How We Do in the Which Means How We Do Things in Economics at Midland High School

Daily Grades (Bellringers) On many days, if not most days, you will have bellringer assignments on the board when you arrive. Start working on them right away. Some bellringers will be questions from the textbook. When completing a bellringer, write the question or prompt in complete sentences on your sheet of paper. Ugh! OMG! Why?! – Because I will pull questions from these bellringers for use on the test. – If you have well-written questions and answers on your bellringers and read over them before the test you’re bound to get those questions correct on the test. Score!

Major Grades (Tests and Notes Grades) Major grades will be announced in advance. We will review for tests and quizzes the day before they are given. – Quizzes count the same as tests (major grades). I use the term “quiz” to denote that it is halfway through a unit. Quizzes will be graded and available for students to study prior to tests. – The review for tests and quizzes will be in lecture form and stuff written on the white board. There will be no handouts. You must write the review stuff by hand if you want it. If you try to take a cell phone picture of the stuff on the board I will end the review session. Laziness = No review for you! (Seinfeld reference)

Notes Grades % – You have all the notes, including all the graphs, and the notes and graphs are both legible and neat. – You have followed Cornell note format. – You have both summaries and key points/questions in the appropriate margins (summaries at bottom and key points at left) % – You have most notes, including most graphs, and things are legible and neat. – You have followed Cornell note format most of the time. – You often have summaries and/or key points in the appropriate margins % – You have most notes, including some graphs, and things are pretty legible. – You have followed Cornell note format most of the time. – You sometimes have summaries and/or key points in the margins % – You have some notes, including some graphs, and I can read if I try real hard. – You sometimes follow Cornell note format. – You rarely or never have summaries or key points in the margins. Below 60% means you took little or no notes.

Returning Graded Papers You have a folder, alphabetized by last name, in your period’s box at the back of the room. Do not mess with the boxes or the folders. Do not take them out of alphabetical order. I do not return graded quizzes until shortly before the test so you can study them. If you want to know why you received the grade you received, come in during tutorial times (before school or during lunch) to discuss your test. – Do not try to analyze your score or argue for more points during class. This takes away my teaching time. If there are any concerns about a grade, come see me.

Bonus Points! There are incentives to help you behave and work hard, including: – Dropping lowest daily grade. – Get-out-of-daily-grade free passes. – More benefit of the doubt. – Free time. Ways to become ineligible for these sweet bonuses: – Cell phone use during class. – Not being quiet and respectful. – Not working when you’re supposed to. – Any academic dishonesty. – Laziness.