Kristin Spizzirri
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Devl Math 1 (Lecture/Lab) (T/TH Fall 2010)

 

Instructor:  Kristin Spizzirri                     

972)563-4934 (work)             

                   kspizzirri@tvcc.edu 

 

Office:        TVCC Terrell Campus

                   A-120

TEXTBOOK:  Lial, Margaret L., Hornsby, John, and McGinnis, Terry; “Developmental Mathematics – Basic Mathematics and Algebra”, 2nd  ed., Pearson Addison-Wesley Publishing Company; 1221 pp; 2008. 

Supplies:

1.       Basic 10 Key Calculator!

2.       Textbook (optional)

3.       My Math Lab Access Code - Mandatory

4.       3 Ring Binder with dividers

5.       Notebook paper

6.       Pen/Pencil – All assignments turned in for grading must be completed

          in blue or black ink or pencil.  No exceptions.

7.       Notecards

NO CELL PHONES ARE ALLOWED IN CLASS!!

PREREQUISITE:   Before the end of late enrollment, during a student’s first developmental mathematics course, a student may request that their instructor or the Division Chairperson of Mathematics & Science administer a developmental mathematics instructor-designed test over all the minimum competencies of that developmental mathematics course. If the student passes this test (scores 70% or higher), he/she will be allowed to move to the next higher developmental mathematics course.  A student may not “test out” of the last level of developmental mathematics. 

 Cell Phone Usage:        TVCC policy is that cell phones are not allowed to be used during class.  If your cell phone goes off during class after a warning, the phone w ill be taken and turned into the Dean’s office.  You must meet with the dean to have your phone returned.  IF you have an emergency that requires your phone being on, please discuss with me BEFORE class.  This includes text messaging.  Basically turn your phone off and put it up prior to the start of class –don’t have it out at all!  Cell phones will not be used for calculators.

 

CHEATING

            Any student that has been caught cheating will receive a 0 on that assignment or test.  In the case of a developmental class, this will result in the student failing the class since all students must pass each test in order to receive a grade for the class.  If the student receives a 0 for a homework or quiz grade, it will be averaged into their class average.

All students are expected to adhere to all TVCC’s polices as outlines in the TVCC catalog.  This includes dress code and food and beverage policy.

 

Evaluation Method

1.       Major Exams – There will be a major exam at the end of each chapter. 

          Major exams will make up 50% of your course grade.  At the end of

          the semester there will be a final notebook grade that will count as a

          test grade as well.  Developmental students must pass each chapter by

          the Monday before Final  Exams begin.  The highest grade that a

          student may receive on a retest is an 80.

2.       Final Exam – There will be a comprehensive final exam given at the

          end of the semester. It will count for 25% of your course grade. 

3.       Homework/Class Participation/ Quizzes/ Projects – This category of work will be 25% of your course grade.  Homework will be assigned during each class meeting.  All homework will be due at the beginning of the day of that chapter exam.  In addition to homework, there will be announced as well as unannounced quizzes over material covered in prior class meetings.  Also, there will be group activities and projects that will be completed outside of class as well as during class time.  Since there will be class participation activities, attendance is importance.  NO MAKE-UP quizzes or class participation will be allowed.  Homework and project will not be accepted late – no exceptions.

Since students must successfully complete each unit before they leave it, some students may be unable to complete the course in their first semester in Developmental Mathematics I.  If so, and their attendance and attitude are good in the opinion of the instructor, they will be assigned a grade of IP (In Progress), a non-punitive grade which indicates that the student must re-enroll for Developmental Mathematics I in their next semester at T.V.C.C. The student must begin the new semester at the beginning of the course and complete all the work of the course in a single semester.  This allows instructors to keep their entire class together for lecture.  To receive a grade of C or higher a student must pass unit tests (70% or higher) for integer arithmetic, linear equations, graphs of linear equations and functions, and operations with polynomials with an overall weighted average of 70% or better (including unit test average, homework average, and final exam).  The course is “master based”, meaning that units on which a student does not make at least 70% should be repeated until the student does master the topic.  Therefore no D grade is possible for this course.  70% is passing. Anything less receives a grade of F or IP. Additionally, any student who does not make at least 70% on the comprehensive final exam cannot receive a grade of A, B, or C.  Finally, students must either pass (receiving a grade of A, B, or C) both this class and their Developmental Mathematics Laboratory I class or they must repeat both.  Different grades may be assigned for lecture and lab, but a student receiving an F or an IP in one may only receive an IP or an F in the other. Therefore, instructors who have students who are enrolled in another instructor’s laboratory class must coordinate with that other instructor before assigning grades at the end of the semester.

