Hello My Name Is...

Kenneth Ray

I currently teach US Government, Economics, and Geometry.

My classroom rules are quite simple:

RESPECT

RESPONSIBILITY

PERFORMANCE

These standards mean exactly what they say. To help them follow these rules, I suggest that before the student takes any action, they (1) decide whether they need to look around to see if anyone is watching either (a) because they want an audience or (b) because they don't want to be caught. (2) decide the action is most likely not acceptable and will lead to a negative consequence. (3) choose a more acceptable action.

Because all the classes I teach are required for graduation, the student must take responsibility early for seeking help when he or she does not understand what we are doing. I am generally available after 7:00 a.m. until 7:55 and after 2:45 until 4:00 for student questions. I do not post grades on the walls of my classroom, they are available on the student portal and parent portals of Infinite Campus which is linked to the IHS web site. The grades posted there are the most up-to-date available. 

Government. Thomas Jefferson once said: "There never has been and never will be a nation whose people are politically ignorant and free." I am requiring government students to take and defend a position on many issues; the technique they learn for fulfilling this requirement will be useful for decisions from who to support in a political election to what career to pursue, where to live and whom to raise their children with. I suspect they will try this new skill on parents and other adults in their lives. You will find them to be most reasonable when they do.

Each week, Government students must turn in a current event topic in the form of the week. Every other week a new writing skill will be introduced and these skills become the new form for submitting the current event. At this point, a student must submit five sentences: (1) explain an action that led to the current event; (2) explain the expected results of that action; (3) describe the basis for justifying that expectation; (4) explain the actual result; (5) describe who are affected by the event.

We begin our semester with an in depth study of the tension between an individual's civil rights and civic responsibilities. The student must develop an understanding that government in the United States exists because the people have empowered it; GOVERNMENT IS NOT THE SOURCE OF OUR RIGHTS, WE ARE THE SOURCE OF ITS AUTHORITY.

Geometry. Geometry is a mastery course.Each unit includes five or six competencies that are tested separately. A student who fails to achieve mastery (a score of 80% or better) in a particular competency must retest in that competency or they will receive a grade of zero (out of 100) for that particular competency. After each initial test, a student may retest two times on failed competencies. In order to assure that the student is attempting to prepare for these tests, students must complete a metacognitive review prior to the first test and similar correctives for each retest. Failure to complete the review voids test results until the completed review is submitted. If a student fails to achieve mastery after three attempts, a final score of zero is recorded for that competency.

Our current unit of study revolves around defining and drawing basic geometric shapes (line, angle, point, plane) as well as is identifying sequences and inferences. While homework is assigned on a nightly basis, it usually involves handouts rather than the textbook.

Link to Mathematics Department