Frequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to common questions
of students and parents.
- How are my grades determined?
- Do you give makeup work?
- Do you give extra credit?
- What is the meaning of Life?
- Where did I put my keys?
- Is this for a grade?
- Can we do something that isn't so boring?
- What is the answer?
- Can I go to the bathroom?
- Can I ask you a question?
- What are we going to read?
- Will there be any more questions in this FAQ section?
- Wait--what if I need an answer to a question that is not published here?
- Are you sure you don't know where my car keys are?
- Are you bald?
- I thought you said that the website would not hold anymore questions.
- Who are those scruffy looking guys on the FAQ icon?
- Why do you like Batman so much?
- One more question--How come you gave me a 'D' and you gave him an 'A'?
How are my grades determined?
Your grades are weighted in the following way:
10% Homework
20% Classwork
20% Projects
50% Assessment
Outside reading assignments are weighted as asessments, so you can see that
they are a large portion of your grade. Take them seriously. Turning your
homework in on time can also be a deciding factor in your grades. I will do a
random book check as a part of the classwork grade. It is an easy way to make
a 100 just by bringing your book to class.
Your semester exams are 15% of your semester averages. They can
have a significant impact on your overall grade average. Please take them
seriously!
IMPORTANT UPDATE: TCAP tests will now count for 15% of your final grade,
starting in 2011-2012 school year.
Do you give makeup work?
There are two answers to this question, because students usually
have two reasons for asking it.
If you have an excused absence, you may make up the work you
missed with no deduction in grade. If you have an unexcused
absence, depending on the circumstances I will often allow you to make up work
with a deduction in full credit. Please understand, though, that this is at my
discretion.
If you fail to turn in an assignment due to negligence on your
part, however, I do not give assignments for you to do in place
of the one that everyone else has done. If you come to the end of the nine
weeks and you have not kept up with turning in
assignments, I do not give assignments for you to do at the last minute. I
give everyone plenty of opportunities to succeed with excellent grades
throughout the quarter.
One of the features of the MCS discipline policy that I really like is the
idea of giving students the opportunity to do quality work, no matter how long
it takes. In other words, a failing grade on an assignment is not necessarily
the final grade a student will receive. I look forward to incorporating this
concept into my teaching.
The school policy on late work is that after an assignment is
due, the first day that it is late 10% is deducted from the grade, the second
day late 20% is deducted, and the third day 30% is deducted. What I prefer to
do is give students three days or more to get assignments done, that way they
have three
opportunities to make a hundred, rather than three chances to get lower
grades. I want students to have more opportunities to get full credit rather
than giving them extended opportunities to fail.
Do you give extra credit?
Occasionally I will come across a neat idea for students to earn
credit for work in addition to assigned classwork.
For instance, one year I kept a running file of mistakes students caught in
the newspaper, like spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors. I added a few
points to a student's test grade or classwork grade for any of these that they
bring in.
I occasionally give special homework assignments and reward the
first person to bring the correct answer.
PLEASE NOTE: EXTRA CREDIT WORK DOES NOT REPLACE REGULAR ASSIGNMENTS!
What is the meaning of Life?
This is a tough one. This is a question that has been asked by
man for centuries. It is asked along with other questions such
as, "Why are we here?" and "Is there life after death, and if so, where can
you get a good steak?" and "Where did I put my keys?" In the search for these
answers I hope you come up with satisfying conclusions that don't require you
to shave your head or sell all of your furniture. If you do sell all of your
furniture I hope your keys are not in the sofa cushions.
Where did I put my keys?
Check between the sofa cushions.
Is this for a grade?
I assess every single thing a student does in class. Many times students will
ask this question because they want to determine if they want to participate
in class or not. While everything we do in class may not be put down in the
grade book, I often use the attitude of students and their willing
participation to determine if extended practice (that's teacher-talk for
homework) is required. But everything I assign is important, so it ends up in
the gradebook one way or the other.
Can we do something that isn't so boring?
NO! Unfortunately, everything we do in life is not as exciting as students
think playing a video game is, or listening to music or watching a movie.
