FAQs
Everything you want to know but are afraid to ask ... here it is ... but don't be afraid to ask if "it" isn't here!
When can I get help?
I am usually here after school until at least 4:00 every day -- often later. I arrive by 7:50 a.m. I also have my lunch period. Any time you want to come in and be guaranteed that you will get help, you should make an appointment. That way, I can set aside a time when there won't be meetings or other students. You will get the attention you need and deserve.
My grade is INC -- what does that mean?
An INC grade means that you did not do a project or that you did it and received less than a passing grade. It will stay on your grade until you do something about it.
How do I get rid of an INC?
If you didn't do the project ... do it and turn it in right away. If you did it and received INC at the top, there will be a date. If you correct and return your work by that date, you can still receive full credit. If you turn it in after that date, you will receive a 10% late deduction.
Why do you give INC instead of 0 on work?
There are many reasons, but the most important one is that you are here to learn. Allowing you to just not do assignments won't teach you anything -- except failure. When you do the assignments and get the wrong answer, having you re-do them will lock the information in your brain -- that's called learning. Is giving you many opportunities the "easy way out?" I guess you could think of it that way, but who would choose to re-do assignments over and over if they understood the material? The INC lets you know that your effort will be rewarded and that you will be able to learn the material.
What's a test pass, and how do I get one?
A test pass is a reward for work well done. Actually, if you are doing all your work well the first time, you have already been tested -- that means there's no reason to test you again. If you have struggled over parts or have not done the work, I need to see where you are -- so you need to take the test. If you have all work done on time with no INC grades, you will receive a test pass. You may use the class period of the test as a study hall. If you would like to see another teacher or go to the library, be sure to bring a pass -- I will not issue passes to leave class. Test passes may only be used on the unit in which they were earned.
What's a "mastery quiz"? Can I get out of them? Will I pass the class if I don't pass them?
A mastery quiz is information you must know to pass government. With such a short class, I won't waste your time with unimportant things. However, there is some information that is the most important. For example, it will always be important for you to be aware of your rights in order to protect yourself. The information that everyone MUST KNOW is in mastery quizzes. You may take them as many times as you like. I will give them a couple of times in class, and then you will be on your own to retake them outside of class time. No, you cannot get out of them. If you fail them or don't do them, you will not pass the class -- they are entered as INC grades. To put your mind at ease -- no student has ever failed the class over master quizzes. Students who don't complete the mastery quizzes usually have other reasons they have INC grades. My best advice -- study them as they come up, pass them, and get them behind you.
Why do we have to do community service?
This is a project that goes along with our study of Civic Virtue. We live in a society with a government that is far too big and way too impersonal to meet the needs of everyone. Because we live in a republic, civic virtue is required. Civic virtue is the way citizens provide for the needs of one another. It is the way we insure that the "common good" is established. Community service is probably the easiest project of the semester. You are required to do 5 hours over three months, so pick something you like.
Why don't you accept community service late? What if I'm sick?
Community service is not accepted late for any reason. Students have 3 months to complete 5 hours, so there is really no reason for it to come in late. If you tend to procrastinate (put things off), then you should be aware that your habits may cost you 10% of your grade. If you are sick or otherwise absent from school, you should get someone to deliver the work by 3:30 the day it is due. Otherwise, I will not accept the work.
How can I be sure I am in the final project? How can I be sure I don't have to take the comprehensive final exam?
That's the easiest answer of all -- keep your grade clear of INCs. If you have INC grades when I set up groups for the final project, you will be taking the comprehensive final exam -- that's just the way it is. There are some sure-fire ways you can avoid the comprehensive final exam:
- Do all your work on time
- If you do get an INC on work that was done on time, clear it by the new date due
- Re-take mastery quizzes early and often -- even if they are not being given in class
What are all the puzzles about?
The BRAIN!!! Your brain is a complex organ. Everyone has one, and they all operate slightly differently. There are some things scientists know about the brain, though. One is that exercise enhances brain activity. How do you exercise your brain? By solving problems. Brain researchers have actually discovered that students who solve puzzles while a lesson is being learned actually remember better. It has something to do with pathways through the brain. As you solve a puzzle, your brain develops electronic pathways so you can remember what you did. If new information is entering at the same time, it gets tied to those pathways -- helping you to remember it, too. This works for MOST students, but not everyone. If you (or I) notice that you are too absorbed in the puzzle to pay attention to class, you should set it aside. It's all part of training your brain. By the way -- this is why inquiry lessons work -- you know -- those lessons where the teacher gives you a problem with no specific instructions on how to solve it ... yeah ... brain work!
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