Prep Pre-Calculus Course Syllabus 2014-2015
Instructor: Mr. Andrade
Email: pandrade@houstonisd.org
Phone:(281) 920-8000, ext. 6041
(832) 645-5672 [(832) 6455-MR. A]
Room #: E129
Lessson Plans: http://www.houstonisd.org/Page/77283
Meeting Times: 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th
Tutorial Times: During lunch,
after School (and/or by appointment)
Goal: Prepare students for the next step in their lives through a good understanding of Pre-Calculus. You have learned lots of
rules in other math classes and this class is more about why these rules work and then using them in real world applications.
Resources and Materials:
 Textbook: Precalculus Enhanced with Graphing Utilities (keep at home as a resource)
 Stu Schwartz’s Lecture Notes for Pre-Calculus Manual (BRING EVERY DAY)
 Calculator (BRING EVERY DAY)
 Organized binder (BRING EVERY DAY)
 PENCILS (BRING EVERY DAY)
 Straightedge (Student ID, BRING EVERY DAY, should suffice)
Course Calendar/Schedule:
 Spend at least 30 minutes at day, seven days a week on math (studying and doing homework). Make a schedule to follow
weekly.
 Assignments: Homework, as stated on assignment schedule.
 Due dates: HW is due on the class day following the lesson.
 Quizzes are usually announced but can be unannounced.
 Exams as stated on the assignment schedule (expect any material covered)
Course Policies:
Attendance:
 If absent, you will need to get together with another student and online for the lecture notes, etc.
 If you know you will be out of my class, you need to tell me ASAP (by talking face to face, call, or email).
Class Participation: When the bell rings, students are expected to be quiet with HW and/or notes out on desks and working on
the Do First activity. You will present work on the board and work cooperatively with your peers.
Notebooks: Students are expected to keep an organized notebook for Pre-Calculus. Notebooks will be checked periodically and
will count as a quiz grade. All notebooks should contain the following sections:
 Notes
 Classwork/Homework
 Quizzes and Tests
Guidelines for turning in assignments
 Solutions should NEVER just be a single number without some description of how you got that number.
 No Work = No Credit (NWNC).
 After checking homework put how many you missed on the top of the front page. I will collect and grade all homework
at the end of each unit.
Make-ups:
 “Make-ups” on homework assignments is not an idea which should be entertained, if you are absent on the day you return
to class you should have the homework for the missed day and the day you come in, put at the top of turned in assignments
“Absent”.
 There are no make-ups for missed quizzes. I will replace the missing quiz grade with your unit test grade.
 Make-up exams will be given on assigned days. Failure to make-up an exam on the assigned day will result in a zero for the
exam grade.
Redoing Exams for grades below 80:
 Students can redo homework one day after due date for a 25% deduction in points. Put “Late” at the top.
 Students can retake an exam after completing all related homework assignments, attending at least one tutorial and
correcting the original exam.
 Students must retake exams on the designated retake date(s).
 The redoes and retakes will count up to an 80. There will be no bonus or curving on these grades.
Cheating:
 Cheating is putting answers down that are not yours. This includes but is not limited to: copying someone’s homework or in
class assignments, copying answers from the internet, using a pencil when we are checking work, letting someone else copy
your work, using a cheat sheet for a quiz or test, having someone else’s hw paper, etc.
 No grade is worth cheating over. In the end you hurt yourself and your classmates. Trust is hard to rebuild.
 Having a phone visible during a test or quiz will result in a zero for that assignment.
Tutorials:
 All students are encouraged to come to tutorials during the second half of lunch.
 If you have trouble with more than 3 HW questions, you are expected to come to lunch tutorials.
Grades:
 Overall Six Weeks Average determined by:
 Quizzes
20%
 Homework/Daily work
10%
 Exams/Projects
70%
 Grades are online, check to make sure they are correct. Let me know ASAP if I need to check a grade.
Electronics Policy:
 Students may not use electronic devices during class.
 If the occasion arises where the use of an electronic device is warranted for academic purposes, students will be given
explicit instructions from the teacher at that time.
How to Help Your Child Succeed in Pre-Calculus (Keep Handy)
1. Make sure your child is doing homework regularly. Assignments are given at every class meeting. Check for
completeness. 30 minutes of math every day.
2. Encourage your child to read the textbook, make notes as necessary, and study its examples. There are also very good
instructional videos online at www.khanacademy.org and www.houstonact.org in case they are absent or just want to
have the material presented again.
3. Help your child to ask questions in class, on the forum, and in tutorials. “I don’t understand this!” is NOT a question.
“Can you help me see where I made a mistake in working problem #3?” is something we can work with.
4. If your child is having difficulty, encourage him or her to come in for tutorials. I am available mornings, lunch, and by
appointment.
5. Help your child to take a serious approach to forming a study group with other serious students. Pizza can be a powerful
lure to entice study-ers to your house. However, more than four students becomes a party instead of a study group.
6. Help your child to organize his or her time and prioritize tasks.
7. Encourage your child to persevere in spite of challenges. This might be the first course in which your child really has to
struggle to master the material. Remember that it’s better to learn how to struggle now than when they are off by
themselves in college.
8. Encourage your child to stay involved in academics during the spring semester.
9. Encourage your child to prepare for the SAT Examination. The exam will take place during April.
10. Please contact me right away with any concerns you might have about your child’s performance. My email is
pandrade@houstonisd.org. My phone number at school is (281) 920-8000 ext. 6041, for emergencies (832) 645-5672
[(832) 6455-MR. A]
I work very hard to help all students master the concepts and skills of Pre-Calculus. Student success will depend on many factors,
including previous math knowledge and personal motivation. With all of us working together, we can help to ensure that your child
has the best possible learning experience.
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 cut off bottom
We have read and understand the Pre-Calculus Course Syllabus.
Student Name (printed) ___________________________________________________________________________
Student Signature ________________________________________________________
Date _________________
Parent Signature _________________________________________________________
Date _________________
Parent email ____________________________________________________________________________________
Period______
If possible please donate: red pens, AAA batteries, tissue box, scissors, index cards or markers
Questions/Comments: