Welcome to Algebra I Mr. brian slocum

About Me Raised in East Irondequoit, graduate of Eastridge High School 2003 B.S. in Mathematics and Minor in Physics – St. John Fisher 2007 M.S. in Math/Science/Technology Education – St. John Fisher 2013 5th Year Teaching (1st at Brighton High School) 1 year at East High School and Freddie Thomas High School (RCSD) 3 years at Rochester Academy Charter School Have taught 7th grade, 8th grade, Algebra, Geometry, Algebra 2, and Precalculus

Teaching Philosophy Student-Centered Approach Group Work/Emphasis on Class Discussions “…if we hold that the learning of mathematics involves something other than the acquisition of knowledge, then listening takes on quite a different relevance. We become interested in student interpretations of ideas and we are more aware of how these interpretations are tangled in the web of their existences.” - Brent Davis (1994) - Mathematics teaching: Moving from telling to listening.

Contact Information The best way to contact me is via e-mail: Brian_Slocum@bcsd.org

Teacher and Department Website I will post major assignments and news regarding upcoming exams on my website – which can be found here http://www.bcsd.org/webpages/bslocum In addition, I have posted several links to helpful Math pages featuring both explanations and sample problems. We also have a common web page for the entire Math department, which can be accessed here http://www.bcsd.org/bhs.cfm?subpage=836

Grading Policies Grades will be calculated by using the following categories. Assessments: Test and Quizzes 60% (no retakes given) Graded work: 25% LTA Not just practice extends learning (Allowed late but deductions will be taken) Toolkits (late entries not eligible for corrections) Daily Homework/Participation 15% daily not accepted late

Grading Policies Grades entered in School Tool may sometimes only display a letter – these are the corresponding scores for each of those letter grades.

Final Grades for the Course Q1 + Q2 + Q3 +Q4 = Final Grade 4 Common Core exam will be a separate item on their transcript but not used in final grade calculation for the course. There is no opting out of the exam. It is a requirement for the Regents diploma. No midterm exam will be given. We will use other summative assessments and review assignments to gauge progress over the course of the year.

My Availability Before School (I am always in the building by 7:00 AM) Planning Periods (per appointment) Flex (11:01 – 11:31 every day) After School until 3:30 – I am usually available after school 2-3 times per week Tuesday – Thursday. Mondays are typically reserved for Staff and Department meetings.

Standards for Mathematical Practice Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them Reason abstractly and quantitatively Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others Model with mathematics

Standards for Mathematical Practice Use appropriate tools strategically Attend to precision Look for and make use of structure Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning