Detailed Grading Policies
This should take all the mystery out of how your grade is calculated.
1. Please visit the course website: http://teachers.dadeschools.net/mvansmith
2. I use ThinkWave’s Electronic Gradebook. Your grade reports will be emailed to you on a regular basis. Ignorance about your grade is no longer an excuse.
3. Makeup worksheets and handouts must be requested by the student.
4. Work will not be accepted more than 1 day late. PERIOD.
Here’s the grading setup:
Your final grade will be calculated as follows:
85% academic (tests, quizzes, homework, in-class)
15% nonacademic (absences, tardies, and participation)
Your academic grades (85% of total) will be determined using the following formula:
Standard Item Weighting (subject to change)
Exams 4
Quizzes 2
Assignments 1
Curr. Events 0.5
Checks 0.5
These weights will generally be correct but of course I may decide some assignments are worth 2 while others might only be worth a check.
Each item receiving an academic grade will count towards your academic average.
If you score an 86 on a quiz, that score is multiplied times 2 (=172). If you then scored an A+ on a current event (A+=100), 100 is multiplied time 0.5 (=50). Your academic average is then 88.5(172+50=222/2.5=88.5).
Your nonacademic grade (15% of final) is determined using the following formula:
45% attendance (9% of final)
10% tardies (2% of final)
45% participation (9% of final)
Attendance: Each day you are present and on-time you receive all of the possible attendance points. If you are absent excused you earn 100% of the possible points for that day. If you are unexcused, you earn 0% of the available points
Tardies: If you are on-time or are "tardy excused" you earn 100% of the possible points for the day in the tardy category. If you are tardy unexcused, you earn 0% of the possible points for the day.
Participation: The standard participation grade is "good." If you are on-task and engaged you will receive this mark. It earns you 90% of the possible total. If you contribute you will receive an "excellent" which earns you 100% of the possible total. Of course it is possible to earn 0% of the total if you are off-task, rude, or sleeping.
Example: If you were tardy unexcused and your participation was good, you would get all the points for attendance, none of the points for tardies, and 90% of the points for participation. Therefore your nonacademic grade for the day is:
0.45(100) + 0.10(0) + 0.45(90)=85.5
85.45 is your average for just a single day, to get your final nonacademic grade you would average out each daily grade to get a final average.
Final Grades: Simply your academic grade given a weight of .85 combined with your nonacademic grade given a weight of .15 resulting in a final %. This final % is subject to the standard county grading scale.
I’m lost in all those numbers Mr. Van Smith! What are the implications of these changes?
1. Attending class on a regular basis boosts your final grade.
2. It still hurts badly to miss classes.
3. Not completing assignments is still devastating.
4. Not being on task will hurt more than ever (i.e. don’t sleep or daydream).
5. Participation is more quantifiable and therefore more rewardable.
6. You will receive a complete picture of your progress on a regular basis.
7. I will not respond to questions such as "can I turn this in 2 days late?" or "how am I doing in here?"
8. You will be required to check the website frequently. If you are absent, you must check it for more information on the day of your absence.