Español IV
Animas High School
2012 - Semestre I - Syllabus & Grading Policies
Profesora: Becca
Katz
Correo eletrónico:
beccakatz.teacher@gmail.com
Sitio web for daily updates:
http://spanish4ahs.blogspot.com/
Sitio web for homework, handouts, notes from class etc.:
https://sites.google.com/site/ahsspanish20122013/espanol-4-files
Horario de consulta (office hours): martes (Tuesday) 3:15-4:15, jueves
(Thursday) 3:15-4:15 o pide una cita (ask for an appointment)
Goals for Español IV at AHS
1.
For you to
be excited about learning Spanish.
2. For you to
develop your ability to communicate in Spanish.
3. For you to
explore other cultures thereby broadening your worldview.
4. For you to
become independent learners who are passionate about the pursuit of knowledge.
The most essential aspect of this course is
language SKILLS. First and foremost, we will
practice the four major
linguistic skills: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. We will also
study grammar and vocabulary to enhance your skills, but the primary focus is
on your SKILL development. By the end of
Spanish IV you will have:
- Furthered your ability to speak, write, read,
and listen in Spanish.
- Furthered your knowledge of grammar and
vocabulary AND your ability to APPLY that grammar and vocabulary through
reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
LET IT BE MADE CLEAR: You are in
a SPANISH 4 elective class. THE
EXPECTATION IS THAT WE WILL USE ESPANOL 100% DEL TIEMPO. IF YOU
CHOOSE TO SPEAK/WRITE IN ENGLISH, IT WILL HARM YOUR SPEAKING GRADE IN THE CLASS (see grading policies for more
detail). If you have questions that can't be answered in SPANISH in class, you
will have to come to office hours or set up an appointment with Becca.
Explicit language goals stated – the beauty of language is that it is a
gateway to experiencing, understanding, and appreciating different
cultures.
Projects
First semester, we will do one project all semester. This
project is called: "Explorando lo polémico" (Exploring the polemic). In this project, we will examine a variety of
controversial cultural issues and learn about how we view and how other cultures view those topics. After a few weeks of me
planning the topics, you will group up and choose a topic to explore and lead
the class for a week. Toward the end of the semester, we will examine the DREAM
ACT, a controversial immigration act geared toward undocumented youth. Given
the nature of this project, we will use all four linguistic skills every week.
What does our class period look like?
As a rule, each class period will
focus predominantly on a specific skill and the development of that skill
through the use of the stated cultural focus for that week. That said, skills
are often integrated so we will frequently do both writing and speaking in one
class period.
Las
Notas (Grades)
*Please see “grading policies” for more detailed information on
assessments, projects, homework, tests, and late work policies.
- Linguistic Skills 70%
- Grammar/vocabulary Standards 20%
- Projects 10% (Projects are actually worth more than 10%, but project grades will MOSTLY fall into the linguistic skills/standards grades. This 10% is for aspects of projects that don't exemplify specific Spanish skills/standards such as presentation quality, refinement of an art piece, etc).
Grading/Class Policies
Participation
There is
no explicit participation grade AND your positive participation IS required. My
expectation is that you participate in class everyday. I am aware that people
have "off" days and "on" days. If I notice you having more
"off" days than "on", I will likely talk to you and check
in to make sure everything is ok. If you have an "off" day once in
awhile, I will just let it go. Please also feel encouraged to approach me and
let me know if you think you're going to be having an off day for a specific
reason. It can help a lot to know.
*Occasionally there will be a participation grade associated
with a given activity in class -- it will most often be channeled into a
"speaking" grade.
Grammar/Vocabulary
Standards (20%)
Your content knowledge of grammar and vocabulary will be
evaluated in short, quiz-like assessments on specific standards (sometimes involving
integrated skills) worth 10 points. During the course of the semester, we will
generally have an assessment each week. You can reassess up to 3 times on a
given standard. I will also regularly reassess you on "old"
standards. The scores on your assessments will be averaged and will account for
20% of your final semester grade.
If you would like to reassess, you MUST follow this procedure. Email Becca with a polite
request by 9pm on the Tuesday prior to the Thursday on which you would like to
reassess. Your email should contain the following items:
1. Which
standard (name) you would like to reassess.
2. A reason
justifying WHY you think you will do better on the reassessment.
3. When you
plan to take the reassessment: during Spanish Help SIG on Thursday or during
office hours on Thursday.
My grade book will always reflect your most recent scores on
standards. ****PLEASE NOTE: I will
regularly reassess standards that we
have previously tested. If you score worse than you did previously, your score
will go down. In that way, I am testing both your mastery of a standard AND
your ability to retain that mastery.****
But remember, if you don't like your current score, you can practice that
standard and then initiative a reassessment on it to demonstrate your
new/renewed understanding.
Linguistic
Skills (reading, writing, listening, & speaking - 70%)
You will be graded on your ability understand and
communicate in Spanish. As such, you will be regularly evaluated (through
in-class activities, projects, and assessments designed to address specific
skills progress) on your ability to communicate in the four modes: reading,
writing, listening, and speaking.
The use of English is strictly prohibited. If you use
English, you will lose your speaking point for the day. The only exception to
this rule is a real emergency, in which case you are permitted to use English.
There are no opportunities to redeem your daily speaking point once lost.
Projects
(10%)
Generally your project grades will be sorted into the
corresponding linguistic skill or grammar/vocabulary standard areas. There are aspects
of projects that don't "fit" those categories, such as the refinement
process on a piece of writing. Those exceptions will fall into this
"project" grade.
