January 31

Social 33

I went over some classroom rules and expectations in class today. I gave out a few handouts about the course itself, including an outline, and an organizational web for Topic A. I went over the format of the Diploma exam: it is a two-part diploma exam, with Part A consisting of four writing assignments worth 40 marks in total, and Part B which has 60 multiple choice questions on it. If you have questions in class, please ask, but you can also ask questions here on the blog, or send me a question by e-mail. You do have a homework assignment tonight: please write a letter of introduction to me. Please make sure that you organize your writing in a friendly letter format, covering the following topics: family, interests, hobbies, sports, favorite movies, favorite TV shows, and favorite music. These are just suggestions to get you started, if you can think of other topics to cover, please do so. You will hand in this assignment tomorrow at the begining of class. It can be typed if you choose, or hand written. It doesn't matter to me if it's double-spaced or not.

Social 10

I gave you a seating plan almost right away, this will help me to learn your names quickly. As soon as I know your names I'll let you change spots. I talked briefly about the course (I gave you a course outline), and I also talked about my classroom rules and expectations (I posted these rules on the blog yesterday, so have a look). You had an in-class writing assignment which was a friendly letter. You should have covered the following topics: what junior high school you went to, a little bit about your family, your hobbies, sports you like to play (or watch), favorite movies, favorite TV shows, favorite music. Don't worry, I don't mark these letters, I simply want to get to know you better, and see how well you can write.

January 30

I thought that I would post some of my classroom rules and expectations of behavior on the blog this semester. Also, I will also write down some ground rules for using the blog this semester.

Classroom Rules/Expectations of Behavior:

I think that I have very simple, straight-forward classroom rules and expectations. I will be discussing these in class tomorrow, but here's a quick recap:

• Please be on-task during classroom time (visit later)
• No cell phones (as per school policy); if your parents really need to get in touch with you, they should call the office. Please don't bring cell phones to class, or if you do, please remember to turn them off!
• Please don't listen to music on MP3 players or iPods during class time, unless I have given you permission to do so.
• Be polite. You should be listening during class lectures or when your classmates have questions to ask (you might have some of the same questions).
• Be on time. If you are late, please enter the classroom quietly and apologize for being late. If the door is locked, I have started the lecture or there is a class presentation in progress; I will open the door and let you in as soon as possible.
• Clean up after yourselves. Please don't leave garbage on the floor. I like my classroom fairly neat and tidy.
• Don't bring junk food to class. Healthy snacks only. Or you could always wait until lunchtime.
• You may chew gum in class on the following conditions: don't chew like a cow, I don't want to see the gum or hear you chewing it, that's just gross.
• Late assignments: 10% is deducted for every day an assignment is late. If you have an excused absence, then there is some flexibility with this rule.
• Please make sure that a parent or guardian calls the school to have absences excused. If you miss a test due to an unexcused absence you will be assigned a mark of "zero".
• I will be contacting parent/guardians if you have unexcused absences.
• Please adhere to the school's academic honesty policy which is on the back of your course outlines.
• If you are going away on holidays (please do not schedule holidays during examination periods in January and June), please let me know in advance. I can prepare materials for you, let you know what you'll be missing, and even give you handouts in advance. This way you won't feel "lost" when you come back from holidays.
  
  

Posting on the Blog:

Here are some simple rules that I have established for using the blog, and some other informational items:

• Please post on the blog anonymously.
• If you feel the need to identify yourself, or clarify which grade you're in, please use your initials and your class and section (for example, K.G. in Social 33-2).
• Some of you may have your own Blogger accounts. Please don't post on this blog using your Blogger ID, otherwise you may have people visiting your blog that you may not want to see what you're posting.
• Please be courteous, polite and respectful when posting comments on the blog. Don't be rude to your classmates on the blog.
• Please be patient with my response time.
• Please post comments and questions on the blog prior to 10 p.m.
• Between 6-8 p.m. I am usually not online.
• Please do not post links to questionable materials.
• Inappropriate comments will be deleted. Please don't do this, it's a waste of my time, I could be doing more productive things, like answering questions that you may have.
  

