Welcome to Algebra I

**Please take one handout per student

Mrs. Leah Wood

Things to make note of…• Infinite Campus

– All students have a login username and password; you can get this information from the office.

• Remind 101– A way to receive updates/information from me through text messages; information

on how to sign up are just outside my door.

• Class Dojo– A website designed to keep track of student behavior and progress in the classroom;

all students and parents will receive a username and password for their account

• Teacher Website– My website has important links for students and parents, updates and

announcements, and is also where students will access many of their assignments for class; a QR code is located just outside my door to quickly access my site.

• Supply list– Copies of the supply list are located in a pocket outside the classroom: binder, paper,

calculator, highlighters, 3x5 note cards, etc.

CalculatorsWe prefer graphing calculators; however, a

scientific TI-30 calculator will get a student through their freshman year.

Please do not get either of the following:

New This Year…

• “Flipped” classroom– BYOT– FAQ’s

• Standards based grading

“Flipped” Classroom• The Basics– Students watch videos of the lessons within the unit and take

notes using proper note-taking skills and will write valid in-depth questions they have over the content to discuss with the teacher• Students who are slow learners are able to move at their own pace, get the

attention they need, have one-on-one conversations with the teacher, and master the material rather than being left behind

• Students who are faster learners are able to move at a quicker pace, get the attention when they need it, and work on more enhancing activities to solidify their knowledge of the content they have mastered

– All students will have required work to complete and assessments to take over the material within each unit to determine mastery• Those who do not meet mastery will have further work to do over that given

concept and will continue to work to improve their understanding

BYOT• With this new designed classroom, students will

need the appropriate technology to watch videos and work on problems throughout the year; therefore, for my classroom, I have implemented the “Bring Your Own Technology” rule.– Students are allowed to bring and use things like

iPhones, iPods, iPads, laptops, other smart phones, and/or anything with wifi capability where they can read and play videos using headphones.

FAQ’s on the “flipped” classroom1. Sounds like my child will be teaching themselves rather than receiving

instruction from the teacher; how will this help? What is your role as the teacher now?

– The students will be taking notes just as they would if I were the one delivering the material; however, they are able to pause, replay, and fast-forward to best suit their learning needs and speed. Therefore, students are able to take notes and understand them at a pace suitable to them.• In a traditional classroom, faster students were held back and slower students

were left behind during note-taking and discussion.

– As the teacher, I will be present to work problems, assist them with misconceptions, give them support, and work with them one-on-one or in small groups to better understand each concept.• In a traditional classroom, a teacher spends more time talking at the students

rather than with the students. With this new model, I will be spending more time working with the students and giving them more direct attention. I will now be making my way around the room and helping students through their problems and developing a deeper understanding of the concepts.

2. My child does not have technology to bring to class for this or I will not allow my child to bring their technology to school, how will you accommodate for my child?– Within my classroom I will have other means for a student to view

videos and work on assigned problems. I will do everything to accommodate a student who does not have access to the needed technology.

3. Does this work on all operating systems?– Everything I have researched does work on all operating systems with

video viewing capabilities. Most videos we watch will not require “Flash” and therefore do work on Apple products.

4. Will my child be able to get on the wifi or will it use their data minutes?– Many students already know the wifi password and are connected;

however, for those who do not have it, I can set up their device to the high school’s wifi.

Standards Based Grading (SBG)• This is generally what you see in elementary classrooms where students

get check marks for mastering a concept (i.e. counting to 10, etc.); however, in high school, we must still have grades and percentages in order to calculator GPA’s and accommodate for colleges.– When students take an assessment, it is graded; however, it does not receive a

percentage grade that is typically entered into the computer. These grades tell the student at what level they understand the content or learning target.

– If a student does not master the learning target on the first go-around, they will be able to redo that learning target and prove mastery at a later time; after reviewing and reworking problems on that concept.

• SBG is designed to allow teachers, students, and parents to see exactly what a student knows and how well they know it.– In a traditional grading system, students get a grade but have no real concept of

what they can and cannot do. This grade goes into the computer and everyone moves on.

– SBG tracks a student’s progress and allows them time to redo, relearn, reassess and master a skill; rather than just getting a grade.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to stay

and discuss them with me, email me, or call the school once we resume for

the 2013-2014 school year.

Thank you for your time and attention and I look forward to a wonderful, challenging, and rewarding year!!