|
Señora Paz Rivera
Español
Room 130
2010-2011
E-mail: rrivera@sonoranacademy.org
Policies and Procedures
¡Bienvenidos a la clase de Español! Welcome, and welcome back to Spanish class! I am looking forward to another successful year teaching high school Spanish at SSA, and I am looking forward to both getting to know, and seeing each of you again. Before we begin our study of the Spanish language and culture, I just want to make sure that everyone knows how things are going to work in our classroom this year. Please read over this packet, sign it, then have your parents/guardians sign it, and return it to me next class. Your first assignment is to review this on your own, then with a parent/guardian and return it by your next class, it is worth 15 points!
General Course Information
|
Course |
Pre-requisite |
Textbook |
Objectives |
|
SPANISH 1 |
None |
Paso a Paso 1
2nd Edition |
countries, culture, basic vocabulary, basic conversation |
|
SPANISH 2 |
SPANISH 1 |
Paso a Paso 2
2nd Edition |
countries, culture, basic vocabulary, beginning to intermediate grammar and conversation |
|
SPANISH 3 |
SPANISH 2 |
Paso a Paso 3
2nd Edition |
countries, culture, vocabulary, intermediate to advanced grammar and conversation |
General Rules
Raise your hand for attention.
Come to class prepared & on time every day.
Follow instructions the 1st time.
Follow classroom norms.
*All School Rules also apply in our classroom.
Discipline Policy
If a student breaks a rule or misbehaves in class, he or she will be given a warning. If this behavior continues, he or she will be given points based on the Discipline Points System (DPS). The amount of points given will be based upon the criteria set by the administration. A list of the DPS points can be found in the student handbook.
If a student continues a behavior for which he or she has already received discipline points, he or she may be given an office referral, detention, or parents may be contacted.
Please try to stop any behavior once you have been warned so that we do not have to worry about any of the above actions being taken.
Rewards
Students will have many opportunities to receive various rewards throughout class. Rewards can range from prizes to homework passes. Classes can also earn “free” days where we will play Spanish related games. I appreciate it when class runs smoothly and we are able to maximize our learning in the classroom!
Supplies
All Spanish Students will need to bring the following items to class each day:
- Workbook packet & homework in progress (to be handed out every other Monday beginning week 2). We will be working on these packets together, daily.
- A three ring-binder and folder are recommended as I will be handing out many important papers. It is your responsibility to keep your papers organized!
* A Spanish-English Dictionary would also be helpful, although it is not required.
Grading Policies
I will be using a points system to keep track of your progress throughout the year. Your grade will be based on tests, quizzes, projects, class work, homework, and participation.
Everything we do throughout the year will be assigned a point value. Most quizzes will be worth between 30-65 points, whereas tests will be worth 90-120 points. Projects will usually count about the same amount as a test, although they may sometimes count for more. I will always tell you how many points a given assignment is worth. Rubrics will be handed out when any project or paper is assigned.
The final exam will be worth 20% of the overall grade in the class, regardless of point value.
Semester Grade will be determined by:
1. First Quarter 40%
2. Second Quarter 40%
3. Semester Exam 20%
Year End Grade
1. First semester 40%
2. Second Semester 40%
3. Final Exam 20%
If a student is caught plagiarizing or cheating (this includes copying another student’s homework/class work), he or she will receive an automatic zero and will receive DPS points. The student will not have an opportunity to make-up the assignment.
Class work, Homework, and Projects
The Homework/Class work Chapter packets and cover page (which is your homework guideline/outline) will be handed out, in general, every-other Monday, and will coincide with each textbook chapter. We generally take two weeks to cover each chapter. The in-class assignments and homework packets, along with your cover page, are worth 200 points (a change from last year), and are due the day of the chapter exam, generally, this is every-other Friday. I recommend that you follow the daily schedule of your homework guideline and do homework every night, as we often reference your homework from the night before in the following day’s lesson. Additionally, you can expect random homework checks in class to make sure you are on task, so make sure you bring your packet to class! You must turn your homework in on the day it is due. Late homework will not be accepted.