There are just some things that have to be done and they are
BORING! Some examples are taking out the garbage, lawnwork,
grading student essays, waiting at the doctor's office, grading
more student essays. If everything were a video game or
"just kickin' it" with our friends, all our thumbs would be huge and our
brains would be empty. It's better that things are a little tedious sometime
so that we learn to do the things we have to do when they need doing. Plus, it
makes the video game seem so much more exciting. Especially compared to
student essays.
What is the answer?
42. Trust me. I did the math.
Seriously, do not expect an answer every time you ask me this.
You will hear me say this in class: "I know everything."
What I mean by this is that I know everything you need to know.
Sometimes I am a better teacher when I let you get the answer on
your own (with my help of course). Sometimes in Language Arts
it's not so much that we get the right answer but that we learn
how to think and talk and share ideas.
Can I go to the bathroom?
Of course you can. Just not during my class period. Most students have to pass
a bathroom or two on the way to my room. Plan ahead. Make that extra stop so
that you can enjoy every moment of exciting learning in Mr. Hugueley's class.
Besides, there will be a planned time to take care of these things. Only in an
emergency will you be let out of classtime to go to the bathroom. School
policy is that no students be allowed to go to the bathroom the first and last
ten minutes of class.
Can I ask you a question?
You just did: that's a question. Yes, you can ask me any
question. ANY QUESTION! There are some questions I will not be
able to discuss in class for various reasons, but you can always
talk to me or send me an e-mail. I know everything. (see above)
People say that you can't talk about certain subjects in class,
like religion or sex. I will hold any conversation in class that
is appropriate for the needs of that class, not for the purpose
of telling you what to believe, but for the purpose of helping
you become a better person. And I will never lie to you. Ever.
What are we going to read?
My classroom will follow the curriculum guide found on the MCS
website. In addition to the material the Board wants me to cover
I usually teach Shakespeare's "Sonnet 29",
"Oranges" by Gary Soto, one of the Chronicles of
Narnia, a short story or two and a poem or two that I wrote
myself, along with the requested two books a month. And yes, I
expect you to read two books a month. If you are in honors
English expect to study Shakepseare's "Macbeth."
"What if I am not a good reader?" you may ask. Well, one way to become a
better reader is to read a little every day.
Just like athletes train a little every day, good students read a little every
day. One of the best ways to increase reading skills is to read the newspaper
everyday, and not just the comics and the sports page.
Will there be any more questions in this FAQ section?
No. This is all the website will hold.
Thank you and goodnight.
Wait--what if I need an answer to a question that is not published here?
E-mail me from the link on the homepage. Call me on the numbers
listed on the Teacher information page. Write me a letter and
mail it to the school. Send up a smoke signal on the distant
horizon. Use mental telepathy to beam me a thought message.
Are you sure you don't know where my car keys are?
Please. I have enough trouble keeping up with my own stuff.
Are you bald?
No, my part just covers my whole head.
I thought you said that the website would not hold anymore questions.
I did. Even I can be wrong sometimes. And by the way, that is not
a question.
Who are those scruffy looking guys on the FAQ icon?
That is the greatest band you've never heard of, Jonah 33. I've
been following them for a few years and they have become personal friends of
mine. Yes, that is my house they are standing in. Go buy their album "Heart of
War." It'll change your life. Since that picture they went on a whirlwind tour
out West and subsequently broke up. The lead singer and the drummer are still
making music. I have not heard from the others.
The other scruffy looking guys with my son and I on the other
icon are Flatfoot 56, a Celtic punk band from Chicago that I have cooked for
and moshed to. Oh, yeah, me like-a the mosh pit. Flatfoot 56 is still going
strong and are touring all over the world aND the United States.
Why do you like Batman so much?
Batman is the only major superhero who is merely a human being.
Superman is an alien, the X-Men are mutant humans, Spiderman has
the advantage of radiation, as well as the Fantastic Four and the
Hulk. Bruce Wayne's only advantage is his wealth. All of his
powers come from determination, effort and willpower. He is a
force for good transformed by overcoming pain and loss.
One more question--How come you gave me a 'D' and you gave him an 'A'?
Let me make two things very clear: one, I will never ever grade
your work by comparison to someone else's work. Your effort will
determine your grade, not anyone else's, and no one else's grade
will be affected by yours.
Two, I will not treat everyone in my classes equally--but I will
treat everyone fairly. You will hear a lot more about this in the classroom.
