Mr. Felling - sfelling@tuhsd.k12.az.us
Website: www.mrfelling.com
Phone: (480) 706-7900 ext. 70556
The best way to contact me is via email, although phone messages work too – I usually respond within a day or two at most - if I don't, try contacting me again, because something happened to your message.

Tutoring: I work with students in the math office in C114 after school every school day except Wednesdays (due to early release meetings). I cannot work with students before school because I teach a zero hour class. No appointment needed, just come to the math office after school!

Rio Salado Dual-Enrollment Syllabus

If you are taking this course for dual-enrollment college credit from Rio Salado, then these Rio Salado Syllabi...
 MAT217 Syllabus
 MAT212 Syllabus
...apply in addition to the policies on this page for the high school course.

This document provides a detailed listing of topics for each unit covered (mainly for use once in college, if you need something to show your college what was covered during this course in order to determine college credit awarded):
 Honors Finite Math/Brief Calculus Course Description

Goals of this course

The goal of this class is for students to develop two things:

1. A 'toolbox' of mathematical ideas, facts, and procedures that help when solving the specific kinds of problems we consider in this class.
2. General problem solving ability – the ability to solve problems students have not yet encountered.

We focus much of our efforts in this class toward conceptual understanding and toward problem solving processes instead of only focusing on obtaining the correct answer. As a result, I always require that students show their work – 'answers-only' is never acceptable, because I need to see the thinking that went into a solution.

Because this is a college math course, I have very high expectations for students.  Don't be discouraged, though - if you were approved to take this class, then you can definitely handle the information and workload.   It is important, however, to keep a few ideas in mind for success:

• A good work ethic:  You need to be willing to spend some time on homework for this class, and to fully engage during class time.  Complete each and every assignment to the best of your ability.  Remember, your achievement is directly related to your own effort!
• Being prepared:  Bring all materials needed, including your homework, class notes, a pencil and calculator to class every day.
• Do not get behind:  If you are having trouble, ask someone for help, either your teacher, a classmate, or someone at home.  Take advantage of the free math tutoring provided in the classroom or the math office before/after school every school day.  Make sure and do all the homework when it is first assigned, and ask questions when you don't understand in class or during tutoring.

Honors Finite Math / Brief Calculus is an interesting and useful class!  I look forward to introducing you to these fascinating mathematical topics!

Classroom Environment Policies

Respect is expected – In order to learn, we must have an effective learning environment. We don't usually have behavior issues in honors math classes, but behaviors that disrupt the learning environment will not be tolerated. Learning also requires open communication, and people must feel safe to share their thoughts and ideas. I respect my students, and I expect students to respect me, each other, and themselves.

Attendance:

• Desert Vista policy is to consider students up to 20 minutes late to class tardy, and students more than 20 minutes late to class absent. Please note: Students with non-school related absences of 11 or more days from a class (excused or unexcused) in a semester may lose course credit for that semester. Please keep absences (including school-related) to a minimum. If you do need to miss class, information about what we covered and homework is always available at www.mrfelling.com.
• I track tardies and will contact parents if they become a problem.

Bathroom:

• Students should only use the bathroom for emergencies, please do not assume that you will go to the bathroom during class everyday. If a student is using the bathroom frequently, I contact parents to report this. Time away from the classroom makes it difficult to stay caught up and learning.
• I require that students give me their cell phone in order to go to the bathroom. I understand that when you have to go, you have to go, but I have found it necessary to discourage students from leaving the classroom simply in order to use their cellphones.
• Only 1 student can be out of the room at a time, and they must obtain the bathroom pass from me.
• Students must return within 10 minutes – if a student is gone from class without a written pass from me for more than 10 minutes, I will change their attendance status for that day to 'unexcused absence'.

Electronics:

• If I see electronics out at inappropriate times, I will confiscate and put the item on the teacher desk at the front of the classroom. Students may reclaim their item from the desk when the bell has rung at the end of class if I have not returned the item before then.
• Part of your grade is determined by your engagement during class. Using your cellphone at an inappropriate time will result in a loss of grade points.
• For frequent offenders – at my discretion, I may opt to keep the item and turn it in to the front office administrators. School policy is to confiscate – and require parents to retrieve at the front office.
• Please note that, in accordance with school policy, I am not, and the school is not, liable for loss of, or damage to confiscated items. To be safe, students should not have electronics out of their backpacks in the classroom unless I specifically indicate it is appropriate.

Cheating - Any communication during or after a test or quiz, or any other form of cheating, will result in a zero on the test or assignment.

All school rules will be enforced.

How Your Grade is Determined

A letter grade is issued for each semester separately. The 1st semester grade is made up of 40% 1st quarter grade, 40% 2nd quarter grade, and 20% semester final exam. Each quarter's grade is determined by total points.

