Recommendations for Improvement

7^th & 8^th Grade Mathematics – Mr. Gillett

Ø Take good notes when working in the unit book with your team members. Don’t leave a problem if you have questions about it.

Ø Finish all homework. Use agenda to record assignments and when they are due. Do not begin homework at 8:00 am the morning it is due. Show work and restate the question for the maximum amount of points.

Ø Use the Glossary and Index in your resource book when you encounter a topic you are unsure of.

Ø Take good notes on your Pyramid (a summation of the main points in each section we cover). Save all of these papers all year long, as these can be used as resources on tests. The “Big Pictures” sheets should be taken home to acquaint parents with what we are working on.

Ø When working in teams help the team to stay focused and remain on task.

Ø When stuck on a problem, mentally go through the 4-step problem solving process. First, you need to understand the problem. Ask yourself what information you are given, what you are being asked to find, and think back to what we have recently been working on during class. Second, try something, anything, to get you going. Sitting and staring is not a helpful mathematics strategy. Third, again it’s important to do something that you can begin to look at and read the problem again and see if what you are doing is relevant. Fourth, and something a lot of students do not do, but should, you should check your answer to see if it answers the question being asked.

Ø Homework assignments are listed on Mr. G’s website for your information.

Ø Ask Mr. Gillett for help. He won’t bite. But don’t put off homework so long that you end up doing it haphazardly. Also if you really need to, call Mr. G at home at 542-3518. He may be working in his classroom so call 542-0060 x1116.

Ø When you are absent from school, come in and check the homework calendar your first day back. Get any needed worksheets on the cabinet at the front of the classroom, and know that all homework from that absence is due one week from the last math class missed. A student not staying on top of makeup work usually results in late papers, academic detentions, & reduced performance on work.