January 17

Social 10

Your final exam marks have been posted outside my classroom, along with the mark that will end up on your report card. I threw out a number of questions from your final exam, because they weren't up to my standards of good multiple choice questions (some were ambiguous, incorrect, had more than one answer) or didn't fare well on the item analysis (if a high percentage of you got a question wrong, it was eliminated). For Social 10-1, your class average on the multiple choice final that you wrote today was 73% and for Social 10-3, your class average was 70%. I don't e-mail students their test scores or anything like that, so you do have to come in and check the results for yourself. Once again, it was pleasure teaching all of you, and maybe our paths will cross again in the future, either in Social 20-1 or 30-1 or 30-2. If you have any questions about the test or your report card mark, you can come and see me on Monday (I'm not at the school tomorrow, I'm attending a CBE wide meeting on next year's Social 20-1 and 20-2 curriculum).

Social 20

Your final exam marks as well as your final course marks are posted outside my classroom, so please come in and check them out. Overall, I think your final exam went well. The class average was 75%, which is right about where it should be. I may teach some of you again in either Social 30 or 33, so our paths may cross again. If you have any questions about the final exam or your final course grade, please come and see me. It was a pleasure teaching you.

January 14

Social 10

We played a review game of Jeopardy in class today. I hope that you enjoyed it. I have sent it to your e-mail accounts, so please check your e-mail. Please study hard for your Social 10-1 Final Exam, which is on Thursday, from 9-11 a.m. I am at school tomorrow and Wednesday if you want to come and see me, ask questions or go over past unit finals or tests.

Social 20

You wrote a Topic B Practice Final exam in class, and then we went over it briefly. If you want to come in to ask questions or look over past unit finals, I'll be at school, in either R4 or Room 108, on Tuesday and Wednesday. I am not available in the morning of your final exam because I will be administering the Social 10 Final Exam. Study hard!

January 11

Social 10

We went over your Unit 2 and Unit 3 practice final exams. Hopefully, it was beneficial for you. Please remember that you have a homework assignment this weekend: please send me 10 Jeopardy questions and answers to my e-mail address. I will put them into my Jeopardy template, and then we can play a little review game on Monday. If I don't get enough questions we can't play, so send them as soon as possible!

Social 20

We went over the Social 20 Practice Final in class today. this exam counted for marks. On Monday, we'll be doing a Topic B Final Exam to prepare for your Final Exam on Thursday.

January 10

Social 20

You wrote your "practice" Social 20 Final today. This test will count for marks, but I will not be throwing out a previous test in favor of the results of this test. The class average needs to improve. We're going to discuss questions that you had problems with in class tomorrow. On Monday, you'll be writing an alternate Topic B Final Exam, so please review over the weekend. See you tomorrow!

Social 10

You wrote a Unit 3 practice exam today. We'll be going over your Unit 2 and Unit 3 exams tomorrow in class, as well as preparing for a review game that we will play on Monday.

January 9

Social 10

You wrote your Part A of your Final Exam today. We'll continue our review of the semester by finishing off the Unit 2 practice final tomorrow, and then move into Unit 3 review. Please study tonight!

Social 20

You finished writing your second Social 20 Practice Final today. Tomorrow, you'll be writing a practice final, but this time it's for marks. Please study tonight!

January 8

Social 10

I gave you back the practice Unit 1 Final Exam and we went over some "problematic" questions. I then had you do a Unit 2 practice test. You'll get the results of this practice test on Thursday. You will be writing your Part A of your final exam tomorrow. Please make sure that you are reviewing course material EVERY night. Take advantage of the review hints that I gave you as part of your Final Exam Study Guide. Try to anticipate possible topics for Part A of your exam.

Social 20

We went over some "difficult" questions from the Social 20 practice final that I gave you yesterday. You started working on another practice final with a partner today in class, and you'll finish that off tomorrow, and then we'll go over the answers in class. On Thursday, you'll be writing a 'practice final exam", but this time it will count for marks. This is a wake-up call for you to get out of holiday mode, and start studying for your final exam.

January 7

Social 10

We have started our review of the entire course, so it's now time to start reviewing EVERY night for your upcoming final exams. Please remember that you have Part A on Wednesday in which you'll be interpreting three sources and completing a written response. Please have a look at the study guide that I gave you in class today, it covers Part A and Part B on the Final Exam. Try to see if you can anticipate some possible topics that will be covered in Part A based on the study guide. You also wrote a practice Unit 1 Final Exam, so we'll be looking at the results of that tomorrow. STUDY every night for the Final Exam.

Social 20

You wrote a practice final exam today in class, we'll be looking at the results tomorrow in class and going over questions that you got wrong. You'll be doing lots of practice exams this week, so please start studying now, so you'll get more out of it! STUDY every night for the Final Exam!