Welcome!

Dear Algebra 1 parents,

Your son/daughter is enrolled in CHAT Algebra 1 this fall. If you haven't already done so, please buy your textbook. You can purchase it new at Northwestern Bookstore, Rainbow Resource, BJU Press, etc. Or you might be able to find a used one online. Just make sure it is the 2nd edition (ISBN #1-57924-325-8 hardback, #1-59166-643-0) softback, 978-1-60682-101-5 softback) It's green and has a picture of a fish and a skier on it.  Do not buy the 3rd edition book.

Please visit www.CHATmathclasses.com. There you can view or download the course syllabus, homework expectations, assignment notes, help videos, and the assignment schedule.  The username is chatmath and the password is numbers. 

You will notice that there are usually 5 assignments given per week. You can decide which 5 days you will use as assignment days. If there is a test to be taken it is considered one of the 5 assignments for the week. There are assignment notes posted on the CHAT math website which are designed to "tutor" your student through the homework problems that they do at home. Students have found them extremely helpful, so print them weekly and give them to your student before they start their assignments.  An important component of the assignment notes is that they include (in blue text) the work that I will be looking for when I go through their assignments.  If they don't show the work required, their weekly assignment grade will be affected.

I have made a solutions packet for the assignments. I will hand out the fall semester portion on the first day of class. It would be a good idea if you would get that solutions packet from your student right after class, so he/she isn't tempted to "over-use" them. They are meant more for the parents than the students. Assignments are to be corrected at home (in pen) by either the parent or the student, and handed in weekly.

I will sending a test packet home with your student in a sealed envelope the first week of class. Please put this envelope in a secure location. When you see on the schedule that there is a test as part of the homework, you are to administer (and sign) the test. They should then return the test (stapled shut) to me the following week, along with that week's daily assignments. I will correct the test and return it to your student the following week with a percentage correct at the top.

As with any math class I have ever taught, I cannot stress enough the importance of not letting your students fall behind. Math is very sequential in nature. Each chapter will use the skills learned in the previous chapter.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have, both now and as we progress through the school year. If your son or daughter is working on an assignment and has a specific question, have them email me the page and problem number along with their question, and I will get it answered as soon as possible. I have found that email works quite well for this. They are welcome to call, but that can be hit or miss. Otherwise, we will always take time at the beginning of class to answer questions from the previous week.

Sincerely,

Kim Nelson, tutor
952-451-9901

P.S. If you have ordered a book and it does not come in time for the first week of class, please let me know and I will scan and email what is needed for the first week.