Grading Scale
   A  90%-100%
   B  80%-89%
   C  70%-79%
   D  60%-69%
   F  59% or lower
Rounding: For students earning borderline grades (for example, 89.5%) I determine rounding on a case-by-case basis, generally by considering your chapter test scores and your score on the final exam.

**Grades will be updated on a regular basis (usually every few days). You can check your grades online using your parent or student login for the Synergy online grade system. If you have questions about your grade, please feel free to email me at any time.

Content Knowledge (80-90% of grade)

Chapter Tests: There is always a summary test which covers all major ideas learned in a chapter. The expectation is that students will use the various tools provided (lessons, textbook, classroom practice examples, homework, quizzes, etc.) to thoroughly learn the material in a unit by the date of the chapter test.

Formative Assessments/Homework: The pacing of this class is fast enough that it is difficult to include many quizzes, so we primarily rely on informal methods of assessing student understanding during the units. Homework is the primary tool students have to assess their level of understanding. I strongly recommend that you use homework in the following way:

• Do each homework assignment to the best of your ability the day it is assigned.
• Check answers to see if you are doing the problems correctly. Mark each problem you didn't initially get correct in some way (circle the number, put a star by it, etc.)
• Rework problems missed until you can get the correct answers - ask each other for help when stumped.
• The next day in class, ask to see any problems you were not able to get correct worked on the board (we will usually provide 5-8 minutes at the beginning of class for questions on homework).
• If you still don't understand, come to after school tutoring with me in the math office as soon as possible (or before school tutoring with other teachers). Don't wait to get help!

I use the scores on tests to determine whom I need to call into AcLab to work with in a more individual fashion. I will generally continue to call a student who has done poorly on a test into AcLab until I feel they are caught up and doing well. Due to room/space limitations, I can only call 5-10 students into AcLab (of the 180 students I am teaching, and I teach two different math subjects) so typically, I only work with students who are scoring very low on tests (D,F) in AcLab. If you have a C or above, please try to come to after school tutoring, or ask lots of questions during class to get help.

Effort (10%-20% of grade)

Homework

• Homework is your main tool for practice – instead of thinking of homework as something to 'just get done for the points', try to think of it as a way to practice something to get better at it, and even as a daily 'quiz' you give yourself to see if you understand. It is very difficult to succeed in this class without consistently doing homework.
• Homework is required and graded for completion only – Homework is always due at the beginning of the next class after it is assigned. We check homework daily at the beginning of class. Homework grading:
  • 2 pts = On time, all problems attempted, work shown leading to solutions.
  • 1 pt = Late, incomplete work, or homework with answers but no work shown.
  • 0 pts = Not submitted.
• If you are absent (excused) – Students receive full credit as long as they show me completed homework when they return, and they have the same number of days that they missed in order to make up the homework. Students must take the initiate to show me late homework.
• If you are absent (unexcused) – Students receive full credit if they submit homework on the first day they return.

'Share Your Thinking' (worth extra credit)
To encourage positive and active participation in classroom activities students will receive 10 class participation points at the beginning of each quarter (which is entered as a required assignment). Points will be removed for unhelpful behaviors such as being tardy, using cellphones or socializing at inappropirate times.

Points can also be added for students who actively participate by 'sharing their thinking' - solving problems on the board, or just contributing answers and commentary verbally during class-wide discussions and lessons. What is shared doesn't have to be correct for it to count. For every 5 times a student actively shares their thinking, a point is added to class participation. The total number of class participation points can go above the 10 point mark becoming extra credit, up to a maximum of 5 extra credit points for each quarter.

Absences, makeup and retakes policy

The goal of this class is to guide students toward a complete mastery of course material. This is done by making incremental progress steadily throughout the course - much of the later material depends upon mastery of the previous course material. It is very important that students attend class. New material or very important practice work happens every day.

If you miss class, that class lesson is no longer available to you so you will need to find alternate ways to learn the material (read the textbook, review online lecture notes, ask other students in class for help, come to before/after school tutoring for help, etc.) Note that you are still responsible for knowing the material, even if you miss class. You need to read your textbook, get the practice problems off the website and stay caught up as best you can.

My makeup and retake policy aims to encourage students to stay caught up at all times because this is so critical to overall success in the class:

Makeups: The expectation is that tests are taken on the assigned day with the class. Students need to develop the time management skills to be ready to take a test on the day the test is given - this is a key part of preparing students to be successful in college which is often very inflexible regarding test makeups. We understand that sometimes things do happen (illness, unavoidable emergency travel, school-related activities) that cause students to miss class on the day of the test.

