Learners will complete the first half of Singapore Math Dimensions 8A in this 8-week  semester course. 

*Learners must have their own copy of the required books to take this course. The materials are listed in the "Supply List" section. The publisher has expressly stated that their books may not be shown on camera, as Outschool records all classes. Teachers are not allowed to show the books on camera per the publisher.

Class time:
We will complete the "Do" during class each week. Learners should come to class prepared with their textbook and pencil. They should have paper if needed. At times, the class can be quite fast-paced. There is a lot of material to cover. 
Learners may not use a calculator during class.
We will use the whiteboard.fi website in class. I will post the link in the chatbox at the beginning of class.
If we have a Classkick, I will put the Classkick link in the chatbox at the beginning of class.

After Class and Homework:
After each class, I will post a summary of what we did in class and the assigned homework. 
It is expected that learners will complete the entirety of each lesson (any unfinished problems from class) from the textbook and each matching exercise in the workbook for homework.
A subscription to the math portion of ixl.com is included in this course.
Optional homework will be listed in each homework post. Please check the materials section for a list of required and optional books.
Learners should contact me through the learner/teacher message tab after class if they have any follow-up questions about the material. 
Optional homework drop-in class as needed available: https://outschool.com/classes/math-homework-drop-in-Q2uTCAma#ushxZxpxFU

Adult Helper Role:
**Adult helpers should check to ensure learners complete their homework to the adult helper's expectations. 
**Adult helpers should check answers with the teacher's guide. If learners are unsure of an answer, adult helpers can help the learner to contact me. 
**Adult helpers should let me know if they would like to be aware of participation (or lack of participation), video on/off, etc, in class. 

Class and Learner Guidelines:
~Learners must bring the textbook and workbook to every class session. Please let your learner know before class begins if they are allowed to write directly in the textbook or not. Some people prefer to reuse the textbook and workbook. If learners will not be writing in the books, please ensure they are prepared with paper for class. 
~Class Participation: I keep the class sizes small to allow for class participation, therefore, all learners are expected to participate. Learners may submit answers (through the chatbox, the whiteboard, verbally, Nearpods, etc), participate in the discussion, relate the problems to real-life situations, explain how to solve problems, etc. Learners may also comment on the posts for real-life questions, online activities, videos, etc. This is not a lecture class - all learners must participate. It is okay if learners do not know the answers, but they should be asking questions or attempting to solve the problems to the best of their ability. If a learner does not know the answer or gets an answer incorrect, they should copy my work so they understand the step-by-step of how to solve the problem. For shy learners, I keep the chatbox set to private so they may communicate privately with only me. I offer flex classes for those who do not wish to participate live. 
~We may use the Zoom annotate as needed, so please help your learner understand where the annotate feature can be found. I may also at times use my document camera. Learners may be requested to use the annotate feature at this time as well.
~Mute function - Please help your learner understand how to use the mute button. I encourage my learners to control their own mute button. They should stay on mute and unmute themselves when they would like to talk. I have never used the forced group mute button. I have found that my learners do very well being responsible for their own mute button. 
~Chatbox - Learners will also be encouraged to answer questions using the chatbox. Learners can type the answers into the chatbox if we are giving other learners time to think about the problems. If learners are able to spell (I do not care about spelling errors), they may also then privately message me to let me know they are unsure of the topic. If there is a lot of background noise at the learner's location, or if they are shy or unsure of their answer, the chatbox is a great tool. 
~Camera/Video - I do not require the camera to be on the entire class time, however, I do need to see the learner at the start of each class per Outschool rules. However, with video off, if the learner is not replying, I do not know if they are confused or distracted. I prefer video on with all of my math courses. Adult helpers should let me know if a learner is expected to keep their camera on.
~Recordings - Outschool automatically records all classes. The learner may request a recording to be shared for any class. I cannot publish recordings that have the book shown in the camera (per Singapore Math). 
~Environment - Class time is relatively relaxed. I try to keep the tone of the class light and fun. I use real-world examples, such as food and animals. Math is fun and can be funny, and I like my classes lively and interesting. I want my learners to feel comfortable asking me questions about the topic to ensure they do grasp the concepts.  I do request learners to raise their hand to provide an answer to problems and questions.
~Teaching method/materials - I use manipulatives and physical objects whenever possible. I prefer to use a lot of colors to help with explanations. The majority of the class will be used with a whiteboard or with my document camera. I may also screen share websites at times.