¡BIENVENIDOS! a la clase de español

Class Syllabus for Spanish

Welcome BACK to the fall semester of Spanish! I am very happy and excited to get our year started off in a great way! This is going to be a great class, but in order for it to run smoothly, there are a few things we need to agree on before we can really begin.

Attendance and Tardiness- Good attendance is the key to succeeding in any foreign language classroom. When you are not here, you don’t get the experience, you don’t hear the language, you miss out on the fun! And that is not good. However, I do realize that some absences are unavoidable and sometimes you have a good excused reason to not have your rear end in your chair. Pre-arranged absences should be discussed with me beforehand. IF A STUDENT IS ABSENT, IT IS HIS OR HER RESPONSIBILITY TO CHECK THE CALENDAR ONLINE OR IN CLASS ABOUT ANY WORK THEY MIGHT HAVE MISSED. I WILL NOT TRACK DOWN STUDENTS TO REMIND THEM ABOUT MISSING WORK. You are young adults, and can be responsible for this.

When you are absent, you have the number of days absent, plus one to complete missing work. For example, if you are gone Thursday and Friday and return on Monday, your assignments are due on Wednesday. No opportunity for make-up work missed because of tardiness or unexcused absences will occur. Any neglected make-up work will be counted as a zero.

Students are expected to be in the room, with their supplies, when the bell rings. Students who are not will be counted tardy. Excessive tardiness and absences can result in no credit for the course.

Engagement- I believe that this is the most crucial piece of this course. Students learn by interacting with each other, with the teacher, with the subject and hand, and need to engage themselves fully in order to really, really learn just about anything. Class discussions, interactive activities, partner work, and fun will happen on a regular basis. Speaking a language is necessary in order to gain a working understanding of it, and in-class speaking will be both expected and graded.

EXTRA HELP-

I am more than willing to provide you with extra help! I am usually here at least 30 minutes before school, and at least 30 minutes after school. If I am not going to be able to be here during those times, I will let the entire class know. If these times do not work for you for whatever reason, please come speak with me.

The Internet is full of resources for students to utilize for whatever particular Spanish skill they are working on. I recommend typing the particular item that you are studying into a search engine along with the word “free” to get a selection of sites that will help you.

SUPPLIES-

You will want the following items each day for this class:

  1. A separate 3 ring-notebook for Spanish class --MUST HAVE BY MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9
  2. Pencils or pens (black or blue, please)
  3. Lots of loose leaf paper (college-ruled or standard, both are OK)

4. Purchased Spanish class workbook (Spanish 1 and 2 only)—MUST ALSO HAVE BY SEPT 9.

Student work is grouped into two categories: 1) Student Practice 2) Assessment

Student Practice- 30% of Final Grade-

Daily Work- Language is utilized in all aspects of our lives, and will therefore be found in our work, too. In-class work times will be afforded for students to practice their Spanish skills in written and oral formats. Daily work will receive a stamp on their muestra. Each stamp is worth a point toward their Student Practice Total. INCOMPLETE OR LATE DAILY WORK WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

Homework- Learning a language cannot be done simply by studying it for an hour per day. It requires frequent practice throughout the day. As a result, homework will be assigned on a regular basis, and is expected to be completed in a prompt and legible manner. Your homework should be completed as best you can when you arrive to class each day. “It doesn’t have to be correct and perfect; it just has to be completed!” Completed homework will receive a stamp on the muestra. Each stamp is also worth a point toward the Student Practice Total. INCOMPLETE OR LATE HOMEWORK WILL NOT RECEIVE CREDIT.

Announced Quizzes-We often have checkups to make sure that we are making progress towards our goals. It is expected that you make periodic progress toward your goals, and that you are responsible for your learning at different points along the way. Quizzes announced 2 days in advance will be scored and entered into the grade book, and will impact your grade. Quizzes cannot be made up.

Class Blog (Spanish 3 and 4 ONLY)—Students in upper level Spanish will be responsible for contributing to the blog on a weekly basis. Generally, the blog topic is introduced on the first day of the week, and student’s response is due at the beginning of the class period on the last day of the week. Each posting is worth points, and is scored for both content (ideas) and language usage.

Assessment – 70% of Final Grade

End of Unit and Final Tests - These will be in both written and oral form, as is required in language use. They will include examples used in class. They will also require you to apply your knowledge of the language in a new way to create something original, as occurs in the real world. The tests will be comprehensive in the sense that they will include elements from previous chapters. It is expected that you will learn this information so that the review or previous information required will already be incorporated into your vocabulary and Spanish skills.

*Students may re-take an assessment to receive a better score. The re-take will be an alternate version of the original assessment. They can only complete a re-take provided the following conditions:

A. The re-take occurs within the Grace Period (see below)

B. The student completes Test Corrections and Reflections (following each unit test)

C. The student completes some of the activities chosen and listed on their Test Corrections and

Reflections page.

Projects and Presentations – Concurrent with each unit, students will create one or more projects or presentations that demonstrate their Spanish skills in context. These items may include, but are not limited to: posters, charts, maps, songs, discussions, creating items for display, skits, conversations, or other activities which demonstrate students’ Spanish language abilities and cultural understandings.

UNNANOUNCED QUIZZES- During each unit, there will be several very short in-class unannounced “pop” quizzes to assess student progress BEFORE the end of unit test. These quizzes allow the students to track their progress and understanding of key ideas. The results also allow Mr. McNinch to provide appropriate intervention, remediation, and re-teaching for struggling students, and enrichment for students who are above standard. Scores will be tracked on the muestra and entered into the gradebook, but will be weighted at 0%, and will therefore not final grades.

