• 1.  How can I help my son/daughter be successful in your class?  Please support my efforts as a professional teacher to help your child build character, content knowledge and discipline by supporting my classroom rules and by supporting the overall structure of my course, ie the portfolio process, testing, assignment deadlines, etc..  View my daily activities page on my website to be proactive on knowing what I have assigned, what is due and any approaching test.  
     
    2. What does "time on task" in the grade system stand for under assignments?  When I allow classtime to work on an assignment, my expectation is that the student should be focused and working towards the completion of the task.  For approximately each minute the class is given time to complete a task, while in class, they may be issued one point as a time on task grade.  Example: If it shows a point value of 20 time on task points, thus 20 minutes may have been alloted in class for the student to work directly on a particular assignment during class time.  If any point value is displayed less than the points possible than they may have not utilizied their time effectively.  
     
    3.  Why is there homework assigned in your class?  The State of Oklahoma Legislators and the Department of Education have established guidelines within the Common Core Standards, Priority Academic Study Skills and/or other curriculum standards. In order to stay on pace with those mandates, in the allotted 175 days of school, it requires a minimum amount of homework to be assigned.  Unfortunately, from that 175 days we lose additional time for student absences and students not utilizing their time effectively in the classroom…..If your son/daughter seems to have "lots" of homework the student may not be utilizing their class time effectively.  Please email me to assure your question or concern is addressed fully. 
     
    4. My child has a "blank space", the letter "M" or the letter "A" in the grade system for a particular assignment, not a zero but a "blank, M, or A" why?  Most likely, I have entered the name of the assignment into the grade system but I haven't graded it. Usually withing 48 hours a grade should appear.  It could also be your child was absent and/or turned the assignment in late, thus creating a situation where a delay has occurred on grading.  However, if a "blank space, M, or A" has been there awhile, please do not hesitate to contact me for clarification.
     
    5.  What if a "zero" (0) appears on the grade system for a particular assignment?  Check with your son or daughter on why they didn't submit the assignment for a grade.  If I have entered a "0" they have apparently failed to complete the assignment as instructed.  If their answer is unsatisfactory and/or doesn't clear the issue for you.......please send me an email with specifics and I will be more than glad to address your concerns.
     
    6.  Are extra credit points available to assit my child with increasing their grade, just in case they have falling behind,  had a run of bad luck or simply want to give some cushion to their grade?  Yes.  I constantly make available opportunities for them to earn extra credit points.  Anywhere from a simple newspaper article review involving current events to presentations to the class over major topics of historical content. I am constantly making offers. Most of the extra credit opportunities come in the form of briefings that I may request when I am discussing a topic.  An example might be a discussion about a Cabinet member during the Jefferson years, I may give the opportunity for a compare and contrast briefing of a current day Cabinet member to that of the Jefferson years. This is mostly spontaneous opportunities for a student to prep a briefing and respond a few days later.  Sometimes it could pertain to high value extra credit opportunities that require detailed research and prep......typically these types of opportunities come home with specific instructions printed out. These will vary from time assigned to due dates.   
     
    In addition, for every ten (15) consecutive daily/homework assignmets submitted at 100% during the semester, they will receive 50 extra credit points.  This can definetly add up in the grand scheme of earning points.
     
    7.  My son/daughter was absent one day and missed the lesson. What is the procedure for getting the missing assignment?     It's important that the student listen closely at the beginning of the class. I typically review what we did the day before and field questions about assigned lessons.  They can always approach me at the end of class to assure they have the lesson they missed. In addition,  I make myself available from about 7:10am -7:35am M-F (if I don't have an assigned duty) to assist students w/ their lessons. They also could view the website where I post assignments and approaching test.