Frequently asked Questions by Parents
What academic standards do you use, and what do I need to know about them?
Engineering Design and Modeling and Medical Detectives (Project Lead the Way curriculum) are aligned with Common Core State Standards for Math and English Language Arts, as well as with the Next Generation Science Standards. More specific information about the standards that are addressed in my PLTW classes can be forwarded to you upon request.
Seventh grade science and seventh grade honors science curriculum is based on the Next Generation Science Standards for California.
What support can I provide for my student at home?
There are several things you can do at home to support your child in PLTW. First and foremost, please make sure your student gets enough sleep! Seventh and eighth graders need 8 - 10 hours of sleep each night, and sleep is essential for effective brain function! Second, please ask your child what they are learning. Use the resources from the classroom website to guide a conversation about what we did in class. For example, you could say "I noticed that you are learning about the requirements for the Invention Convention project in science. What kind of project are you interested in doing?" Finally, encourage accountability! Please support me when I refuse late work and enforce class rules. When our students move on to high school, they will not receive the kind of support they receive in middle school and we need to prepare them for the change.
My child is struggling in your class. What support will you provide?
I provide multiple supports for students who are struggling. First, I have embedded extra support in my curriculum so that students can receive extra help before their grade is affected. For example, I provide study materials for tests, and often hold study hall sessions outside of class prior to tests so that students can clear up any problems before the tests take place. Also, I allow students who have turned in their work on-time to redo assignments. This allows them the opportunity to improve their understanding of the content, as well as to improve their grade. Finally, students can check Schoology for added resources as the year progresses that can be used to help to understand the content.
If additional support is needed, I will meet with the student to determine strategies and goals for helping him/her, and set up a plan for improvement. Depending on the student's needs, this plan could involve watching online tutorials, redoing classwork and homework, participating in a peer-tutoring group, or one-on-one assistance from me. If the situation is serious, a parent-teacher conference may be needed as well. Once the plan is set into motion, I will monitor the student's progress closely, and keep you informed as to how things are going.
My child says he has no homework in PLTW or in science again. How can I be sure that this is true?
I do not assign homework on a daily basis. Too many of my students participate in other extracurricular activities (such as cheerleading, WEB, and sports), and I have found over time that excessive homework is not effective. That being said, students will have work that they need complete outside of class, such as research for class projects or completing their culminating project. You can stay informed of homework assignments by checking your child's agenda on a regular basis.
My student's grade is low. Can you offer extra credit to help bring up the grade?
Students receive extra credit at the end of the semester for unused bathroom passes, and on occasion for attending school-related events, such as Back-to-School Night, the NLMUSD College and Career Expo and other community events. These are the only extra credit opportunities I offer. Students can improve their grades by redoing assignments (as long as that assignment was turned in on-time) and retaking tests (this is permitted only if a student has attended a scheduled study hall prior to the test date.) This policy supports student accountability, and helps to prepare students for high school, where extra credit is not offered at all.
Do you accept late work?
No. The only exception to this policy is when a student has an excused absence. The district policy states that a student has 2 days to make up work for each day missed. For example, if a student is absent on Monday and returns to class on Tuesday, he can turn in his missed assignments no later than Thursday. Students who need to make up a test are responsible for scheduling a make-up appointment with me before or after school.
My child is active with school activities, such as ASB, WEB, AVID, and sports. What happens when he/she misses class to attend these activities?
Students are responsible for getting their make-up work any time they miss class. While these activities are important to the overall growth of students, students who struggle with their academic work need to make attending class their top priority. There are times when students may miss an experience in class, such as a demonstration or lab, that is essential to their understanding of the content. Students must consider this when they decide to participate in other activities.
What is my child's grade?
Grades are updated in PowerSchool weekly, and you can check online at any time here. For instructions on using PowerSchool, please contact our school office. If you do not have a computer or online access at home, you can ask you student to print out a report for you after school as students are provided with their own log-in information as well.
Teachers in our district are required to update grades within two weeks of the assignment's due date. Please understand that I grade all student work carefully in order to provide constructive feedback, something that is necessary for your child's growth. I am committed to grading in a manner that is timely, but some assignments take longer than others to grade.
Please note that I do not check my grade book for students during class or on breaks. It is my policy that students check their own grades on their own time (after school or at snack/lunch). Students who have questions or concerns about their grades can send me an email through PowerSchool, and I will gladly arrange to meet with them to discuss their concerns. I appreciate students' efforts to advocate for their own learning, and will always make time to meet with them to help them improve or seek clarification.
How can I reach Mrs. Garcia?
Parents can reach me by phone at (562)944-3268. Please note that since my responsibilities extend throughout the district, it is often difficult to reach me by phone. The best way to reach me is by email at [email protected] or by sending me a message through my website contact page.
My child was doing fine in your class, but didn't do well on a project. Now his grade is a C. How can one assignment bring his grade down?
In my classes, some assignments have more value than others. Tests and projects have the most value because students are expected to demonstrate their learning on these assignments. Other assignments, such as homework and classwork, have less value because they are used to assess learning as the lessons progress; while completion is important, these assignments are practice opportunities for learning the content. Because of this weighted grading system, a low grade on a project or test can have a larger impact on the overall grade. For this reason, students must study for tests and complete all projects as they are assigned in order to do well in this class.
My child feels that his grade on a project was negatively impacted by the actions of others in his group. Shouldn't he or she receive full credit anyway?
Science and Project Lead the Way courses are highly collaborative, so students are expected to work effectively in groups. To facilitate this, my students participate in regular activities that teach them collaboration strategies, including those that help them to solve problems when working in groups. It is my expectation that they apply the strategies that they learn in class, and they are taught how to address the problem with me so that resolutions to problems they can't solve on their own is found. Students who follow these protocols will be successful.