Niagara Falls High School

Dictionary- wordreference.com or a paper dictionary should only be used

 Technology- Laptops are available for in class use. 

*Phones are only allowed when directed by me. Phones are to be silenced and put away. They are not allowed during instructional and classwork time. 

Respect

*Support each other

*Follow class and school-wide rules

*Arrive on time and start your work

 Preparation

*Bring all materials to class

*Actively participate in group and full class activities

*Limit hall pass use to emergencies only- Be certain to use Spanish when you ask

*Keep food or beverage in your locker for lunchtime to enjoy later

 Materials:

• 3 ring notebook with plenty of paper
• Composition notebook
• blue/ or black pen/pencil & markers
• 3x 5 cards
• Glue stick or bottle

Learning another language:

I have often said that learning another language is just like building a house. In order to have a well-built house, a solid foundation needs to be constructed. I am sure you have read the Three Little Pigs and agree that the brick house was best.  I can help your child build up a strong foundation which might possibly lead to building a skyscraper that reaches into the stars. With this type of learning requires hard work and dedication all of which can be achieved. Remember, I believe your child can achieve whatever he or she chooses and I will expect that your child is ready and dedicated to this task of building the foundation of another language. 

Acquiring another language is not an easy task, nor will it happen overnight, but I will help your child build the foundation needed.  Our main goal is to build upon previous learning, and allow a new language to develop while learning about the impact of Hispanic history and culture. Your child will build his or her knowledge base in this class and the output is generated by the input. SE HABLA ESPAÑOL AQUI.  Meaning, Spanish is spoken here. your child will get out of the class what he or she puts into it. Any distractions or interruptions will interfere with learning.

This Spanish class is proficiency based. We will speak Spanish.

STUDENT EXPECTATIONS

Work Policy:

Homework will be used as a learning tool and is a major requirement for this course.  Assignments will be given at least two times a week.  Please give full attention to these assignments and follow the format given.  Failure to comply with neat written homework in blue, black pen or pencil will result in re-doing the assignment and points deducted. Homework usually is worth more than a quiz or a test in Spanish class.  Homework should not take more than 20 minutes to complete.

Classwork is essential to foreign language acquisition. Time is valuable. We will use this time to listen, read, write and speak in the foreign language. YES- YOU WILL SPEAK in SPANISH. It is a NYS requirement, not an option. We will work in pairs, groups, or individually to accomplish these tasks.

 Missing assignments will lower an average and Late Homework is generally NOT accepted without penalty.

 My class rules:

1. No gum, candy, food of any kind in class. This includes all beverages.
2. Cell phones and or any electronic devices are allowed by my request. (see above) Please be advised that there is a cell phone area for storage in my room. It is not a charging station. I am NOT responsible for any lost or damaged phone items. If you bring your phone to class, it goes in the designated area and silenced.  
3. Headphones/ earbuds: These are not allowed. They are not a requirement for the class. Please do not bring them.
4. Be on time for class ready to work.  This means that all notebooks, paper, homework and pen or pencil are brought to class.
5. Be respectful. Do not disrupt the learning environment.  Yelling out answers is not acceptable.  Please raise your hand.  Any other type of behavior that interferes with learning will not be tolerated.
6. Be open to learning new customs and cultures and speak Spanish!  This means that you will participate in Spanish.  It may seem funny to you, but that is okay. Like anything, learning another language takes time and patience.
7. Most importantly, be kind to everyone.

Consequences for rule violation:

1. Verbal warning.
2. Referral, conference with me and phone call home.
3. Referral, conference with the dean and parent conference.

* If at any point your behavior is severe, Dean will be called. 

**Be advised, any violation of class rules will lower your average.

 Tests & Quizzes, Class Participation, Projects:

I grade on a total number of points. If you do not do your work for my class, you will not receive a high number grade. Everything you do matters in this class speaking, listening, reading, writing, homework, participation, etc. Homework can count for a higher grade than a test or a quiz. We have at least one project every 10 weeks. You will be asked to do a presentation for the class for your speaking grade this will be in conjunction with your class project.

Ex. Your points- 1378 out of 1650 points works out to be an 84%- Extra Credit can add points, so grab every opportunity! You can raise it easily from an 84% to an 86%! It is easy to do~!!!

 COMPOSITION NOTEBOOK**

We will be creating student journals. Students will take these self-created books with them to indicate their academic and personal growth in the class. They will be graded.  This will be your Spanish writing journal not your regular notebook. These will be kept in the classroom. They are a good indication of your path to proficiency in Spanish. You will be required to write and then speak about a pet, favorite pastime, daily routine, favorite sport, etc.  These are a few items we will write about this year in Spanish 2. Spanish 1 will write about other topics such as clothing, holidays, family, etc.