GRACE PERIOD- Allmake-up and re-take assessments must be completed before the following end of unit assessment is given. For example, if a student is absent on the day of the Chapter 2 presentation, he/she must complete the presentation before the Chapter 3 test is given. No exceptions will be made to this policy.

“FREE-Bees”- You will receive two free-bees at the beginning of each semester. In the event that you come unprepared to class, you may only use these to go to your locker to retrieve work or supplies, or to go to the restroom. You do not have to use a free-bee if you are requested to leave by a staff member (office, counseling center, other teacher). You get two, and only two until the end of the semester. Free-bees remaining at the end of the semester are worth up to 5 points extra credit split evenly between Assessment and Student Practice points. Use them wisely.

STUDENT WORK AND GRADING-

Final Grades are based on a weighted system, as outlined below. Final grades are issued according to the following scale:

A: 100-93%B+: 89-87%C+: 79-77%D+:69-67%

A-: 92-90%B: 86-83%C:76-73%D:66-60%

B-: 82-80%C-:72-70%F: Below 60%

It is your right to be able to find out your grade. If you want to know your grade, please just ask. I will be more than happy to show you during a free moment.

Classroom Rules- In order for us to accomplish the task of learning Spanish, there are a number of basic rules that we (myself included) must abide by. These rules are in addition to those listed in the Orting Student Handbook. If you feel that any of them are unreasonable, please bring it up, so we can discuss it.

  1. RECIPROCAL RESPECT. If you respect me, I will certainly respect you. If you disrespect me, I will let you know. If I disrespect you, please let me know.
  2. TRY! Always. I guarantee that there will be times when things are difficult, and you might not understand, but that’s why you’re learning. We are all learning together! Keep going, keep trying, and continue working through it. We will all succeed when we persevere.
  3. Because a second language is a requirement for most post-secondary education, I am going to treat you like college prep students. Work hard and you will succeed. As it will be in college, you are responsible for your own learning. But if you are having trouble learning something…
  4. ASK ME!!! This is a big one. If there is something that is unclear, confusing, or otherwise befuddling to you, please ask. Chances are that there are other students in the class that have the same questions as you. Why not help out other people by just asking a simple question?
  5. My two overriding objectives for this class are
  6. The students learn Spanish & b. They enjoy the learning process (have fun).

If for whatever reason we cannot do both, we will focus solely on learning Spanish and drop the fun.

  1. A positive attitude is a must in this classroom. You have a choice in how you want to deal with your day and the challenges that you face.
  2. Stinky stuff- I have a sensitivity to floral odors, especially some of those in perfumes and lotions. Please do not spray or lather on anything that’s stinky. Even if you think it smells nice.
  3. Chones check- Chones is the Spanish word for underwear. Underwear should be under your clothes. If for whatever reason, they can be seen from outside of your clothes, I will call a chones check. All people in the class need to make sure that their underwear are under their clothes at that time. This goes for gentlemen and ladies alike!
  4. The stuff in this room is either my personal property or the school’s property. If you would like to use or borrow something, please ask, rather than just helping yourself.
  5. Food and drink- Because of student health issues, pest and insect concerns, and to eliminate distraction, no food or drink is allowed in the portables, with the exception of water in translucent bottles.
  6. Cell phones, i-pods, and other electronic devices are only to be used as LANGUAGE TOOLS. For example, students may use a dictionary app to look up words or phrases. Non-language uses of the devices(listening to music, Facebook, twitter, etc.) is not allowed, and constitutes a classroom rules violation.To this end, it is expected that any student using anelectronic device keep the device in sight on top of their desk.
  7. If a student does not follow these rules, or those rules set out in the Orting Student Handbook, they are subject to consequences. These consequences are laid out in the Discipline Matrix for Orting High School.

Note to Parents: Thank you for taking the time to read through this syllabus and for investing your time in your student’s education. If you have any questions or concerns, please be sure to contact me. I can be reached through the office (893-2246 ext. 451) or via email (). I am more than happy to talk with parents.

I understand that trying to help your student learn a foreign language can be a frustrating thing for you as a parent, especially when you don’t speak the language. But you CAN be a huge help to your student.

  • Ask to see their MUESTRA SHEET! It defines and tracks everything that you student does!
  • First, ask nightly about the types of things they are learning about and doing in class, what they enjoy, and what they didn’t.
  • Help them to make flashcards or study them.
  • Encourage them to try to teach you a little Spanish. They’ll be surprised at how much they know, and by teaching you they will be reinforcing the information in their own minds. It’s Win-Win!

Again, if you have any questions or concerns, please contact me!

Gracias,

Jeremy McNinch- OHS Spanish Teacher

(360) 893-2246 ext. 451

______

STUDENT PRINTED NAME: ______

I have read and understood the syllabus policies outlined above and agree to abide by them.

______(Student Signature)

I, the parent/guardian, have read and understood the syllabus policies outlined above and understand my commitment to my student’s success.

______(Parent Signature)

One of my professional growth goals is focused on improving two-way communication between myself and my students’ families, particularly parents and guardians.

Please check the box for the best way for me to get ahold of you and give the information specified.

Phone Call! Phone Number: (______) ______- ______

Email! Address: ______@______

Text Message! Phone Number: (______) ______- ______

Wireless Company (Verizon, Sprint, etc.) ______