Course: Honors Geometry
Instructor: Mr. Todd Burkhardt
Room: 358
Office Phone: 610-965-1650 ext. 21358
Email Addresses:
Office Hours: 7:00 a.m. – 7:20 a.m.
2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. (upon request.)
Please check with me to assure I don’t have another meeting after school the day you intend to stay.
Text : Geometry by Moise and Downs
To succeed in this course, you should :
1)... be here! (on time). If you are not, determine what you've missed. Don't waste time!! - especially when given time to work together. Group work is often very helpful in this particular course.
Quote: "Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that's the stuff life is made of" Benjamin Franklin
2) ... keep an organized notebook. Include dates the material is presented. Each day you should give a title to the days notes (if you have difficulty doing this, ask). Be sure to highlight emphasized material. Copy examples.
3) ...memorize the language. Mathematics is a language.
Make up notecards which help you memorize the vocabulary, the postulates, and the theorems (info. from notebooks or from text). Often it is helpful to picture the situation on one side of the card and write the theorem/definition on the other side of the card so you begin to make necessary associations. Behavioral stimulus-response theory
4) ... utilize and add to (according to what helps you) the list of hints for reasoning/proof which I've given you.
5) ... learn to analyze what the expert does and what kinds of questions he asks so you can do and ask yourself the same questions when doing your homework. Algo-heuristic theory
Pay attention to details
Consider ALL the options.
6)... always do each problem of the homework. Do not give up on homework assignments until you've made a plan, used each piece of given information completely, and broken down a large problem into smaller parts.
Quote: "It is better to wear out than to rust out" Richard Cumberland
"When work is a pleasure, life is a joy!
When work is a duty, life is slavery." Maxim Gorky
7) ...stay ahead of the competition. Read a section of the book before I introduce that section unless I tell you not to. Make some of your own hypotheses (theorems). In this way, you can focus on what questions or thoughts you may have -- you may find the questions answered when the teacher introduces the concept... If not, ask.
8) ... participate actively in class. Be attentive - especially to key points which will be emphasized .
9) ... review and update your notes weekly. Attempt to arrange them in order to see relationships among the various aspects within the course. Get the big picture! Elaboration theory
Practice!! Continual studying and practice is shown to enhance retention of material much better than "cramming".
10) ... seek out extra help if it is necessary. I will be available before or after school-or during Period 3 or 7. Extra help is expected to be supplemental; pay attention in class.
Quote: "He that can't endure the bad will not live to see the good" Anonymous
11) ...learn from your mistakes. Record what you've done wrong and how to do it correctly -- particularly after graded homework assignments and tests; then, don't make the same mistake twice.
Grading Procedure: Honors Geometry
Grading for this class will follow these guidelines:
1) Most quizzes will usually be announced overtly: included material will be clearly stated.
Infrequently, a quiz which is announced covertly ( A covertly announced quiz is one which includes material which I've told you you must know, without specifically stating that there will be a quiz)may occur.
2) Tests will be announced with attention given to reviewing the covered material in advance.
( approximately 2 or 3 tests per quarter)
3) The largest portion (≈ 90%) of your quarter grade will be calculated using the following formula:
points attained
______x 100 = quarter average
possible points
4) Two types of homework will be given:
a) Some assignments will be graded for completeness. This homework will be checked as deemed necessary. This will determine whether you will be given a grade which you are slightly below (ie. 89%,79%...)
b) Some assignments will be graded for correctness. I will tell you these are being graded for points.
5) Your final average will be determined by averaging all four quarters (20 % each quarter) and your Final Exam scores(10% for each exam).
Makeup Work:
Upon return from an absence, please determine what you've missed immediately.
The following guidelines will be in effect:
If you're absent one day, expect to make up scheduled tests/quizzes the day you return.
If you've had an extended absence, see me (after class or before homeroom) to determine a schedule of reasonable demands.