Additionally, each student will be required to report on at least one Latin American or Spanish current news event throughout the year. The news article may be from the newspaper or the internet, may be in English or Spanish, and must be printed out. A half-page, typed summary of the article will be required to accompany your article. Your summary must reflect your critical thinking of the news event and will also include your position/opinion on the event as well. You will be notified in week 3 of your current event presentation date.
You will also be assigned other projects throughout the school year. A rubric and detailed instructions will be given when the projects are assigned. For each day that a project is late, your grade will drop one letter grade. Late projects will not be accepted after 5 days.
**All homework/class work requirements, test dates, extra credit opportunities, and special events, will be posted on our class website. Please check this website often. http://rrivera.sonoranacademy.org
Extra Credit
There will be one ongoing extra credit opportunities available for every student. Each student will be allowed to bring up to 5 extra credit articles about current events/news going on in Spanish-speaking countries. As in your current event assignment noted above, these articles do not have to be in Spanish and can come from the newspaper or online sources like www.cnn.com. The student will be asked to write a written summary of the article that he or she has brought in to the class, and follow the same format as the current event presentation. Each extra credit article will add 10 points to your grade. In addition, students may earn 10 extra credit points for attending a cultural event and bring in a half-page written summary of their participation and impression of the event. These can be Spanish, Latina/o (including Brazilian), Chicana/o, and Native American origin cultural celebrations, plays, art shows, lectures, etc. Students must have these events pre-approved by me for extra credit. Please take advantage of these ongoing opportunities. I will not allow for any other extra credit assignments. It is best to do them throughout the year so that they make up for any missed assignments or low scores that may bring down your overall grade. Don’t wait until the last minute!
Extra Help
I will be available after school for Spanish tutoring on Tuesdays from 3:30pm to 4:15pm in room #130. If you cannot come during those hours, we can try to arrange a day that will work for both of us. This is a good time to make-up missing work or to come and ask questions about something you have not understood. Please come to see me, even if you just have a small question. You are also welcome to come and practice your Spanish. Parents, I would be happy to sign a letter stating that your son/daughter attended tutoring.
Make-Up Work
If you are absent, it is your responsibility to make-up any work that you have missed. If you know that you will be missing a day of school, you should ask me ahead of time for the work we will be doing. In the event of an unexpected absence, you can get any work you missed from the plastic drawers next to my desk, labeled by Spanish level. However, unless you are absent on the Monday that we passed out the homework/class work chapter packets, you should be well-aware of your assignment expectations.
For each day that you are absent, you have one day to make-up missed class work or homework.
You will have 3 days to make-up a quizzes and tests.
In the event of an extended absence, special arrangements will be made.
NO retakes will be given on tests or quizzes – you must study when you know that you will be taking a test or quiz.
Text Book Policy
Class sets will not leave the Spanish room without prior permission from me.
Culture/Religion
In the Spanish speaking world, there are many events, celebrations and holidays that are influenced by religion. We feel it is important to provide an accurate cultural picture, therefore, will be discussing customs associated with these events. A few examples of “holidays” we may cover are:
Day of the Dead
Our Lady of Guadalupe
La Pascua
El Día de la Raza
If, for any reason, you would prefer that your student not participate in certain discussions, please let me know and I will make alternate arrangements.
There are also several political issues that are the subject of much debate currently (Hugo Chavez, Cuba, Illegal Immigration). I will be fair and impartial when teaching about these topics.
Contact Policy
I prefer to be contacted via e-mail. Please use e-mail as the first option. I will get back to you within 24 hours. If I cannot resolve the issue within that time, I will at least let you know I received your correspondence and will get back to you as soon as I can resolve the issue. Of course, for more urgent matters, or if you do not have an e-mail account, you can call me. Again, I will get back to you within 24 hours. I will also meet with parents and students at a time that will work for both of us.
*Please note – this syllabus is subject to revisions throughout the year. Any changes will be made clear to students.
Most Importantly – I look forward to great year!
Policies and Procedures – Signature Page
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Once you and a parent/guardian have read this syllabus, please sign below to acknowledge that you have read and understood the policies and procedures of our Spanish class. Keep this syllabus in your binder for reference and return this signed page to me by Friday, August 13th.
Student Parent/Guardian
______________________________ ______________________________
Print Name Print Name
______________________________ ______________________________
Signature Signature
______________________________ ______________________________
Date Date
08/07/10 | 
