Grading is used as a communication tool from teachers to students, schools to parents, and schools to schools. There are many ways to do this - like marking if a student is proficient in a concept or standard. Luckily, math is many times black and white. Can you figure this out? Did you get the right answer? Most people grew up or understand a number system. For this reason, we will be using letter grades to communicate learning.

Scale:

Weighted Grades:

• Homework = 40%
• Tests = 60%

Homework is meant to be practice. I will do my best not to give busy work, but you can't learn many things without practicing them. Tests are indicators that you understand the concepts on your own. I cannot go to college with you and I need to know that you can do it without my help. For this reason, tests will be worth more than homework. However, don't expect your test scores to be good if you choose not to practice.

Late Work:

Late work will be accepted up to 5 days after the due date. Homework is graded for learning a skill; however, it also needs to have some responsibility attached to it. For this reason, each day an assignment is late, 10% will be deducted from the total points on that particular item. No late work will be accepted after a test is taken for that unit. It defeats the purpose of practicing for a goal.

Absences:

For each day you are absence you will get one "free" day to turn in any work that was due. It is your responsibility to find out what the homework was, get any extra copies, and hand it in to me on time. I will not be hounding you for missing or late work.

Quizzes:

Quizzes are done in-class and will be counted as one homework grade. Quizzes allow me to know if students are ready to go on to the next investigation. They are not always on Friday, but sometimes the schedule makes it seem that way.

Test Retake:

A test may be retaken if you score 70% or lower. It will not be the same test you took before and it will not be worth as many points. It is unfair that students who retake a test will have extra time to study. For this reason, 80% will be the highest possible score. The test may be retaken only once.

Extra Credit:

I do not give extra credit. It inflates grades and I would like my grading to be as accurate as possible. I am grading you on what you learned and not the extra things you can do. However, I do encourage extra things and would be very proud to look at what you have done, but it won't be part of your grade.

I will accept some corrections on homework assignments. Let me know of your intentions to redo problems on an assignment that you did poorly on and I will award some points back. The assignment needs to be done before the test because it is meant for practice. Please allow me some extra time to add these points to the grade book. They take longer to grade.

Attendance/Participation:

Attendance and participation are not part of your grade. However, my class is designed so that is very beneficial for you to learn in class. Reading it from notes is not the same as hearing and seeing it done by your teacher and getting help from your peers. Participation lets you figure out if you know what you are doing. Both of these things will help you be successful in 7th Grade Math.

Powerschool:

You may check your grades and see due dates of assignments HERE.