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*Statement of Grading policy:

Dr. V. M. Smith, Office: Mathematics Department, Bldg 8 Rm 205,
Phone: (909) 869-3465, email: vmsmith@csupomona.edu URL: http://www. csupomona.edu/~vmsmith

All tests, quizzes and activities, etc. are given to help you learn the material and make positive progress on your journey as a life-long learner. Your course letter grade is determined by a holistic assessment of your individual, group and class work and your ability to use and explain the concepts covered both orally and in writing. Your performance is assessed over the entire quarter with the most weight given to your level of mastery of the material by the end of the quarter. You are responsible for all work that is assigned whether it is specifically discussed in class or whether or not you were in attendance when it was discussed. No make-up scores are recorded for any work turned in late.

Summary of Grading Policy Statement

Your course letter grade is determined by a holistic assessment of your individual, group and class work and your ability to use and explain the concepts covered both orally and in writing. Your performance is assessed over the entire quarter with the most weight given to your mastery of the material by the end of the quarter. Mastery to earn a C includes your accumulating a minimum number of percentage points on the SAQ's, Quizzes and other assessments as confirmed by your class, lab and group participation. You are accountable for all work covered whether it is specifically discussed in class or whether or not you were in attendance when it was discussed. You are responsible for knowing the criteria on which your earned letter grade is determined.

Any adventure into mathematics is challenging at times; however, it is always exciting and rewarding for those who persevere. Improvement in reading, writing and problem solving requires time and commitment; you must budget your time accordingly. You should allow for an absolute MINIMUM of three, preferably four hours concentrated out of class study for each hour we have in the classroom besides whatever additional time is needed for your computer, group, or project work.

There are one or one-half hour class assessments, usually given between weeks 4 and 8 or announced chapter exams and a two-hour final exam. All assessment in this class is comprehensive. You are to keep all aspects of your quarter's work in a Notes' Book( see separate set of instructions) including homework, lecture notes, etc. You are to use a loose-leaf notebook or other binder that you turn in on the day of the final. It is to your advantage to rewrite your notes and keep all your work organized and in chronological order. You will write evaluative statements periodically to include in your Notes' Book on what you feel you have learned or to make suggestions as to how to improve a particular lesson or the course in general. You may be asked to come in to discuss your Notes' Book and/or your overall performance in the class at any time, especially ifthere is a learning problem that shows up in your work.

Assessment credit is given in each of the following areas:

• Daily Short Answer Questions (SAQs) and Quizzes:     Daily Short Answer Questions (SAQs) and Quizzes: The SAQs are short timed exercises given in class at any time. Their primary purpose is to give me a feeling of where the level of the class is as a whole and whether we should continue with the present discussion or break to gain mastery of the foundation skills required to go on. Quizzes are given regularly and are usually announced. Your performance on these assessments helps me assess your grasp of the more important concepts covered, to make you aware of those areas in which you need more study, and to give you a chance to display and be proud of both the mastery and skill level you have attained in the class so far.

• Pattern and other problem solving assignments (PSA's):  These are critical thinking exercises that are assigned separate from the homework which can usually be solved in many different ways and may extend over several class periods before complete.

• Critiques:   You may be asked to read and critique a journal article or other written paper that is particularly pertinent to some part of the class. The number of critiques per quarter depends on the course content with the greatest number of supplementary readings assigned in the mathematics education classes.

• Class Activity and Group Tasks:   These cover both in and out of class assignments that require cooperative efforts and group planning to complete successfully.

Class Participation: Attendance is a must to receiver any passing grade in this class. Related and relevant class participation is expected for full credit.:

ab	(0)	Absent from class or activity. No make-up assignments are accepted for any reason, however if you know you will be gone you may turn work in beforehand. (You are responsible for mastering all concepts and skills covered while you are gone.)
-	(1)	Understanding as expressed needs improvement. Minimal attention or negative attitude is displayed in class or group work.
-/-	(2)	Understanding as expressed indicates the need for additional study to be able to formalize written work or to document steps taken to reach a solution; Participation in class or group work is sporadic.
/	(3)	Understanding as expressed indicates an inquiring approach to problem solving. Concepts are understood sufficiently to be able to communicate them to others both orally and in writing. Critiques fellow students' ideas in a clear and friendly manner and satisfactorily contributes to solutions of group tasks.
-/+	(4)	Understanding is obviously based on an inquiring approach and on the underlying what, why or how concepts inherent in the material covered. Is able to work and communicate the mathematics specifically covered in class or in the text, but lacks a ready ability to extend concepts to problems that do not sufficiently mimic those covered in class or in the text. Is exceptionally thoughtful of others feelings and effective in helping fellow classmates understand the material covered so they are able to solve problems on their own.
+	(5)	Solutions are distinctly communicated and articulated in mathematical terms. Is able to readily use and to generalize and expand on the relationships that hold among the various concepts covered. Readily shares thoughts with and contributes to the learning of others in both class and group work.

