Welcome to Algebra I, one of the most important classes you’ll ever take!

Class Location :

892 E USA Circle, Wasilla

Upon arrival, pull in near the second entrance close to First American Title and All Ways Caring. Our classroom space will be at the very end of the hall on the right. You’ll see the water jugs, coat hangers and the “Suite 100” label.

My office can be found by making a left at the end of the main hallway, and down the secondary hallway toward “Focus Home Lending”. My office is the first one on the left with “Mathlogica” labeled on the door. You can find me there before or after class if there are individual matters you’d like to address with me.

Upcoming events

  • First Day of Class!

    Sept. 2nd, 2025

    On this day, we’ll be setting ourselves up for success by getting familiar with classmates, class flow and reviewing foundational material.

    Let's jump in!

  • End of First Quarter

    Oct. 17, 2025

    Happy halfway! By this time, foundational material should be near mastery and we will be preparing to introduce new material for work with linear equations.

    Yay!

  • Veteran's Day Holiday

    Nov. 11th, 2025

    The main office where the conference room is will be closed for the holiday. I will hold a study hall in my regular office around the corner if anyone is looking for extra help, office hours, or you’d like to schedule a parent meeting.

    Let me know if you'd like extra help!

Quarterly Overview

  • First quarter is all about unpacking what math students have learned thus far, brushing up, and fostering an environment that allows them to make those oh-so-important connections that set them up to be fantastic abstract thinkers. This will start with a conversation about number families and the real number system.

  • Expressions, equations and functions compliment each other with graduated layers of depth. Understanding not only their differences, but also their connections will help to shape the kind of abstract thinking that an algebra class develops.

  • Third quarter is all about expanding understanding of functions into equations in the second degree. We will study complex and irrational numbers as well as the form and function of quadratic manipulation.

  • Several families of functions exist beyond quadratics. Students will have the opportunity to gain some insight into their characteristics in form and function as well as prime themselves for geometry.

 Class Content

  • Assessments will come in the form of quizzes and cumulative exams such as unit tests or the final. Material on the test will mirror practice and homework problems that the students will be working on throughout the class. If questions arise, it’s important to get those answered prior to test day to ensure success.

  • Naturally, the bulk of one’s score will fall under tests and quizzes. But having a projects portion is so beneficial because it allows for a measure of assessment in a different format. The purpose of this portion is for students to express knowledge in written form and practice communicating math, an important skill often left out of traditional education. In an English class, you write papers, in a science class you write lab reports and in math class we will practice communicating ideas through “sidelight” exercises and investigations. All of the work students submit should be original, but they have the opportunity to use notes and resources, ask questions and talk through ideas with their peers.

  • Homework is the hallmark characteristic of any course, especially math, because the only way to get better at it is to spend time with the ideas, form your own intuition for the concepts and put them into practice. Homework is one of the best ways to test your understanding. If it gets difficult, ask questions. But you won’t know if you have questions if you don’t try on the practice.

  • Coming to class, supporting your peers in a collaborative manner and being an active participant in your learning are all part of being successful as a student and a future productive member of society. This category gives you credit for that, often giving your overall grade a boost at the same time.

FAQs

  • My recommendation for this class will be to spend one and a half to two hours a day over a five day period. This amounts to 7.5-10 hours/wk, less the three hours we will spend meeting in person for class. This means that on average, you’ll need to work 5-6 hours of math practice into your daily rhythms at home. The weekend should be used as a buffer period to catch up on any lost time during the week days.

  • Generally email works best, as I can give a more complete and thorough responses and exercise the freedom to send links or attachments to other resources if needed. Call, text and in-person appointments are also available when appropriate.

  • This will not be the same as a public school class, most notably because it is a small group environment designed to keep the closeness and focused learning goals of tutoring while giving kids the opportunity to learn collaboratively. Math isn’t meant to be done alone! Being able to ask questions in real time and expand on the ideas of others is a powerful learning tool.

  • If you need extra help, just let me know! Scheduling office hours is always an option and is encouraged. Additional time spend one-on-one with a student member of the class is bundled into the cost of the class, so take advantage when needed!