Help

You work at your own pace-ish.  Suggested due dates are posted in Google Classroom.  All lessons need to be done before the end of unit assessment.  The absolute latest anything can be done is the last day of the quarter, as the gradebook closes. A pacing guide will be posted in class and I will be there to provide you reminders (soft or stern depending on your progress).  

This means that the bulk of our lessons are recorded so you can pause, rewind, fast forward, speed up, slow down, or rewatch as needed.  We will occasionally have full class activities.  The reason for blended instruction is that if you are absent, having an off day, or need a refresher, I am there for you.  Yes, I will be doing most of the videos, but other great resources will be linked as well.

You do this all the time without knowing that is what it called.  Mastery based instruction is simply teacher talk for doing a task until you have reached a mastery level.  The Mastery Checks are a great example- you can't move on until you succeed!  All assessments will be this way in that you must do corrections and if you fall below mastery (1 or 2 on the Rep Grading Scale) I will work with you and help you fill in any missing gaps. 

It can be easy to waste class time, do only one task and then get behind.  If you aren't giving yourself homework, you will likely get behind. My suggestion would be notes at home, diligent work on practice in class.  Aim for 1 lesson a day, but know there is some flexibility in there as well. 

Some students claim that they just can't learn from video notes.  And I agree, it can be challenging.  Some tips include:  

1. Treat videos like a lecture- turn off your phone, don't have music on, go to a quiet place, and replay if you zone out etc.

2. Watch the video first without taking notes - yup you read that right!  As you go create a notes skeleton to fill in after the video.  Then once you watch the video fill in everything you remember, going back and using the video to fill in the gaps as needed.

3. Ask questions!  You are not teaching yourself history!  It is no different than if you were listening to a lecture in class.  Get confused?  Ask!  I didn't record the videos so that you don't need to ask questions or interact with me.  It was to make the lectures more accessible. 

The grading in this class can be shocking!  

Having to keep redoing tasks until you get mastery can be very frustrating- but trust me it will be worth it.  If you find yourself wanting to quit this class or break your device, try these instead:

• Take a quick brain break!

• Put a pin in that task and move onto another

• Ask peers for help (not to do it for you, that is cheating...)

• Ask Mr. Weissman.  He loves helping and teaching History, it is kinda why he is here.