Other: I determine your overall course letter grade . I endorse the philosophy of, "Trial and Improve," not "Trial and Error, " and you are always invited to discuss your grade or any other matter with me at any time during the quarter. Your letter grade depends on the extent and appropriateness of your class participation, your overall mathematics performance throughout the quarter and your mastery of and skill in applying the content covered by the end of the quarter. Your final exam is only one factor in the determination of your grade. Homework scores and group work credit must positively correlate with your individual overall class performance. Your civility and contribution to the learning of others combined with a generally upward learning curve usually most evident in your Notes' Book are also factors in determining your final course letter grade.

Alternatively, your letter grade may be determined numerically by (% points earned)/(% points possible) on a 75/85/95% scale upon your written request at the end of the quarter.

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Grading Guidelines

Dear Students,

While surfing the internet, I found the following general grading guidelines in an education article on teaching and learning. Because I feel these guidelines supplement Cal Poly's guidelines, I have combined them to share them with you below. Cal Poly's catalog statement is typed in italics with the journal article's statement following offset and in plain type for each letter designation.

If you have any thoughts about either of the statements, I would be very pleased to have you write them up in a journal article or to discuss them with me personally.

A      Superior Work indicates originality and independent work and a thorough mastery of the subject matter/skill; achievement so outstanding that it is normally attained only by students doing truly exemplary work.
	Outstanding Performance: The student demonstrates solid conceptual understanding and insight. The student not only demonstrates mastery of the course content but is readily able to make precise extensions or apply knowledge to new situations. Assignments, papers, projects, and other course requirements are of excellent quality, and the student contributes substantially to class discussion. The student should do well in subsequent courses for which this course is a prerequisite.
B       Very Good Work indicates clearly better than adequate competence in the subject matter/skill; achievement of quality higher than adequate, but not of exemplary quality.
	Good Performance: The student demonstrates good understanding and mastery of course content and with persistence is able to use that he/she has learned to various problem solving situations. Assignments, papers, projects, and other course requirements are very good but not of exceptional quality. The student contributes positively to class discussion.
C      Adequate Work indicates that classroom work, outside assignments, and examinations have been completed at a level indicating adequate competence in the subject matter/skill.
	Adequate Performance The student demonstrates understanding and mastery of course content but has difficulty extending or applying the knowledge in new situations. Assignments, papers, project, and other course requirements are adequate. With continued conscientiousness, the student will likely be able to succeed in subsequent courses for which this course is a prerequisite.
D      Minimally Acceptable Work indicates achievement which meets the minimum requirements of the course, but at a level indicating less than adequate competence in the subject matter/skill.
	Minimal Performance: The student demonstrates minimal understanding and mastery of course content or has a low class participation record. It may be that some assignments, papers, projects, and other course requirements are late, are of unsatisfactory quality, or not completed. The student will likely be unsuccessful in subsequent courses for which this course is a prerequisite.
F  Unacceptable Work indicates achievement that fails to meet the minimum requirements of the course and is clearly below university quality; not a passing grade.
	Unacceptable Performance The student demonstrates unacceptable understanding and mastery of the course content or fails to complete a major part of the assignments, papers, projects, or other course requirements.

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Class Conduct and Procedures

1.) Courtesy

You are expected to give your full attention in class and to not disturb anyone else able to give their full concentration to the class.

If you need to talk to your neighbor, pass a note, work on any homework assignment or engage in any other activity that could distract you or your neighbor's attention, then we will acknowledge your activity and wait until you are through and able to join the rest of us.

If you are working on something other than what we are doing in class at the present moment, then you are compromising your ability to give full attention to this class, You will probably be asked to leave so that you cannot distract others from giving their full attention to the class and to encourage you to seek a better environs in which to continue your work. Occassionally there are times when it would be better both for you and the rest of the class if you just turned in your homework or whatever was assigned and not stay for class. If, for example, you have a critical test or a presentation to give for which you need to prepare or worse, if you are sick, then it is better not come to class but to join us latter when you are more free to give us your full attention.

2.) Group Activities and Conduct:

Group homework assignments, class activities and expected conduct will be given and explained after class is underway. You are expected to follow group conduct and procedures and to talk in low voices during group activities so as not to disturb other groups or other near-by classrooms.

3.) Breaks:

Everyone is to get up and walk around during break. You need only walk out and immediately back in the door, but you need to break the tedium of sitting and to give your "little gray cells" a chance to get re-energized.

