Spanish Class Procedures & Expectations

¡BIENVENIDOS A LA CLASE DE ESPAÑOL !
In this course you can improve your Spanish language skills, learn more about the cultures of Spanish-speakers and become a more creative thinker and problem-solver.
We will use Spanish as our primary language.
Behavior Expectations: El comportamiento apropiado:
Be Safe, Responsible, Respectful Que sea seguro; responsable, respetuoso

Classroom Procedures - El procedimiento del curso:
• Outline on the board –goals, page numbers, handouts, and announcements.
• Check my BLOG daily www.thurberbrown.blogspot.com – review homework, announcements, get links to practice websites.
• Want help? Most language learners need this from time to time – just make an appointment.
• I reward the class for maintaining Spanish as our class’ main language by occasionally dropping a marble into your class’ bottle. I remove one if English is used when I expect Spanish. The class can earn this back by restating the English in Spanish. Filled bottle= 30 minutes of games in Spanish.

Absences and Tardiness – I follow the school rules
• For any tardy, please sign in on the list by the door and take your seat without bringing attention to yourself. If you have a note, just place it in the envelope by the sign-in list.
• For an Excused Absence, (excused within 24 hrs of absence) you have the same number of calendar days absent plus 2 to complete the work.
• Family vacations or other events requiring you to miss more than two of days:
Please use the PREARRANGED ABSENCE FORM- MAKE-UP WORK NEEDS
TO BE ARRANGED NO LESS THAN 48 HOURS
IN ADVANCE TO BE ACCEPTED UPON YOUR RETURN. As this is an
every day (double-paced) skill-building course, extended absences make success
in this course extremely difficult.
Exception: Family Emergency – such as a hospitalization or death in the family.
• In-Class Performance points to be turned in within a week of the excused absence.
• Unexcused Absence = no make-up work for points accepted AND 90 minutes of ASD.
• Sick on a Project / Test day? A PARENT calls by 9 AM that day TO MY PHONE (503.431.5563).
• Be ready to pay me one of your extra points “Permiso de Pasillo” for any tardiness NOT excused by a staff member or by Dr’s appointment.
• At the 3rd unexcused tardy additional consequences begin:
3rd tardy = 30 minutes ASD, 4th tardy = 60 minutes ASD, 5thtardy = Referral

• USE YOUR STUDY BUDDIES – if absent or not: Contact information (home / cell / email)

1. ______________________________________________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________________________________________
4. Maestra 503.981.0073 (HM)/503.431.5563 (WK)/ cthurber@ ttsd.k12.or.us
Note: My home voice mail message says, “Ron and Catie Brown”

Grades – Notas

• I categorize the points you earn so you can track your progress in each skill area, and I weight these categories as components to your grade.
50% “Tests” = orals, projects, quizzes/tests
25% “Homework” = COMPLETED WELL BEFORE CLASS – as in at home.
25% In-class Performance = Prepared to participate well in class:
Is well-studied and does accurate work, has own materials everyday (text, paper, pencil/pen, work, etc), punctual, volunteers answers, on-task, adds a positive class environment.

• It is my goal to update grades every week, or two, for students and parents to verify the information and the student’s progress. You may always request a printout, if eSIS is not available to you.

• In-class performance points are earned daily. Please consult the additional handouts “Performance Grades” and “Make-up Opportunities for Oral Work”.

• Many tests have an extra credit built in, for items you’ve learned from the lesson. Also, bonus points may be earned with coupons won in games, contests as well as your unused “Permisos de Pasillos” (hall passes).

• Due to these additional points options, I DO NOT round up percentages in grades.
I limit the total number of extra points possible to 2% of the grand total of points
possible so that a grade reflects a student’s level of achievement in the course.

• Grades are calculated on the traditional percentages of:
A = 90% ▲; B = 80% - 89.99%; C= 70% - 79.99%; D = 60% - 69.99%

What Skills Do we Work on in this Class?
You have the opportunity to expand your Spanish in all of the four language skills:
Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing.
You will find your skills in these areas in English will be enhanced through your language study, too!

We work on these skills within the cultural context of the Spanish-speaking world by exploring everyday situations, authentic texts, music as well as special occasions and celebrations.

By the end of the course, the successful student will be able to function in unrehearsed situations at the following levels as outlined in the Oregon Second Language Content Standards/American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages:
Spanish I – Novice Low
Spanish II – Novice Mid
Spanish III – Novice High
Spanish IV – Intermediate Low
Spanish V – Intermediate Mid