La Tarea (Homework) - Optional and Required
Optional Homework
Most nights you will have short optional
homework (typically related to grammar & vocabulary). This homework is
highly encouraged, though not required*.
We will devote time in class to addressing any questions and clarifying areas
of confusion about the optional homework. You will know homework is optional
because I will tell you and indicate that it is optional with an "O"
on the homework board in my classroom. As an additional incentive to do
the optional homework, I will reward you with +1 point (up to a total grade of
10/10) on a given standard if you have done all
of the homework on that topic.
*If it is determined that you are struggling with grammar and vocabulary
acquisition, homework may become required for you. Similarly, if you think you
would benefit from required homework, please see me and we can make that
arrangement. If homework becomes required for you, your grammar/vocabulary
standards grade will be worth 15% instead of 20%.
Required Homework
Sometimes you will have required
homework to set you up for work in class or to move forward on projects. This
homework will typically involve short readings or written reflections. You will
know when homework is required because I will tell you and indicate that it is
required with an "R" on the homework board in my classroom.
Homework, even required homework, is not graded. The idea is
that you complete homework to be successful in the course as a whole. Required
homework is the work you MUST do to be successful in meeting the course
objectives and the optional homework is work you might need to do to be successful in meeting the course objectives.
Extensions
As long as you give me 20+ hours of advanced warning, I will
generally grant you an extension. Just talk to me. Asking for an extension with
fewer than 20 hours until the assignment is due (except in the case of
emergencies) will be viewed as lack of preparedness/time management on your
part and thus you will trigger the late policy. Please note that sometimes I
cannot grant an extension because I need you to have something ready for an
in-class activity.
Absences
If you are absent, please go to my two DPs -- the Spanish 4
blogger site to check what happened that day in class, and the Spanish 4 google
site to get any handouts, notes, worksheets, etc. Please ask 3 classmates if
you are unclear about what happened when you are absent, then see me during
office hours. If you are absent here's what happens to work:
- Project deadlines stay the same. These are longer-term deadlines and you will know about them in your absence. If you cannot meet one due to extenuating circumstances, please see me.
- Required homework is due the day after you return to school. If you cannot get it done by the next day, please see me.
- When in doubt, please see me to maintain open communication about expectations.
Late Work
If you turn in project work or required homework late
without an absence/extension, it will lose 20% of its value for each day late
until it is worth 0%. Even if an assignment is worth 0% (i.e. it's 5 days late)
you MUST turn it in to get a grade for Spanish each semester. In other words,
you CANNOT complete Spanish class without turning in ALL of your required work.
Materiales necesarios (Required materials)
Please come to class EVERY day with the following items:
- lap-top computer
- writing utensils (blue/black pen, pencil)
- A 3-ring binder w/ loose-leaf paper & 6 dividers labeled: el vocabulario, la gramática, las competencias, los trabajos, las evaluaciones, otro
- A positive mental attitude
- A dry-erase marker (You can leave this in my classroom with your name on it)
HERRAMIENTAS PARA LA
CLASE Y LA VIDA (TOOLS FOR CLASS AND LIFE) – THE HABITS OF THE HEART AND MIND
1. Perspective – Have a point of view; respect and understand the points of
view of others. Take a stand, but
be willing to listen to other ideas than your own.
2. Advocacy – When you need help, or when you don’t understand, ask
questions. When you can’t connect
to a project, schedule a meeting with a teacher. Advocate for yourself, for your classmates, for your community,
for your planet.
3. Perseverance – Don’t give up. Learn to work through difficulty.
4. Evidence – Use it to back up your perspective. Require it from others who make
claims. Make decisions based on
it.
5. Refinement – Take pride in everything you do in class and make it
beautiful, whether you are reading, writing, speaking, or creating.
Las reglas universales
(UNIVERSAL SCHOOL RULES)
The following are in
place to ensure a respectful and safe learning environment. Violation of these rules will result in
your helping in various school and classroom improvement activities.
1.
No swearing.
2.
No listening to
music anywhere in the building without instructor permission. Wearing headphones around your neck is
considered the same as listening to music.
3.
Follow the
fashion guide while at school.
4.
No chewing gum.
5.
No inappropriate
use of technology.
6.
Refrain from
behavior that could break one of the low hanging sprinkler heads in a classroom
(throwing objects, swinging swords around, etc.)
Las reglas de Becca
(Becca's rules)
1.
Cell phone use
is forbidden at all times. If you are found using a cell phone, your phone will
be confiscated and you will pick it up at the end of the day. A subsequent
offense will result in your parents having to pick up your phone at my convenience.
2.
You may
eat/drink in class. Any drink must have a lid on it. No food or drink may be
within 3 feet of computers. Clean up after yourself! As soon as I find
crumbs on desks, garbage on the floor, or any other adverse evidence of your
food/beverage consumption, I will no longer allow you (or anyone else) to have
food/beverages in the classroom.
3.
The use of
babelfish, google translate, or any other translation device is PROHIBITED and
will be considered cheating. The only
program you should be using for looking up words online is wordreference.
If I suspect the use of these programs, I will take the issue up immediately
with Jake and/or Michael.
4.
Please don't
wear headphones (even around your neck) in my classroom except during
independent work time. I will let you know when that is, or you can ask.
No comments:
Post a Comment