4.) Homework:

You are responsible for knowing the material in all homework assigned and you are expected to read the text and be able work the text homework on your own. We discuss all problems of general concern in class and you will need to confer with your fellow students and/or meet with me to be sure you know how to work those problems you do not understand. In particular, you are responsible for presenting your solution on the board for those problems explicitly assigned to you on the Homework Responsibility List.

5.) Projects:

Project details are given in class.

6.) Notes' Book:

Keep a chronological record of all your work in your daily evaluation Notes' Book. Keep your SAQ's, homework, questions and answers you found informative from class discussions or your group work, etc. in your Notes' Book. Periodically you will write evaluative statements on your work to put in your Notes' Book.

If you want to discuss your grade or class performance at any time, you need to bring your Notes' Book with you when we talk. I may also periodically ask you to see me to discuss the work in your Notes' Book and your class performance.

7.) No activity, quiz or test make-ups are given.

You are responsible for knowing all the work covered in class whether or not you are in attendance; so, you should be sure you understand what is to be covered if you have any anticipated absence.

8.) Explanations:

You are to be able to clearly explain all your work, both verbally and in writing. This means that you will give mathematically correct explanations including all the how, when, what, why, or anything else that is pertinent to the understanding or the solution of all your work including homework, class and assessment work.

9.) Sharing and helping one another:

You are encouraged to share, help and learn from one another at all times. This does not include copying or using somebody else's thoughts or answers as your own in any way.

No curve or percentage of points accumulated is the sole determiner of your letter grade, so the only person with whom you are in competition is yourself. Your work is scored in accordance with the criteria given in the Grading Policy Statement. The intent of this scoring policy is for you to be able to either give yourself a pat on the back if your score shows mastery of the material to a level that is satisfactory to you or to give you some guidance on how to improve it.

Be attentive if someone is helping you. Ask questions. Do not just assume another person knows more than you do. If you cannot follow what is being said, you are not helping yourself or the other person by letting an unsatisfactory explanation go by the wayside. Another person may have a correct answer, but if he/she is not able to communicate the solution to you so that you understand it, then his/her own comprehension is questionable or he/she needs practice in expressing him/herself with clarity and by using precise mathematical terminology.

If another person has a correct answer, but cannot explain it sufficiently clearly so that you understand it, he/she either needs practice in expressing him/herself or they copied the solution from somewhere and do not know how to solve the problem. Helping one another is a symbiotic act. The person helped is given a chance to better understand the material and the helper is given an opportunity to practice conveying his/her knowledge to somebody else.

10.) Integrity:

In view of the comments given above, it serves you no purpose to copy somebody else's homework or other answers just to submit an assignment or answer an assessment question. Your letter grade is based on all of your work as it correlates with your classroom responses. Therefore, a letter grade of "F" shall be recorded for the course for any breach of integrity (colloquially called cheating).

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Class Notes' Book Instructions

You will keep a Notes' Book of all your work in the course to help you on your journey to meeting the goals of the National Council Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) as supported by the Mathematical Association of America (MAA). These goals state that students should _   Become mathematical problem solvers, _   Learn to communicate mathematically, _   Learn to reason mathematically, _   Become confident in their ability to do mathematics, and _   To learn to value mathematics for its beauty and usefulness in the real world. Your Notes' Book provides a visual path of your learning and understanding of the material covered throughout the quarter. Your Notes' Book is to include a cover page with the class, date and name and a preface The first part of your preface consists of examples and comments of your class work this quarter for each of the following cases:    ¸ The one piece of work with which you are most pleased or the work you like the best,      ¸ An example which you like the least,      ¸ The one piece of work with from which you feel you learned the most,   You may not find this an easy task. But do go through your work and choose just one example of each case. Write at least a paragraph detailing why you chose this particular piece of work. The second part of your preface is a short self- evaluation of what you feel you did or did not learn in the course overall. You are encouraged to comment and give recommendations here for improvement on the structure of the course including the activities, manipulatives and pedagogy or any other aspect of the course. The rest of your Notes' Book is to be organized as follows:

