Mrs. Serafino's Policies & Procedures
Below are the RHS and class procedures, policies and rules that will maximize your participation and success in one of my classes.
Please read through this so you are clear on your expectations and responsibilities. You are responsible for knowing these policies.
Please read through this so you are clear on your expectations and responsibilities. You are responsible for knowing these policies.
What's our Daily Routine?
1. Walk in Prepared, Be Ready to Learn: You should walk into every class having completed, checked and corrected your homework, or only have a couple questions. Take out your notebook, pencil, and homework and go over any questions from the last assignment with your classmates. If you have instructions on the board when you walk in, if so, do those. Keep going until I start class.
2. Interact with Me Frequently: Take great notes and ask/answer questions. Write what I write AND what I say. Write yourself notes on the side if it helps. I need to interact with you as frequently as possible (on paper and in person) to assess your progress. Raise your hand, ask questions, answer questions, propose a different method, challenge my method, etc. The more you and I dialogue, the better. I need to hear from everyone at least once during class.
3. Make Good Decisions that Help YOU: Focus and engage while I’m teaching. Make connections between current and past topics. Eliminate distractions. Don’t talk to your neighbor. Unless I tell you to have your phone out for an activity or to look things up, you will not have your phone out. To avoid distraction, you’re welcome to drop your phone off in Cell Phone Day Care. If your grade drops below an 80%, you will be required to put your phone there, daily, until your average goes back up.
4. Use Each Other: We have a lot to get done and we’re in this together. If you do your work and help others in and out of class, we can get there faster, more efficiently and with more ease and fun. If I give you 10 minutes at the end of class to start homework, it’s because I really want you to work together to start the homework.
2. Interact with Me Frequently: Take great notes and ask/answer questions. Write what I write AND what I say. Write yourself notes on the side if it helps. I need to interact with you as frequently as possible (on paper and in person) to assess your progress. Raise your hand, ask questions, answer questions, propose a different method, challenge my method, etc. The more you and I dialogue, the better. I need to hear from everyone at least once during class.
3. Make Good Decisions that Help YOU: Focus and engage while I’m teaching. Make connections between current and past topics. Eliminate distractions. Don’t talk to your neighbor. Unless I tell you to have your phone out for an activity or to look things up, you will not have your phone out. To avoid distraction, you’re welcome to drop your phone off in Cell Phone Day Care. If your grade drops below an 80%, you will be required to put your phone there, daily, until your average goes back up.
4. Use Each Other: We have a lot to get done and we’re in this together. If you do your work and help others in and out of class, we can get there faster, more efficiently and with more ease and fun. If I give you 10 minutes at the end of class to start homework, it’s because I really want you to work together to start the homework.
"Chase The Click"...
Scary news: This will be a new type of math for you. You’ll be doing things with numbers and thinking about them in ways you’ve never done before. Some of these new concepts may be easy and just make sense. Some may be difficult to understand at first. It’s okay. Fail fast and keep trying. Don’t give up until you get it – MAKE IT “CLICK”.
Old news: You really WILL need the math skills you learned before this class. It wasn’t a lie. And everything we learn you will need to use all year. I will do my best to refresh or reteach you wherever clarification is needed, but it is your responsibility to strengthen those skills if they are weak. When you do, the new things will become much, much easier.
Good news: I don’t know you yet. I don’t know your past struggles, triumphs, or habits. Or maybe I do know you, but we’ve all grown up a little in the summer so you have a fresh start this year. This is your chance to ask all the questions you need to understand everything you never did, and to learn new, easier ways of doing things that work for you. You also have more resources and teaching tools available to you than any math student in history. The only thing standing between you and the grade you want is you (and a good internet search)
Old news: You really WILL need the math skills you learned before this class. It wasn’t a lie. And everything we learn you will need to use all year. I will do my best to refresh or reteach you wherever clarification is needed, but it is your responsibility to strengthen those skills if they are weak. When you do, the new things will become much, much easier.
Good news: I don’t know you yet. I don’t know your past struggles, triumphs, or habits. Or maybe I do know you, but we’ve all grown up a little in the summer so you have a fresh start this year. This is your chance to ask all the questions you need to understand everything you never did, and to learn new, easier ways of doing things that work for you. You also have more resources and teaching tools available to you than any math student in history. The only thing standing between you and the grade you want is you (and a good internet search)
You are on your honor. If you are dishonest in representing YOUR OWN work and abilities in any way, you get a 0% for the assignment and the consequences listed in the handout.
If you are caught looking at another sheet of paper, even innocently, I will say “giraffe” outloud. That means I saw you, and cut it out.
If you leave any question blank, I take off the full points for that problem, plus one additional point for not trying. Do your best. Something is better than nothing. Show me what you know.
If you put a question mark next to an answer, I take off ½ a point. Be confident. I will know if you don’t’ know what you’re doing. Don’t advertise that you’re unprepared.
If you are caught looking at another sheet of paper, even innocently, I will say “giraffe” outloud. That means I saw you, and cut it out.
If you leave any question blank, I take off the full points for that problem, plus one additional point for not trying. Do your best. Something is better than nothing. Show me what you know.
If you put a question mark next to an answer, I take off ½ a point. Be confident. I will know if you don’t’ know what you’re doing. Don’t advertise that you’re unprepared.