If you are absent on the day of the test, the expectation is that you will take the makeup test the day you return to class. The makeup test will often be a different version of the test in order to discourage students who took the test with the class from sharing details with those who are taking the test late.

Here are the times you can take a makeup test if you are absent:

• In the math office, after school: You can take the test in the math office (C114) after school except on Wednesdays. This should be done as soon as you return (or even better, the day before the scheduled test day).
• Before school in the back of my zero hour class, the day before: You can take the test before school in my zero hour classroom in C107.
• During our class time: If before or after school the day before can't work for you, you can take the test during our class time and you will miss that day's lesson.

Note: If you are in class on the day of the test and tell me, "I just don't feel ready to take this test" you will still be required to take the test. You need to manage your time and studying so that you are prepared to take the test on the scheduled day of the test.

Retakes: In accordance with Desert Vista math department policy, no retakes are allowed for quizzes or tests in honors math classes.

Keys to Success in this Course

Class Notes

Lessons parallel the topics covered in our textbook, but I usually explain things in alternative ways, so students should plan to take notes in class every day. On www.mrfelling.com, I provide printable 'blank class notes' for each chapter that you can optionally print at home and use in class. This speeds note taking and is recommended. Alternatively, you may choose to take your own notes. Class notes are not graded, but I highly recommend using the printed notes.

Calculators

• Calculators are required for this class. We start using them the 1st week of class. Once we do, students will need them every day, including on quizzes and tests.
• Recommended models: The Ti-84 family of calculators are highly recommended (Ti-83 will also work, but is slightly more difficult to use in some parts of the course). All class examples will be done using a Ti-84plus.
• Can I use other calculators? Yes, but you are responsible for learning how to use them on your own. We teach how to use Ti-84 and Ti-83. We do not use the additional functionality of Ti-89, Ti-86, or Ti-Inspire and these calculators have different (and more complicated) user interfaces.

Supplies

• Paper – any kind.
• Pencil w/eraser.
• Graphing Calculator.
• Optional but highly recommended – pre-printed blank notes for the week to be completed during the lesson.

You do not need to bring your textbook to school, but please bring your calculator and all other supplies with you to class every day.

Stay caught up - Course topics/schedule

Please use the www.mrfelling.com website the find the latest information on homework, upcoming tests and assignments. Our class page always displays the current week's schedule and homework. For previous or future weeks' homework assignments please click on the chapter calendar links below the weekly schedule.

If you are getting behind...

• Try not to miss class, engage and participate fully during class – Work all examples, really make sure you understand the concepts behind the procedures each day. Every class day will include important learning, so please try not to miss class.
• Ask questions in class – If you have a question, others probably do too, so don't be afraid to ask.
• Work all practice problems to the best of your ability and check answers - It is critical that you practice the skills you are learning.
• Before/After school tutoring – Free tutoring is available from math teachers before and after school, in the math office, room C114. I'm usually available after school (I'm unavailable before school due to teaching zero hour) unless I have a required meeting - look for my desk in the math office. If I'm not available, I will leave a sign on my desk in C114 saying where I am. If I'm unavailable that day, please ask other math teachers for help. Don't wait until the day before the chapter test...come in for help as soon as you have questions.
• DV Peer tutoring - Desert Vista also provides all-subject tutoring before and after school. This tutoring is provided by a mixture of student volunteers and teachers and can be very effective. Please visit the DV Peer Tutoring website for more information.
• DV Math Student tutoring - The advanced math students at DV often wish to provide tutoring help to other students for service hours. Math student peer tutoring is typically free and provided 1:1 on the DV campus. Please email me for a list of this year's math peer tutors if you are interested.
• Professional tutoring - If you find that you need more help than you can get with before/after school math office tutoring, DV cafeteria tutoring or math peer tutoring, I have contact information for professional tutors who can meet with you individually for more focused help. These are typically math teachers in the district, or similarly skilled professionals. This kind of tutoring is effective, but comes at a price (typically $30-$60/hr.) Please email me if you are interested in a list of professional tutors.
• A plan for success: If you do the following, you will succeed in this class:
  1. Do all practice/homework and class assignments to the best of your ability.
  2. Check your answers to make sure you are doing practice/homework correctly.
  3. If you are unable to get correct answers, ask questions the next day in class.
  4. Keep asking questions until you understand. If there isn't enough time during class, come to before/after school tutoring.
  5. Don't wait until just before the chapter test to ask questions - ask questions as soon as you don't understand something.
  6. Use the provided chapter review worksheets to diligently prepare for the chapter tests.

I am looking forward to exploring math with you! Let’s work together to make this an enjoyable and successful year!
- Mr. Felling