FAQ

How do I contact you?

Fastest way: E-mail address: askstanford then @ then gmail.com. I check it 20-40 times per day. This is the fastest way to reach me.

Slower: At the school district, my address is jstanford then @ then psusd.us. I check it approximately twice per day.

Slower: Via classroom telephone. Keep in mind most of the day I’m teaching or in meetings. I am happy to speak with you or meet face to face, but on most issues we can communicate with greatest speed and efficiency via e-mail.

How do I log in to a school computer?

Your login is your student number, then your password is your birthday: 08/31/99, for example. (Last update 8/31/10)

What if I’m absent?

If you’re absent, excused or unexcused, it’s your responsibility to demonstrate you learned what you missed.

A.P. and honors students: You may check the blog, you may check with a classmate, and you may e-mail me. You are responsible for content and skills taught in class.

C.P. students: In class you’ll be given a procedure explaining what to do if you’re absent. You’re expected to keep this procedure in your binder at all times.

After the tenth absence, excused or unexcused, you will be considered “failing” until you attend at least one Ketchup Meeting (see below for more information about Ketchup Meetings).

IMPORTANT: If you’re absent on a deadline, you must still find a way to turn in your work. Send it to the school with a friend or relative. If you know you’re going to be gone, turn the work in early.

For major projects and process papers, expect a penalty if you are absent on the due date OR on the day before the due date. We don’t want you missing your other classes so you can stay home and finish something because you chose to procrastinate.

If you have some problem with this policy, it’s your responsibility to contact the teacher before the deadline, preferably as far ahead of the deadline as possible.

What if my absence was excused?

I am not policing excused vs. unexcused absences. Either you’re here, or you’re not. As an adult, you have to make choices in life. I respect your choices; however, I cannot offer you special treatment.

What if I failed a test?

If you’re absent on the day of the test, you’ll take a different test but you may not be able to do it during class. You may have to make it up during a Ketchup Meeting after school (see below for more information about Ketchup Meetings).

What is a Ketchup Meeting?

Mr. Stanford is available in his classroom on Tuesdays after school (3pm-5pm). If you need to “catch up” because of an absence, or if you need help. Major assignments and projects should be turned in early before an anticipated absence, not “made up” later.

And… now you know what a pun is.

Ketchup... also known as catsup.

What if I submit late work?

Please see Mr. Stanford’s Grading Policy in the right hand bar.

What do I have to do in order to pass?

In your binder (or journal), I require you to keep a grade sheet in the form of a calendar detailing your progress in the class and what you have to do in order to earn the grade you want. Parents, check your student’s binder (or journal) for calendars if you want to see your student’s progress in the class.

You are almost guaranteed a passing grade if you (1) read 45 minutes per school night on average and can prove it, (2) demonstrate improvement in your writing, and (3) be ready, at the end of the term, to describe what you’ve learned and how you’ve improved during the term. A.P. students, expect 2 hours of homework and reading per school night.

For more information, see the Grading Policy for your class.

What does each progress report show?

• 1st quarter progress report = September grade
• 1st quarter grade report = October grade + September grade
• 2nd quarter progress report = November grade + October grade + September grade
• 1st semester grade report = September + October + November + December-January = Final Semester Grade
• 3rd quarter progress report = February grade
• 3rd quarter grade report = March grade + February grade
• 4th quarter progress report = April grade + March grade + February grade
• 2nd semester grade report = February + March + April + May-June = Final Semester Grade

Why does my progress report read IN DANGER OF FAILING if my grade is good?

I am most interested in growth, and growth cannot be assessed until the end of the grading period. The end of the grading period is when the student must demonstrate his growth. Early progress report grades, therefore, should be viewed only as a current indicator of the student’s current efforts and decision-making. After three months, it is possible the student may have accumulated too many points to fail. I will try not to use the IDOF comment on those students’ progress reports.

Why are items in Zangle marked “not graded”?

Unfortunately, Zangle’s profound lack of sophistication as a database discourages all but the most old-fashioned systems of grading. “Not graded” just means that no mathematical computation is taking place. Please contact me with any questions about things you don’t understand.

Your grade is not a secret. If a parent needs verification that the information recorded in your yellow grade sheet is accurate, most of the information should appear in Zangle.

Where do I find the calendar for this class?

Many everyday blog posts include information about important upcoming dates.

Why do we have to do thinking maps?

Last year, those students who did what I asked regarding thinking maps scored higher across the board on AP tests than those who did not. My observations do not, however, amount to any kind of empirical research.

Our school district has mandated thinking maps as a prominent strategy to be used at every level. That, however, also does not amount to any kind of empirical research.

So here it is.

Much research is being done on the effectiveness of using thinking maps to improve reading and writing. Click here to see it.

I am here to help you maximize your potential. I am not here to waste your time. You know how I feel about the strategy I’m using with you; however, I encourage you to see me one on one if you have serious concerns about what I’m doing for you. Before you do, however, be sure that your concerns reflect some kind of genuine problem with a solution, and not just an unwillingness on your part to use the thinking map strategy because you “just don’t like it.”

What are the essay revision error codes and what are the penalties?

See Mr. Stanford’s Grading Policy in the right hand bar.