Homework...
It’s Important: if you do all of it, you will do very well. When you walk into class the next day, I expect that you completed and understood the material covered in the lesson and homework.
Collected(ish): I don’t check homework every day, as it is your job to do it whether I check it or not. I will know from your questions and answers in class, your skills checks grades, and from walking around if you’ve done it. I WILL collect homework whenever I like to check various things. If you have below an 80%, I will ask that you text me a picture of the homework by midnight the night before it is due.
How to do it: Discipline yourself. Carve out time and space your phone away, sit in a productive space (desk/table), get a cold or hot drink. Do a problem, check the answer, fix the mistake, continue.
Answer Keys Provided: Every homework I give you, I will post the answer key online. You area always responsible for knowing your level of mastery and what areas you need to work on.
Struggle on HW = Less struggle later : If you get stuck on a problem and can’t figure it out after going through the book, that’s EXACTLY what should happen. That means you’re about to grow and develop your skill set. Look at the notes or book, ask a friend or go online to try and figure it out. If you’re still stuck, take a picture of your work and shoot me an email.
Collected(ish): I don’t check homework every day, as it is your job to do it whether I check it or not. I will know from your questions and answers in class, your skills checks grades, and from walking around if you’ve done it. I WILL collect homework whenever I like to check various things. If you have below an 80%, I will ask that you text me a picture of the homework by midnight the night before it is due.
How to do it: Discipline yourself. Carve out time and space your phone away, sit in a productive space (desk/table), get a cold or hot drink. Do a problem, check the answer, fix the mistake, continue.
Answer Keys Provided: Every homework I give you, I will post the answer key online. You area always responsible for knowing your level of mastery and what areas you need to work on.
Struggle on HW = Less struggle later : If you get stuck on a problem and can’t figure it out after going through the book, that’s EXACTLY what should happen. That means you’re about to grow and develop your skill set. Look at the notes or book, ask a friend or go online to try and figure it out. If you’re still stuck, take a picture of your work and shoot me an email.
Attendance, Tardies & Absences...
1-9 Minutes Tardy = 1 Tardy >10 Minutes Tardy = 1 Partial Absence = 1 Absence
4 Tardies = 1 Absence 12 Absences = Credit Lost for Course
We have a boat load of material get though. Sometimes, we only have one day for a topic. If you miss it, may miss important info. It’s ALL available on numerous resources; some resources are so good it’s as if you’re in a personal class or tutoring session. You are responsible for catching up on any material you missed while absent, either with or without my instruction. I will have all handouts/homework available on my website. Everything we do is taught in detail, in the book. You also should use YouTube or Google, your friends, etc. In this day and age, you have enough resources to teach you the topic you missed well enough to do the homework and be right on track when you return. As always, I will answer any questions and help you catch up. Try to check in with me the ASAP to ensure you’re caught up.
1. Tough it out if you can. Try not to be absent if possible (vomit, blood, and contagious viruses are excellent reasons to miss school).
2. Email me that day! Reach out by email the day you are absent. (I worry about you!) I can send you work or videos directly and let you know what we’ve done, as well as make arrangements for you to catch up.
3. Sick Face Time?. I have taught students who were sick, in bed, and still wanted to see the class so they didn’t fall behind. We Skyped them in class and propped them up on a desk. I’m open to it if you are.
4. Missed Work: Will automatically go in as a 0% until you make it up. As per RHS policy, you have as many days as you were absent to make up missed assessments. If this is a concern with your particular circumstance, please come see me.
4 Tardies = 1 Absence 12 Absences = Credit Lost for Course
We have a boat load of material get though. Sometimes, we only have one day for a topic. If you miss it, may miss important info. It’s ALL available on numerous resources; some resources are so good it’s as if you’re in a personal class or tutoring session. You are responsible for catching up on any material you missed while absent, either with or without my instruction. I will have all handouts/homework available on my website. Everything we do is taught in detail, in the book. You also should use YouTube or Google, your friends, etc. In this day and age, you have enough resources to teach you the topic you missed well enough to do the homework and be right on track when you return. As always, I will answer any questions and help you catch up. Try to check in with me the ASAP to ensure you’re caught up.
1. Tough it out if you can. Try not to be absent if possible (vomit, blood, and contagious viruses are excellent reasons to miss school).
2. Email me that day! Reach out by email the day you are absent. (I worry about you!) I can send you work or videos directly and let you know what we’ve done, as well as make arrangements for you to catch up.
3. Sick Face Time?. I have taught students who were sick, in bed, and still wanted to see the class so they didn’t fall behind. We Skyped them in class and propped them up on a desk. I’m open to it if you are.
4. Missed Work: Will automatically go in as a 0% until you make it up. As per RHS policy, you have as many days as you were absent to make up missed assessments. If this is a concern with your particular circumstance, please come see me.
What you can expect from me...
When you walk into my classroom, here is what you can count on me for:
- To be honest with you
- To always do my best when teaching
- To make lessons as engaging and meaningful as possible
- To make your growth and success my priority
- To show you the simplest and quickest way to do anything
- To keep our appointments
- To go directly to you first to resolve any concerns
- To forgive you and give you a clean slate the next time I see you
- To remember it isn't easy being a teenager or in high school
- To listen without judgement if you want to talk about anything
- To see the best in you in you each and every day