Things to keep in mind as you engage with the material in this science class...
“Hard Work” is overrated. The goal isn’t to work hard just to work hard; suffering doesn’t make you a better person, or a more effective student. The goal in school, as in life, is to work with a clear sense of purpose, and to accomplish that work as efficiently and enjoyably as possible.
Too often, students make the mistake of believing that their primary focus in school is to make their teachers “happy”, and that by making teachers happy, they earn “good” grades. The actual purpose of school is to master skills and concepts that will assist you in making your life as wonderful and meaningful as you want it to be; the responsibility of teachers lies in making sure that the time that we spend together helps you to achieve that goal.
The grades that you will be earning in this class serve one primary purpose: to provide you with feedback on the progress that you are making towards mastering the ideas and skills that we will be exploring and practicing this year. To help you benefit from the grades and feedback that you receive from me, I will always push you to do your best work, and to edit and revise the work that you turn in. To maximize your learning in this class...
I) Every assignment in this class is open note, open book, open laptop.
II) On any test or quiz, you will have the opportunity to raise your grade to an 85% anytime that you earn below an 85% for a grade. III) For any other class assignment (in-class activities, labs and lab reports, any writing assignment) you are encouraged to correct and resubmit your work for a higher grade.
To earn satisfactory grades in this Earth Science course, please be prepared to: a) consistently focus on developing/practicing/modifying the writing and communication skills that we emphasize in this course, b) understand that you, as a student, have the responsibility for setting goals for yourself, and for working with me to reach those goals as efficiently as possible, c) demonstrate that you clearly understand the underlying concepts of the course, and d) approach the class with purpose and good intent, with a clear understanding of how your attitude towards the class impacts everyone around you.
We want and need our shared science classroom space to be…
Relaxing, safe, and enjoyable.
A place in which students can produce good, quality work.
Geared towards maximizing the amount of work that we get done.