 Students who take and pass the mathematics portion of the TVCC Placement Test with a score of at least 250 or the equivalent on another testing instrument and who elect not to complete the course will receive a grade based on the work completed before the official score is received and reported or they can receive a grade of C, whichever grade is higher.  Students may choose to complete this course after the passing score is reported. Students have the responsibility to make their instructor aware of their passing score by presenting an official report of their passing score.

 ABSENCES:

            Students will receive a warning letter on their fourth absence and will be dropped from the class on the sixth absence. Students who accumulate three weeks of absences in either developmental lecture or lab classes during the fall or spring semesters will be subject to being dropped from the class and if they are not also enrolled in another developmental class and are required by college regulations to be in remediation then they will also be withdrawn from all TVCC classes.  After a student has missed one week of classes during the fall or spring semester, the student’s name should be submitted in the Academic dean or the appropriate center dean so that a warning letter can be sent.  After the student has missed three weeks of absences in the fall or spring semester, the student’s name should be submitted to the Academic Dean or the appropriate Center Dean for withdrawal from the course and from the college.  For students registering during late registration, absences will begin to count the next class day after the student registers.  

METHODS OF INSTRUCTION:

            The course is “mastery based” in that a student will not take tests until unit requirements (homework assigned from the textbook, worksheets designed by the instructor, or computer assignments) are completed.  Students will also not be allowed to take the final exam until they have passed all unit tests. Lecture format has been adopted by the mathematics department as the preferred method of instruction, although individual assistance during office hours and in the developmental mathematics laboratory are of course necessary.

 Tentative Course Calendar – Devl Math 1 – T/TH  (Fall 2010 – K Spizzirri)

DATE        TOPIC                                    ASSIGNMENT                       

8/31                 Course Introduction

9/2                   2.1 – Basics of Fractions

                        2.2 – Mixed Numbers          

9/7                   Set up Notebooks

2.3 – Factors

                        2.4 – Writing a fraction in lowest terms                    

9/9                   2.5 – Multiplying fractions

                        2.6 – Applications of Mult.Fractions                                               

 9/14                 2.7 – Dividing Fractions                                            

9/16                 2.8 – Mult and Dividing Mixed Numbers                            

 9/21                 Review Chapter 2                                          

9/23                 Chapter 2 Exam 

9/28                 3.1 – Adding and Subtracting Like Fractions

                        3.2 – Least Common Multiples

9/30                 3.3 – Adding and Subtracting Unlike Fractions 

10/5                 3.4 – Adding and Subtracting Mixed Numbers

                        3.5 – Order of Operations with fractions

10/7                 Review Chapter 3 

10/12               Fall Break

10/14               Chapter 3 Exam

                        4.1 – Reading and Writing Decimals

                        4.2 – Rounding Decimals 

10/19               4.3 – Adding and Subtracting Decimals

                        4.4 – Multiplying Decimals                            

10/21               4.5 – Dividing Decimals

                        4.6 – Writing Fractions as Decimals                                            

 10/26               Chapter 4 Review                                          

10/28               Chapter 4 Exam 

11/2                 5.1 – Ratios

                        5.2 - Rates

11/4                 5.3 – Proportions

                        5.4 – Solving Proportions

                        5.5 – Applications with Proportions              

11/9                 Chapter 5 Review                 

11/11               Chapter 5 Exam                                                     

 11/16               6.1 – Basics of Percents

                        6.2 – Percents and Fractions                                      

11/18               6.3 – Using the Percent Proportion

                        6.4 – Using the Percent Proportion to Solve Word Problems

 11/23               6.5 – Using the Percent Equation

11/25               Thanksgiving Break – No Class 

11/29               Chapter 6 Review

12/1                 Chapter 6 Exam

12/7                 Final Exam Review

12/9                 Comprehensive Final Exam (See Schedule) 

12/14               Comprehensive Final Exam (See Schedule)

 

 

 

 

 

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