abstract representations, and gaining spatial reasoning skills while improving collaborative learning and independent learning strategies. In a nutshell, it is my goal to make your kid THINK!
CLASS STRUCTURE and EXPECTATIONS
I set up my classroom to encourage collaborative learning. Students will work in groups, so they have opportunities to learn from each other. There are several activities where I expect the students to explore, inquire, and discover geometric relationships on their own or in small groups while I facilitate and guide their learning. These opportunities for active engagement produce the best learning experience, and the students earn ownership of their understanding.
For some students, the shift from an algebra class to a geometry class can take adjusting. The comfort of learning a single skill, set of skills, or algorithm and applying those skills to several exercises has evolved into applying an array of skills, vocabulary, notation, and reasoning to several unique exercises in a logical fashion. Endurance and persistence with geometric exercises will build confidence and comfort in the subject.
I provide your student with a review handout for each unit. The review handout is a terrific guide for understanding the concepts and the skills on the test as well as the structure and complexity of the test. A student who utilizes the review handout will not face surprises when it comes to the unit test. I do not always collect and score the review handout, but I will always provide correct answers with work, opportunities for feedback, and a chance to ask questions about the handout.
For some students, the shift from an algebra class to a geometry class can take adjusting. The comfort of learning a single skill, set of skills, or algorithm and applying those skills to several exercises has evolved into applying an array of skills, vocabulary, notation, and reasoning to several unique exercises in a logical fashion. Endurance and persistence with geometric exercises will build confidence and comfort in the subject.
I provide your student with a review handout for each unit. The review handout is a terrific guide for understanding the concepts and the skills on the test as well as the structure and complexity of the test. A student who utilizes the review handout will not face surprises when it comes to the unit test. I do not always collect and score the review handout, but I will always provide correct answers with work, opportunities for feedback, and a chance to ask questions about the handout.
GRADES
Running Semester Grade:
Final Semester Grade:
- The average of formative assessment scores is twenty percent of the Geometry Honors grade. Formative assessments include homework, informal assignments, quizzes, in-class assignments, and activities.
- Following the WCHS mathematics department policy, late homework is unacceptable and results in a zero.
- The average of summative assessment scores is eighty percent of the Geometry Honors grade. Summative assessments include chapter tests, quizzes, and projects.
Final Semester Grade:
- The Final Exam given at the end of each semester is ten percent of the overall semester grade. Each semester exam is cumulative and includes material from each respective semester.
EXTRA HELP?
Looking for help? Try these strategies:
- Find a reading resource. Take a look at your notes, a friend’s notes, an online textbook, or use the internet.
- Find a different explanation with an instructional resource. Try classzone.com for supplemental materials from the textbook company, Khan Academy, learnzillion.com, wolframalpha.com, slader.com, and YouTube.
- Find an expert. Visit the Tutoring Center, Room 210, during Study Hall. If they are unable to help, ask to visit the Mathematics Laboratory.
- Email me ([email protected]). While I cannot promise a prompt response, I try to answer students' questions via email before the next class.
- Meet with me. A student may set up an appointment to talk with me.