CLASS SYLLABUS


Dear Families:

I would like to extend a sincere welcome to you and your child to my class. I am committed to ensuring that your child's math experience is enjoyable and promotes a firm understanding of mathematics. The following information will help clarify my expectations and assist in my working with you to help support your child's success. Please sign the attachment and return it with your child to school tomorrow, so that I know you have had a chance to read this syllabus.

COURSE OVERVIEW
Eighth Grade Mathematics is a full year course focused on expanding knowledge, understanding, and application of numbers, computation, estimation, measurement, probability, geometry, and algebra. We will mainly be working from the Connected Mathematics Project (CMP) curriculum, whose primary goal is for students to make sense of the math we are studying. In addition, I supplement the curriculum with plenty of practice so that students fully understand the key skills and concepts.

MATERIALS
Each student will need to have a section in their binder for math. This section will hold assignments, class notes, graded work, and each CMP text booklet. In addition, students are expected to arrive to class everyday with the following materials:
  • School planner
  • Plenty of lined paper
  • Pencils and erasers (kept in a pencil pouch)
  • A basic calculator (nothing fancy is necessary, but it should have a square root √ button)
    Please let me know if you have any problem obtaining these materials!

    GRADING POLICY
    The following scale will determine letter grades:
    A ≥ 90%, B ≥ 80%, C ≥ 70%, D ≥ 60%, below 60% is an E.
    Because of the amount of work in math class, grades can change rapidly so please check The Source often (I update it daily)!

    Math grades will be weighted based on the following scores:

    Assessments (50% of grade)
    I give quizzes about every two weeks, usually announced ahead of time. Tests will be given at the end of each unit, always announced ahead of time. I will post these dates online as well.
    For students who wish to improve their quiz scores, I offer the option of a revision. Students may earn back half of all the points they missed by identifying and correcting their mistakes on a separate sheet of paper, and then attaching it to the original quiz. Doing quiz revisions can make a big difference in your child’s grade as well as their understanding! The revision option is also available for tests, but students can only earn up to 70%.

    Daily Work (30% of grade)
    Daily work consists of classwork and homework. Homework is essential in understanding and improving math skills. It offers students a chance to practice and apply the concepts we learn in class. You can expect your child to have about 15 to 30 minutes of math homework each night. We will record homework assignments in our planner everyday, but I will also post them online.
    I accept late work until the end of the current unit, however students will receive only half of the credit they would have earned had the assignment been turned in on time. After we finish the unit, late work will not be accepted for academic credit. In the case of an excused absence, students will receive a two-day extension. If you believe that your child needs an accommodation or exception for a particular assignment, please let me know by either contacting me directly or sending a note with your child to school.

    Responsible Scholarship (10% of grade)
    I expect all students to demonstrate responsible scholarship in class at all times. This includes things like: being on time, bringing all necessary materials, respecting the classroom environment, working well with others during group activities, etc. These are habits that all students must have in order to succeed!

    Participation (10% of grade)
    A lot of learning will take place during class discussions and summaries. It is important that your child is following along and participating. To ensure that everyone gets an equal opportunity to participate, students will be called on at random.


    MY MATH HOMEPAGE
    Please bookmark my website on your computer at home! It has a variety of resources specifically designed to help you keep up with what we do in math class! On my website, you will find:
  • Worksheets and handouts that can be downloaded and printed out.
  • A daily summary of what we learned in class and any notes that we took.
  • A curriculum map, listing the specific concepts I plan to teach this year and when.
  • Many online help resources (some designed by me) that will give you step-by-step help on the math that we do in class.

    CONTACTING ME
    I can be reached by calling Eckstein Middle School at 252-5010, but the best way to reach me is by emailing rmohashi@seattleschools.org. I check this account often! Please feel free to contact me with any concerns you may have regarding your child or to just check in on his/her progress.

    I am looking forward to working with you and your child this year! Thank you in advance for all of your support!

    Sincerely,
    Ricky Ohashi



    • MATH CLASS EXPECTATIONS

    STARTING CLASS
    Be in your assigned seat before class starts
    Have needed materials out and ready before class starts
    Do your best to answer the Problem of the Day

    DURING THE LESSON
    Stay actively engaged and ready to participate
    Raise your hand to talk or ask a question
    Be respectful of the person speaking and the people listening
    Stay in your assigned seat

    DURING WORK TIME
    Use your math time constructively
    Don't be afraid to ask for help
    You have the right to ask for help from anyone in your group
    You have the responsible for helping anyone in your group who asks
    Keep the noise at a reasonable level
    Stay in your assigned seat

    DURING TESTS AND QUIZZES
    Work quietly until everyone is done
    Keep your eyes on your own paper
    If you have a question about the test/quiz, raise your hand to ask the teacher only
    Stay in your assigned seat

    ENDING CLASS
    Return all class materials
    Wait to be excused
    Push in your chair



    RESPONSIBLE SCHOLARSHIP

    You start with 2 responsible scholarship points everyday.
    This means 10 points per week!
    However, you lose points for not following the class expectations.

    Some common ways students lose their responsible scholarship points:
    Being tardy (–2 points)
    Not coming to class with necessary materials (–1 point)
    Needing a hallpass during class because you didn’t plan ahead (–2 points)
    Misbehavior in class (–1 point)
    Being a negative influence in your group (varies)



    PARTICIPATION

    During class, names will be called on randomly
    Each response will be scored on the following scale:
    4 points - Answered the question correctly with little or no help from teacher
    3 points - Needed significant help/guidance from teacher to answer
    0 points - No effort given to answer

    Every two weeks, your participation points will be scaled out of 10 and recorded.



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