I ask that every student bring to class an additional binder with 5 dividers and looseleaf paper. The binder does not need to be large, about 1 inch in size. The purpose of this binder is to help the students remain organized throughout the year and to help the parents/guardians track their student’s progress. Within this binder you will find 5 sections: problem of the day, notes, homework, test/quizzes, and enrichment.
The first section is designated for the problem of the day. At the beginning of some classes students will be given a short problem or question to answer that is either a review of past material or ties into a new lesson. The class will discuss the answers and occasionally they will be collected.
The notes section contains notes on each lesson along with example problems. Notes are typically taken in a whole group setting using the overhead or chalkboard so students can visually understand how problems are solved.
The homework section contains bookwork and worksheets that have been completed for each lesson. I ask that the students always complete their work in pencil and show the original problem and their work. When correcting their work, students are asked to use a colored pen (not a marker) such as red, green, purple or blue. Students are also asked to correct their own work and not just correct the answers (the work will be on the overhead or chalkboard so students can copy it down). By correcting work in this manner, their homework becomes a great tool to refer to when studying for a test or quiz. All the student needs to do is look for the bright pen on their homework sheet to see which sections they need to review.
All test and quizzes are also kept within this binder. I may require tests and quizzes to be signed by a parent or guardian so that everyone is kept informed of their student’s progress.
The final section is for enrichment. Enrichment is considered to be any extra work that the student has completed in addition to work assigned by the teacher. This may include extra worksheets, problems worked on at home while studying for a test, or extra practice completed with the teacher or a tutor. This section is proof of extra effort that a student has given to help improve their math grade and will be considered at the end of each nine week grading period.
Many students have stated how the use of the binder is important in keeping them organized. It is also an easy and efficient tool to use when studying for a test or quiz. Parents/guardians can also stay informed of their child’s progress by looking through the binder to check homework, tests, and quizzes.