This page will answer questions commonly asked by students and parents.
- Ouch- My son/ daughter has a zero! Why? May he make up the assignment?
- There's no grade for an assignment? Is that a zero?
- The assignments on the web sight are off schedule. What's going on?
- Do you collect homework? How is it checked?
- How are grades calculated?
- How does my child get to the online text resources?
Ouch- My son/ daughter has a zero! Why? May he make up the assignment?
A zero most often is not permanant. It means the student has not
handed in an assignment. Assignments are accepted late with a 15
point penalty for each day late. There is no penalty for excused absences.
If an assignment is be missed due to a sporting activity the student must tell the
teacher in advance that they will be absent.
If the student has handed in the late assignment, it could be
that I haven't graded and/or posted it yet. I do this asap, but
sometimes things do get backed up when there a lot of make-up
tests or quizzes.
There's no grade for an assignment? Is that a zero?
It is not a zero. It is probably blank because the student was
absent or I haven't finished grading it yet. It will not count against him/her grade average. If it
can be made up the student should do so as soon as possible.
Some assignments CANNOT be made up such as a pop quiz or end of
class listening quiz. Missed assignments of this type will not
count against the student's grade.
The assignments on the web sight are off schedule. What's going on?
Sometimes there are unexpected interruptions, such as fire
drills, early dismissals, etc. I update the website at least
once a week. Sometimes I move tests back because I feel the
students are not ready, or because an unexpected event delayed
the lesson.
In teaching social studies, sometimes spontaneous discussions
will occur. When there is great interest I will drop that day's
plan and seize the moment.
Example: In several classes recently we were going over the
causes of the Fall of Rome. Economic and moral causes prompted
questions/comments about today's economic and moral problems.
The moment was right. I explained economic principles such as
inflation, the fluxuating value of money itself, unemployment,
interest rates, and the government's role in all of these.
Moments like these we call "teachable moments".
Do you collect homework? How is it checked?
I would much rather students remember what they read than to
scribble ink on a paper and forget it. I check homework with
quizzes. If the student has answered questions at the end of
each section, or has taken notes on the reading, the student may
use this written information while taking the quiz. Some quizzes
are oral- I call on students for answers. Most quizzes are
short 10 to 15 question quizzes. Now and then I will assign a
homework to be written, in which case I will collect it.
If students miss a quiz now and then they do not have to make it
up unless they want to. If a student misses more than two
quizzes in a quarter, they will have to start making them up
after school or in the morning before school.
How are grades calculated?
I use total points. Quizzes and homework count 100 to 200 points
Tests and projects count 300 to 500 points. Number of points accumulated divided by the number of possible points = grade average
How does my child get to the online text resources?
type in url
enter state: Virginia from drop list
enter subject: social studies from drop list
Type in quick code GWH9815c2 (c is for chapter, 2, is chapter number.
Thus chapter 25 would be GWH9815c25
After reaching the site you can choose from quizzes, summaries, videos, games and puzzles.
"STUDY CENTRAL" has activities for each individual chapter section.
Use all these activities to help you study. Sometimes I take test questions directly from these sources.