Dear Student/Visitor/Client:
          Welcome to Class!

    This is the "First Day of Class Page" -- students are nervous, the teacher is nervous, introductions must be made, procedures must be reviewed. At least we don't have to worry about grades. There are no grades, or attendance requirements, or required books, but a graphing calculator would be nice to have.

    These pages were written by me, Agnes Azzolino, and I'd prefer to introduce myself to you as I introduce myself on the first day of the semester to students in my classes. If you're interested, and you need not be, please read my letter to my students.

    If you'd like to know more, you can do that later.

    Now, I'd simply like to get on with explaining the buttons and format of lessons and then make suggestions on how to study.

    These buttons explain themselves.

        MATHEMATICAL CONCEPTS, inc. is the publishing company and consulting firm that hosts these pages.

    MATH SPOKEN HERE! is a dictionary. The first two buttons are for its home page and table of contents.

    The "Words Page" links to all the words. The "Spoken" or "Transcription Page" is a table of each transcription sound and symbol.

    Each word can be heard through a link on its defintion page. Many words have questions with the definitions, so, an answer key is provided.

    The last three buttons link to groups of related words, essays, and classes which may also exist.

    - This page. The MSH! Classes Welcome.

    - The Table of Contents for Each Lesson.

    - The Restate Button: presents the idea just introduced in a different way.

    - The Coaching Button: gives encouragement, direction, or a hint.

    - Provides a short break from the lesson to provide time for ideas to "gel" and you to relax but return to work.

    - Next page in the lesson.

    - Last page in the lesson.

    - Links to questions.

    - Links to an aside, or short mini lesson, on calculators.

    - Links to a quiz.

    If you wish, take a break. I need one. You might also.

    Theoretically this is a class with millions of people and no two of them alike.

    Practically this is a class just for you and with you in control. This is not programmed instruction. Suggestions are made but you determine which tasks to complete, how much research to do, or even if you should continue the class.

    Since it is not a "normal" class, don't expect all the suggestions to be "normal." Here are the suggestions.

• Do take notes. Pencil-and-paper as well as computer notes are suggested.

• Don't do every problem unless you feel you need to do every problem. Do some problems mentally. Do some with pencil-and-paper. Use the built-in printing capability of the computer to maximize your time.

• Take the time to research a word if:
  • you don't know how to pronounce it or if
  • you don't know its meaning.
  Words are linked to definition pages which have sound clips of spoken words.

• Invest in a graphing calculator.

• DO TAKE BREAKS!

• Wandering around the dictionary or word groups or essays is a very acceptable way to learn. Enjoy. The lesson will "sit" while you do something else. Don't scold yourself for being distracted.