BIOLOGY Frequently Asked Questions
1) When is tutoring?
I am available for tutoring each Thursday afternoon from 2:30-3:15. Students should come to tutoring with questions, rather than the expectation that I will re-teach the material.
2) When can a student make up a lab or a test?
Students can make up tests or labs before school, during tutoring on Thursday afternoons or lunch on Thursdays, after school on Mondays-Wednesdays IF scheduled in advance, or during an academic resource period (ie. Study Skills). It is NOT possible to do make-up work during lunches on other days or after school on Fridays.
3) What is the policy for test corrections or re-takes?
In accordance with CMS policy, students may RE-TAKE a formal assessment on material that has not been mastered, if arrangements for re-testing are made within 5 days of the test's return. The re-assessment will most likely consist of NEW QUESTIONS on the same material and students can earn UP TO a grade of 79%. In addition to the re-assessment opportunity, all students will be offered the opportunity for test CORRECTIONS. Test corrections will allow students to improve their score (regardless of level of achievement) IF certain requirements have been met. However, since test corrections are completely voluntary and not required by the CMS grading policy, they are only occasionally offered during class time. This means that if a student wishes to do test corrections, they will often have to make arrangements to come on their own time to do so.
4) What is the Biology Progress Check?
Progress checks allow me to address the needs of students for immediate feedback, without compromising accountability for the assignment. Using a progress check, both I and the student are able to accurately assess student understanding and the student can ask questions, correct the work, and then keep the work to study. Using this system, assignments are graded for accuracy (the student uses the assignment to answer questions from or about the assignment) AND for completion (I circulate to determine if the assignment is complete, partially done, or not done at all).
5) Biology is an EOC Course. What does this mean?
There are 3 courses in which students must take a state-wide End of course assessment which counts as their final exam. Biology is one of these courses. The state grades the assessments, assigns each student a level of I-V, and provides the teacher with a converted score to use as the exam grade. Mastery of the material is defined as achieving a level of III, IV, or V. Biology is a graduation requirement and, in most cases, mastery level on the EOC will be needed to in order to pass the course.
I am available for tutoring each Thursday afternoon from 2:30-3:15. Students should come to tutoring with questions, rather than the expectation that I will re-teach the material.
2) When can a student make up a lab or a test?
Students can make up tests or labs before school, during tutoring on Thursday afternoons or lunch on Thursdays, after school on Mondays-Wednesdays IF scheduled in advance, or during an academic resource period (ie. Study Skills). It is NOT possible to do make-up work during lunches on other days or after school on Fridays.
3) What is the policy for test corrections or re-takes?
In accordance with CMS policy, students may RE-TAKE a formal assessment on material that has not been mastered, if arrangements for re-testing are made within 5 days of the test's return. The re-assessment will most likely consist of NEW QUESTIONS on the same material and students can earn UP TO a grade of 79%. In addition to the re-assessment opportunity, all students will be offered the opportunity for test CORRECTIONS. Test corrections will allow students to improve their score (regardless of level of achievement) IF certain requirements have been met. However, since test corrections are completely voluntary and not required by the CMS grading policy, they are only occasionally offered during class time. This means that if a student wishes to do test corrections, they will often have to make arrangements to come on their own time to do so.
4) What is the Biology Progress Check?
Progress checks allow me to address the needs of students for immediate feedback, without compromising accountability for the assignment. Using a progress check, both I and the student are able to accurately assess student understanding and the student can ask questions, correct the work, and then keep the work to study. Using this system, assignments are graded for accuracy (the student uses the assignment to answer questions from or about the assignment) AND for completion (I circulate to determine if the assignment is complete, partially done, or not done at all).
5) Biology is an EOC Course. What does this mean?
There are 3 courses in which students must take a state-wide End of course assessment which counts as their final exam. Biology is one of these courses. The state grades the assessments, assigns each student a level of I-V, and provides the teacher with a converted score to use as the exam grade. Mastery of the material is defined as achieving a level of III, IV, or V. Biology is a graduation requirement and, in most cases, mastery level on the EOC will be needed to in order to pass the course.