As this is the first year of Spanish, we will be laying down a solid groundwork in Spanish for future studies in Spanish, particularly Spanish II and possibly Spanish III, and, should you decide to pursue Spanish further, for college-level Spanish classes. Our focus in this class will be primarily in the following categories: vocabulary, basic grammar structures, and communicative skills. In order to accomplish this, we will be spending considerable time practicing both written and spoken communication. This will be done in and out of class in the form of homework and practice. Practice is pivotal to second language success. The more time you commit to practicing, the easier the class will become. If you try to do the bare minimum to get by, you will not be doing yourself any favors as it will make the class more difficult. We will also be learning about some of the culture and history of the Spanish-speaking world. Beyond practical “work-force” reasons, as a Christian, we can also appreciate learning Spanish. In learning Spanish, we have the opportunity to communicate with, learn from, and appreciate fellow Christians who are different from us.
50% Assessments – This includes your tests and larger projects (typically these projects will come with a project sheet). I will make sure you know which items fall in this category. Tests are adjusted out of 100 pts, regardless of the actual size of the test. The projects will be scored based on the points indicated for each project. This will vary based on the project.
30% Quizzes – This category includes any and all quizzes. This will include quizzes on vocab, concepts, etc.
20% Homework and Classwork – Homework is the smaller, day-to-day work done throughout the year. This includes worksheets, short writing assignments, etc. Classwork is anything done in class that I decide to give points (which won’t be everything).
GRADING SCALE
A = 95-100
A- = 90-94
B+ = 87-89
B = 84-86
B- = 81-83
C+ = 78-80
C = 75-77
C- = 72-74
D+ = 69-71
D = 66-68
D- = 63-65
F = 0-62
I will come to class ready and prepared to help you navigate the new “realm” of the Spanish language.
To my utmost, I will treat everyone fairly and with respect as is befitting my role as Christian teacher and ours as brothers and sisters in Christ. Should I fail to do so, I will admit my mistake and ask for forgiveness.
As much as possible, I will seek to keep the classroom a safe environment where bullying and degrading of others is not tolerated.
I will always do my best in answering your questions: in class, during the school-day, after hours over email, etc. during homework, etc. Typically you can expect a response if sent prior to 10PM.
Contact methods: email, Google Chat (found in gmail), and phone
A note on social media: I will not accept social media “friend/follow” invites until after you graduate due to wise and well-thought out school policies regarding this.
All assignments will be graded within a timely manner, the best that I am able (generally within a few days, but longer assignments, projects, tests, etc. will take longer).
And, of course, I will do my best to keep the class interesting and engaging.
Treat each other with respect & act like the Christian young people you are. (GOLDEN RULE)
I treat you with respect + you treat each other with respect + you treat me with respect = awesome, fun, & educational class for everyone.
Bullying (physical, verbal, or cyber), cruel words/actions/intentions, etc. will NOT be tolerated
Come to class prepared & ready to work. We have a lot to get done and you need to be ready.
Foreign language requires participation
Everyone makes mistakes. Learn to have fun with trying to speak/learn the language.
The more you invest yourself and BUY-IN, the more you will get out of the class.
Academic Integrity:
Simply put: do your own work
Cheating/plagiarism will NOT be tolerated and will result in a heavily penalized grade depending on the infraction on the assignment (up to a 0 on the assignment/assessment) as well as communication with parent(s)/guardian(s). THIS INCLUDES IMPROPER USE OF ONLINE TRANSLATORS/AI!
AI/Translators may only be used in specific ways. Online translators and AI are never to be used simply to generate ones answers/homework/project/etc. This is academic dishonesty and will be treated the same as plagiarism and cheating.
Have some fun! Let’s admit it, this is something that gets overlooked.
Follow any restrictions/requirements for classroom sanitation, health, etc. as dictated by the school board.
Materials: Please bring your notebooks, binders, pen/pencil, etc. to class. The system I designed this for is a 3-ring binder system. That is what I recommend, but you can organize, note-take, etc. as you want. You should also keep a pair of HEADPHONES with you for use throughout the year.
Chromebooks: We use these quite often in class. Each day, on the board, there will be a place where it lists the materials needed. If one of them is “Computadoras” please grab a chromebook as you come into the room. You are expected to use these for class activities and not for idle browsing/gaming. This will be monitored and addressed/punished as needed. You are also responsible for properly caring for the chromebooks and will be responsible for damages to chromebooks in your possession.
Google Classroom: All notes, assignments, etc. will be available on G.C. There will also be a basic weekly agenda for each unit posted here. This will be up-to-date with what we did each day. Check here if you miss school to see what you missed. I will update and adjust this throughout the week if changes are made.
Web Textbook: We don’t have a physical textbook. However, for more resources and practice, you can use the class website, which is designed for that purpose. Here you can find class theme, unit notes/lessons, vocab practice, other practice & explanations, etc.: That, obviously, is this site so you've found it :)
Homework Policy: All assignments are expected to be finished by their due date & time. If not otherwise specified, assume it’s by class time of the date due. If I make it due at 11:59 PM, that just means sometime that night (I won’t be checking until the morning, at the earliest). Typically, all assignments will be 10% off for each day late. However, if it is a pressing deadline or a habitual problem, I might be more severe based on the situation and requirement. Until turned in, an assignment will be treated as a 0 in the gradebook.
Tardy Policy: Be in the room before the tardy bell and find your seats when asked. If you fail to find a seat promptly, it could result in a tardy.
Sick/Other Circumstances: This will always depend on the situation. Check Google Classroom to see what you missed and stay in contact with me as needed about your situation.
Hall Visits: I keep track of hall visits. I may at my discretion start giving tardies if you have to go too frequently to your locker, bathroom, etc. and it is disrupting class time.
Discipline Procedure: Typically, I will give out a warning or two (verbal or non-verbal) in class before I do any further discipline (unless the action is too severe or is a chronic problem). After which, I will usually ask you to see me after class (doesn’t always mean you’re in trouble, FYI). I will assess from there whether further discipline (8th hour, parent call, etc.) is necessary. This order of events could change due to circumstances.