Mr. Facciani
8th Grade History
908-647-5555 x1463
Class Expectations, Grading Policy, and other FAQs
Dear Students,
I have built in a “Q + A” packet which is designed to address many of your concerns. Of course, any time you have further questions, please feel free to ask me.
What are your expectations of me as a student?
I expect you to bring your “best self” to class every day. All of you have different talents, so you will have your shining moments and your challenges in my class at varying times. That is natural! Celebrate your victorious moments with humility and your setbacks with resilience, and you will earn my respect.
Outside of my class, I know that all of you will have experiences that make for good days and bad ones. I simply ask that regardless of where you are on any given day, you do your best to be positive and put forth the best effort you can muster when we are together in class.
What are some basic principles to live by in your class?
This is an easy one to answer! I can boil it down to the Scout Motto: “Be prepared.” Having the appropriate resources for class when you walk in my room will go a long way. Here are some basics to bring every day unless I instruct you otherwise:
1) Writing implement
2) Blue Folder (given by me)
3) Agenda
4) Additional Reading Materials – (this will obviously vary throughout the course of the year depending on the unit)
Being diligent about bringing these resources every day can only help you in my class. If meeting this expectation becomes an issue, we will figure out how we can remedy it ASAP.
Do you have a website?
The main online resource for my class is on my Moodle Page. Go to http://moodle.pingry.org/, and once you get there, click on HISTORY. Then, find my class and log in; you just need your Pingry email and password to log in. We will go over basic Moodle usage questions in class.
How am I graded in 8th grade history?
In 8th grade history, there are a variety of different ways I am going to measure your knowledge. Every marking period, the following components will determine your grade: tests and quizzes (usually at least two), projects or papers (usually at least one), homework (almost every day), and class participation (daily). While some pieces will count more than others, as a student, your goal should be to do your best every day. One poor performance will not ruin your entire semester grade. I like to think of each day as a new opportunity, so if you give a solid effort every day, over the course of a marking period, you will have success in my class.
How do I know what the homework is every day?
I try to be as clear as I can about each homework assignment. There are at least three fool proof ways to find the homework for the day. First, I will always write the homework for the day on the board and will address it at some point during class. Second, I will distribute an assignment sheet at the beginning of every week. Third, I will post the assignment sheet on my Moodle page. Beyond this, try to use your common sense; you can always call a friend as a last resort! With this system, identifying the assignment for each day should not be a mysterious and difficult process!
What happens if I forget my homework?
Life is not always perfect, so I try to be understanding about homework. The first time you forget your homework during a marking period, I will give you a free pass, although I will expect you to make up the assignment. If you forget homework a second time or subsequent times during the marking period, I expect you to make up the homework assignments, and when you show me your work, I will give you reduced credit for completing the assignment and handing it in late.
Handing in homework late is ALWAYS better than not handing in homework at all, because partial credit is better than no credit! Being consistent with homework really helps you as a student in my class, because solid homework performance can boost your overall grade! If missing homework becomes a pattern, you should expect a progress memo. However, if I have to send a progress memo about homework, it will not be an unexpected surprise waiting for you; by the time the memo reaches home, I will have talked with you about the issue so we can work together to develop a plan of action.
Does the same rule apply to papers and projects?
Because papers and projects are of a long-term nature, I am less forgiving when you hand these assessments in late. Unless you have specifically spoken with me in advance about a situation that makes it impossible for you to get the work done on time (i.e. illness, family issue, etc.), if you hand in papers or projects late, you will lose points on your final grade for every day they are late. While I do not enjoy enforcing this policy, I believe that learning how to manage deadlines is an important part of the learning process.
What do I do if I need extra help before tests or while I am working on a project?
The students that tend to do best in my class are the ones that take advantage of seeing me during conference period when they can. While most 8th graders think that only struggling students see teachers during CP, it is usually my A students who see me most consistently to ask questions! I typically run an extra review session in conference period the day before a test so that you can feel free to ask any unresolved questions. Of course, you are also welcome to see me more than one day before a test; in fact, the earlier the better! As far as projects are concerned, the same rule applies. I am willing to work with you as much as possible throughout the time span of a project, but of course, the earlier you see me, the more we can accomplish. Seeing me the day before a project is due with sixty-seven questions will probably not be very beneficial to you because we will run out of time!
What happens if I fail a test; can I get a retake? How do retakes impact my grades?
In the event that you score below a C- on a test in my class, I will allow a retake. My emphasis is on your learning, so if it requires a second opportunity for you to demonstrate your knowledge, so be it. However, I will not “average” the two tests together. My reasoning is that it would be unfair to any student who earned a C on the test if your “averaged” result wound up being a C+. Instead of giving you the entire test, I will typically focus on the sections where you had difficulty. Once you demonstrate that you have addressed those target areas, I will revise your test grade to a C-.
Do rewrites apply to papers as well?
If you earn a C- or below on a paper, you will be required to rewrite it. The full paper rewrite policy is outlined in a separate document.
What about plagiarism?
Obviously, plagiarism – intentional or ‘accidental’ - is a serious matter. We will talk about this topic often during the year. It can be a very confusing issue and we will try to make sense of it together. Remember that cases of plagiarism are breaches of the Honor Code,
I hope this document helped address your concerns! Again, please feel free to ask me ask questions if you need any additional clarification.
Sincerely, Student Signature:______
Mr. Facciani Parent Signature:______