1.	Syllabus and Assignment Sheets (can download from my web site)
2..	Your Class Notes and Other Comments. As part of the writing component of this class, you are to rewrite your class and reading notes in outline form and condense them to one, at most two, handwritten pages per class meeting. Start a new sheet of paper for each class meeting. You should have a minimum of nineteen-twenty pages in this section of your Notes' Book by the end of the quarter depending on the number of class meetings. You may find that you have to rewrite your outline several times in the beginning before you can get it all on one page, but it will become easier each day. You will also find that your outline is a very handy study guide for the quizzes and assessments. Include a dated sheet for any day that you miss with the notes you took from your reading for that day's class meeting. You may also add any personal comments you have such as whether or not you enjoyed or felt you learned something special that day, etc. You will quickly see that there is a one-to-one correlation between your assessment scores and how much detail you put into these summary pages. These notes play a prominent role in my holistic determination of your final letter grade and whatever is written must positively correlate with your class performance.
3.	Quizzes, Assessment Reviews and Assessments (most recent to first).
4.	CrT/PSAs. Critical Thinking /Problem Solving Assignments Include all copies of any PSA you rewrite. All PSAs are to be corrected and complete (and clearly readable) by the end of the quarter.
5.	GS. Geometer's Sketchpad Written Exercises (Mat 392 and Mat 491). Do not include the GSMS packets here. All computer work, individual and group, is likewise to be completed by the end of the quarter and included in your Notes' Book. Your computer exercises external to the GSMS packets should come first.
6.	Class Activities and Group Work including exercises or activities assigned even if not collected*.
7.	Homework: All homework is to be completed by the end of the quarter and included in your Notes' Book. You are to use only one side of your paper for your homework saving the backside of each page to write your correction notes. If your correction notes are neat and complete, you may reference them in your outline for the appropriate day. Rewrite them in your outline (which would be good practice) or make a photocopy and attach it to you daily summary page.
8.	Critiques and other written comments.
9.	GSMS. GS Middle School Packets (Mat 392 and Mat 491).

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Model of a Good Learner (Student):

The following model of a good learner statement is condensed from the pre-market edition of Foundations of Quantitative Reasoning, 1997; see footnote below. All five categories are equally important.

The good learner is. . .

i.) Inquiring: Uses critical thinking and questioning, to gain new insights on how concepts can be applied. Demonstrates the interest, motivation, and desire to seek out new information, concepts, and challenges so he/she can apply them to new and exciting problems. Engages each of his/her senses to access information and emphasizes listening as well as reading and writing. Integrates each new concept within a general systems perspective and quickly grasps instructions as part of a logical structure.

ii.) Confident: Uses his/her self-esteem, confidence, and sense of self worth to tackle the unknown expecting to master each new learning experience. Experiments, discovers, and is emotionally secure enough to take risks and accept failure as a frequent and productive event on the road to success at a new task.

iii.) Self-Assessing: Clarifies, validates, and assesses his/her own understanding of a concept through verbal and written presentations. Accesses information quickly and filters relevant data from irrelevant information in a timely manner.

iv.) Drilled and Skilled: Recognizes the need for drill and practice to become proficient in a task. Strengthens learning skills by modeling the learning process - visualizing, transferring, and synthesizing concepts. Clarifies his/her life's goals and objectives in order to focus his/her energy on the most important task at hand. Tries new strategies and invests in learning how to use new tools, especially, today's technological tools from computers to distance learning.

v.) Sensitive: Develops an understanding of his/her value system and an appreciation for other value systems. Applies this understanding in his/her learning experiences demonstrating strong social skills. Easily interacts with other people being an enjoyable and productive member of any team.

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Model of a Good Teacher

The following model of a good teacher statement is a compilation of the seven principles of good teaching and other teaching and learning statements I have come across while researching how to be effective in helping students in the learning processes of my classes.

A good teacher . . .

i.) Stays current in the mathematics that has meaning to the student's future as well as one's own professional growth. Implements mathematics reform according to the NCTM, MAA, etc., Standards for the nineties and twenty-first century. This includes paying careful attention to both what is taught (content) and how (pedagogy) it should be taught in the specific class undertaken.

ii.) Openly encourages students to meet high expectations of their accomplishments. Seeks knowledge of how students learn at the various levels and is aware of the differences in individual learning styles. Adopts techniques of presentation to effectively reach as many students as possible.

iii.) Stays up to date in mathematics content and technological skills as much as possible. Uses technology appropriately to get the most from its ability to increase students understanding of the subject matter within the constraints of the resources available.

iv.) Motto: Encourages students to follow the motto, "Trial and Improve," and not "Trial and Error." Acknowledges that "Mistakes will happen!" and stresses the importance of learning from one's experiences. Encourages student-faculty interaction and is available to students while still being able to prepare as best as possible for the next days' classes.

v.) Searches for better ways to assess students' work so final course letter grades correspond to the competency of the student in the class according to the standards mentioned above.

1. Brooks, Myrvaagnes, Reed and Wolf, Foundations of Quantitative Reasoning, p. 9, Pacific Crest Software, ISBN 1-878-437-08-9, Corvalis, Oregon, p. 9, 1997.
2. Gamson, Zelda and Chickering, Arthur W, Applying the Seven Principles For Good Practice in Undergraduate Education: Faculty Inventory, New Directions for Teaching and Learning vol. 47, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Inc., Publishers.

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