Mr. Kline's Pre-Algebra

Homework Policy

Christopher Kline — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:02:08 +0000

Beginning with the second quarter, I will be implementing new homework policy.

I will expect students to finish homework on time. I have a large red box in the room where students can put their homework. I will add a new yellow box for late work. Homework that is late, one day, will be worth a maximum of 75%. Homework that is two days late, a maximum of 50%. Homework that is more than two days late will not receive a grade. It is helpful for a student to do all work even if it is more than two days late.

I cannot make exceptions for this (except in rare cases) for one important reason. In our high schools, most Pre-AP and AP teacher do not except any late work at all (I know because I have a daughter who has seen her grades drop from A to B or B to C because of missing homework at Central High). Our eighth grade teachers have a policy that by the end of their first semester, they will not accept late work at all. It is important that between now and then, our students begin to understand the importance of getting work in on time.

However, I am a parent too, and life is busy. Parents, if there is a good reason that a child could not finish an assignment because of conflicts outside of your child’s control, please send a note with your child to school explaining this. I will make an exception some of the time. But please help me hold your child accountable. I try not to give assignments that are too long. If your child is really struggling with a particular assignment, I am here everyday by 7:40 in the morning. If you can drop your child off early, I can work with him or her on his or her homework. But please make sure your child has something to turn in to me.

Thank you

New Quarter

Christopher Kline — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:48:53 +0000

We begin the new quarter with some good news. Our class had the highest average SOAR test scores in the building; we still need to work on some areas, but the class is doing pretty good.

Between now and the end of December Pre-Algebra will be working on Ratio’s, Proportions, Percents, and linear and non-linear Functions. This basically corresponds with parts of chapter 5 and chapters 6-8. This is a lot of material, but we will get through it.

New Unit

Christopher Kline — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:31:00 +0000

Students took a test over parts of chapter 3 on Friday. I am returning the tests today. Some of the higher scores will be posted in the hall way to show off. I am also sending a progress report home today. I will allow students to redo the test material in order to get a higher score. They must make up the test during my lunch break on B days only (starting tomorrow, Thursday.) Students can make up up to half of the points they missed on the test.

We have started chapter 4 this week, which deals with Greatest Common Factors and Least Common Multiples, but from an algebraic perspective. Students must have a sheet of prime-factorizations of the first 100 numbers in their notes.

New blog policy

Christopher Kline — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:16:48 +0000

I am trying to keep up with four blogs plus all of the work, grading, posting to Edline, meetings, planning, etc that I do every day. The class blogs are not hard to keep up with, but they do take time. I think what I will do is just focus on the Homework page and maybe only update the main page about once a week. Sorry.

Day 26, September 24, 2009

Christopher Kline — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:58:50 +0000

I decided today to spend more time on the distributive property and combining like terms. I decided not to give out homework because I did not want the students to work more problems at home until I felt they knew the material better.

Day 25, September 23, 2009

Christopher Kline — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:36:10 +0000

Students worked with the distributive property and combining like terms, key components in Algebra 1.

Homework: p 100, 101/ 2-48 even, except 10, 22, 24

Day 24, September 22, 2009

Christopher Kline — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:32:54 +0000

Today we spent some time working on practicing using the rules for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of integers.

Homework: p83/4-26 even

Day 23, September 21, 2009

Christopher Kline — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:30:53 +0000

Today we found differences (subtractions) of integers. Students need to remember that a “plus” sign does not always mean add and a “minus” sign does not always mean subtract.

Homework: pp 73-74/ 36-58 even, 62-74 even

Day 22, September 18, 2009

Christopher Kline — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:44:01 +0000

SOAR test.

Day 21, September 17, 2009

Christopher Kline — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:43:08 +0000

Today was review for the SOAR test (we went over strategies for improving scores) and went back over and corrected some errors in addition of integers.