College of San Mateo Spring 2009
Math 811
Paulette Callahan
callahanp@smccd.edu
Computer contact: You are responsible
for having access to the internet (free on campus or in libraries) to monitor
any postings on my website: http://www.smccd.edu/accounts/callahanp
.
Some homework notes and announcements will be posted there. Contact with me
outside of class will be conducted by email (no phone) at callahanp@smccd.edu
so
you should maintain an email account. Do not call school staff to leave phone
messages for me! Other meetings are by appointment.
Text: Basic Mathematics,
10th edition, Bittinger. Copies of this or older versions on reserve at library
(ask at the main desk first floor bldg. 9), and the tutoring lab 18-202. Other
audio/visual materials also available.
Attendance: You should be in
class every day for the whole session. If you miss the equivalent of 3 or more
sessions by 3/6 or 6 or more sessions by 4/29, you can be dropped/withdrawn by
me (usually in tandem with poor grades). In all cases, it is your responsibility
to keep up with your status and file appropriate forms to avoid unwanted
grades. Late arrivals and early exits count towards absence totals.
Tutoring Lab: As per the course
description in the catalog, you should spend at least one hour per week in the
Math Resource Center 18-202 studying for this class and receiving tutoring help
if needed or assigned by me.
Homework: Do at least 1 hour
of independent study for every hour spent in class. Read current sections and
examples, review notes, attempt odd problems, check answers in the back of the
book, form a study group with other students, ask questions in class, and go to
tutoring as needed (Bldg. 18 room 202). Homework will be collected at the
beginning of class on the day that it is due. Late students must hand their
homework to me as they enter class. No later submissions will be accepted.
Students missing more than 75% of homework assignments may be given additional
measures such as extra tutoring time in 18-202 to make it up.
Quizzes: Daily in the first 5-10
mins. of class, based on previous homework. No makeups. Late students are not
allowed to take the quiz. Those with poor or missing quizzes (generally less
than 75% of the available points) will be assigned mandatory tutoring in 18-202
as determined by me on a case by case basis (up to a maximum of 4 hours in
preparation for each of the three unit tests). No books, notes or calculators
allowed.
Tests: Tests will be given
as per the schedule to those who qualify:
The three unit tests are approximately as
follows: Unit 1(ch1/ch2), Unit 2 (ch3/ch4), Unit 3 (ch5/ch6/ch10).
Each unit test will consist of 10 questions,
one point for each absolutely correct answer (no partial credit).
You must receive 7 out of 10 points or better
to pass the unit test. No books, notes, or calculators allowed.
If you pass all three unit tests, you will
receive Credit for the course. (No letter grades in this course).
To qualify for taking the first
attempt at a scheduled unit test, you must have completed the following:
1. Turned in at least 75% of the homeworks assigned in preparation for
that unit test or met any additional tutoring requirements as assigned by me.
2. Completed any assigned mandatory tutoring due to poor quiz performance
(up to maximum of 4 hrs. each test in 18-202).
If you do not show this work to me by the
last session before the day of the first attempt for the unit test, you will
not be allowed to take the test and will have only two more chances to make it
up. You should not wait until the last minute to perform mandatory tutoring!
For each scheduled unit test, if you
you may earn a maximum of two more chances to
take it. You must spend up to 4 new hours as assigned by me in the tutoring lab
to qualify for each new attempt. Two attempts for each unit test will be
provided during class time. Students in need of a third attempt outside of
class, who cannot work out an alternate time with me, must be available to take
the test outside of class from
7am to 8am on 3/25 for Unit 1 and from
7am to 8am on 5/6 for Unit 2 and
9am to 10am on 5/27 (during the finals block)
for Unit 3 .
If you do not pass the third attempt of a Unit test by then,
you will not be allowed to take the next scheduled unit test and you will be
dropped from the course. If you do not pass Unit 3 by 5/27, you will receive no
credit for the course. You must show evidence of making progress with the
material to continue in the class. If you are dropped, you will receive ÒNo
CreditÓ for the class and cannot continue coming to class. You should continue
to study the material in the book (with the help of the tutoring lab) and
attempt the placement test again at the testing center to try to qualify for
Algebra.
Please make special note to avoid
future conflict or misunderstandings:
1. Do not ask me if it is OK to be
absent or leave early, or give me notes from doctors, counselors, etc. Absence
from class will still be counted and you must decide for yourself whether it is
a necessary absence. There is no need to notify me of one-day absence or tell
me of the personal reasons behind absence. Informing me of these reasons will
not change my class policies. Extended absence of a week or more should be
discussed with me to assess your status and risk of being dropped. Plan time
properly to arrive at school on time to avoid lateness, accidents and parking
issues. Take responsibility for your decisions and actions!
2. There will be no makeups of (or early)
homework or daily quizzes. No more than three attempts at each unit test will
be given no matter how much time there is left in the semester, so make your
attempts count! No incompletes will be granted.
3. I
should not have to tell you the following! No visitors are allowed in class
(including children, friends, relatives, pets, etc.). No cell phones, music
players, computers, or any other distracting devices are to be used during
class. No noisy/smelly/messy foods (such as pizza) are allowed in the classroom
as no one wishes to smell your food, watch you eat it, or clean up after you.
No sleeping during class time--if you need sleep more than instruction I will
ask you to go find a more comfortable and appropriate place. No private tutorials,
conversations, or passing of notes is allowed while I am lecturing. No profanity, abuse/harassment of me or other students, or
in general any disruptions that inhibit student learning will be tolerated. Students
deemed by me to be in violation of the above rules, whom I ask to desist or
leave for the session, must comply without argument or be removed by security
and referred to the Dean.
4. Students with special needs must
make them known to me during the first week of instruction. After that, I
cannot guarantee that those needs can be adequately met. Appropriate forms must
be filed before services can be received and must be given to me at least a
week before a test, or no accommodations will be allowed for that test. Accommodations conflicting with
provisions in this syllabus must be approved in writing by the Dean of
Math/Science and the Chair of the Math Department.
5. Students who feel that they have
serious needs that conflict with the policies stated in this syllabus must send
me an email stating their concerns during the first week of instruction and I
will determine if the conflict can be resolved. After this time, if you have
not brought up any issues with me, I will assume that you have read,
understand, and accept this syllabus and its terms, and I will not form any new
contract with you, regardless of the reason. I strictly adhere to my policies
out of fairness to all of the students.
MATH 811 Arithmetic Review (3) (Credit/No Credit grading.) Three
to five lecture hours plus one hour by arrangement per week. Recommended
Preparation: READ 825. Basic arithmetic facts and operations of whole
numbers, signed numbers, fractions, decimals, and percents; estimation, number
sense, calculator skills, area and volume, and applications. (Units do not
apply toward AA/ AS degree.)
Course SLOS: The student will:
1. Perform operations with whole numbers
2. Perform operations with fractions
3. Perform operations with decimals
4. Perform operations with Percentages
5. Calculate simple perimeters and areas
of geometric figures
6. Find greatest common factor and least
common multiples