Grade 10 I&S will be a challenge. The purpose of these expectations is to help you be successful in this course. You should familiarize yourself with these expectations and ensure you are meeting all of them. They have been created with your success in mind.

• Keep an organized system of notes: There will be a great deal of terminology, events, and ideas that you need to know and understand in I&S. Use a notebook, binder, and/or a folder on your computer to keep everything organized. It is your responsibility to keep all of the handouts received. If you lose something speak with me and I will get you another copy. When you record notes on your computer or in your notebook you should be listening closely to the lecture/discussion. You should record more than what is written on the PPT. Notes on the board should be copied as well as any other significant points communicated orally by me or another student. Knowing when to take notes is an important skill and one that many universities desire in students.
• Use laptops responsibly: Your laptop is a powerful tool. At its best it can empower learning and individual responsibility. At its worst, it can distract you from learning. In I&S class you will use your laptop often. However, to start with you will only use the laptop when asked to. If you would like to look up a word in a dictionary that is OKAY but you should be putting it away afterwards.
• Complete all assigned work on time: This is your responsibility. If you are not sure that you will finish an assignment on time you must contact me either after class or during my office hours. We will discuss a plan for getting you back on track and I can give you some support if you need it. If you fail to submit work on time I will first speak with you and then your parents if it continues.
• Think conceptually: Conceptual understanding is critical to IB teaching and learning. Furthermore, concepts make history meaningful help us understand why we are learning. You are expected to always be aware of the concepts in each unit, both the key concept and the related concepts. These can appear on unit tests and examinations. Always ask yourself, “How can I connect what I am learning to the concepts?”
• Actively participate in group work: In this class we will do a lot of group work. At times you will be assigned a task and at others you will be given a problem or inquiry question to work through with others. You should be engaged in your task at all times and working with your group members. Everyone is expected to contribute.
• Always practice and improve your English: The language of instruction in I&S is English. This means all conversations with your peers should be done in English. If someone cannot understand you in English try your best. Using your first language is a last resort and should not become a habit. I will speak with you if it does.
• Have a growth mindset: Marks in I&S are awarded based on progress and improvement. This means you will be rewarded for improving your marks by the end of the year. A low or average mark on an early summative is not a reason to be disappointed. Your marks reflect a level of achievement but also indicate where you need to improve. Pay close attention to rubrics and comments on all tasks. As long as you pay attention to your comments and speak with me regularly you will improve. You are learning some complex and challenging skills in I&S, so don’t be upset if you aren’t perfect the first time.