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- What are Frau Weirich's 5 general classroom rules?
- What is Daily Language Practice?
- How would I lose points from the Daily Language Practice grade?
- How are grades determined?
- What is the TPRS method?
- What about extra credit?
- What will the final exam assessment be?
- What is the homework policy?
- What kinds of evaluations might be used?
- What defines cheating?
- Special Culture Days
- Field Trips
- Trips Abroad
- National German Honor Society
What are Frau Weirich's 5 general classroom rules? 1. Go to the lav at the very beginning of class. Set your books/
materials on your desk so that I know you are not absent, and
use the restroom as quickly as possible while I am taking
atten-
dance and talking with students as they prepare for class.
Please do not ask to go to the lav during the class unless it
is
a real emergency. It is disruptive/distracting, especially
since
instructions, concepts, and practice are missed and have to
be
reexplained, your dialog partner will not be able to
converse, etc.
You may also go at the end of class while students are
packing up.
If you abuse this policy, you will be penalized according to
the
MASH handbook.
2. Demonstrate the 6 Pillars of Character (see #2 below). Also,
only one
person speaks at a time unless the class is responding to TPR
stories or
told otherwise. Remember when English is permitted!!!
3. Participate in daily language practice (see #2 below).
Mistakes will be made - learn from them. The goals are: to be
understood by your teacher and classmates, to avoid using
English
in the classroom, and to demonstrate improvement with each
successive marking period in fluency, pronunciation, and the
application of new vocabulary/grammar concepts to new
situations
as well as incorporate what has been learned in previous
chapters.
4. Do not chew gum while you are in the classroom (Room 110).
Do not fiddle with make-up or comb your hair. Follow MASH
handbook rules, especially those regarding food/beverages.
5. If the teacher is talking, you should be listening!!
What is Daily Language Practice? Daily Language Practice
Learning a language takes practice, and the best practice is to
listen with
both ears and use the target language constantly. During class
is the best
time to �practice� German. There will be daily language practice
grades of 5
points each. During class, students are expected to do the
following items
that will help them acquire the language quickly and successfully.
1. Students need to complete gesturing and doing appropriate
movements
with the vocabulary and stories. Research shows that muscle
memory is
essential to long-term memory (meaning that previously
learned
words are expected to be remembered long after the
vocabulary has been
introduced and tested.)
2. German is to be spoken in class unless otherwise indicated,
such as
before the bell rings for class to begin, when handouts are
being
distributed, and the last 3 minutes of class when you are
preparing to
go to your next class.
3. Students must listen attentively, look at the person who is
speaking,
and sit properly to stay focused. Get regular sleep, eat
breakfast,
and come ready to learn.
4. Students must respond appropriately and demonstrate that they
are
listening and comprehending.
5. Students are expected to follow the 6 Pillars of Character.
1. Show respect: display good manners, use appropriate
language, be
tolerant of differences and learning styles,
treat others
with respect, and listen when the teacher and
others are
talking.
2. Act responsibly: bring your German notebook, writing
utensils, and
textbook (when required) to class, be ready to begin when the
bell rings,
check about make-up work immediately after an absence, be
self-
disciplined, and stay on task. Be honest, do quality work,
speak up if
you have concerns or needs, honor diversity and space, take
card of
the teacher's materails and things that belong to your
classmates.
Honor time: yours, mine, and ours - manage your time well.
3. Be caring: be kind, help others in need, and be courteous to
all.
4. Practice fairness: be open-minded and listen to others�
ideas, follow
the rules, and don�t blame others
carelessly.
5. Show trustworthiness: do your own work, be reliable, have
courage to do
the right thing, and think before you
act.
6. Display citizenship: do your share to make the school
better; respect
authority.
When students are off-task or not practicing their listening,
speaking,
reading, and writing skills in German, one point is deducted for
each
infraction every day. These points can be made up at the
discretion of the
teacher. Some ways to make up points include
� writing a 100-word essay/story in German incorporating the
current
vocabulary
� being a good actor/actress in one of the stories � this can
only be done
once per week for one make-up point.
� reading a children�s book or other materials selected by the
teacher and
writing either questions about it or a short summary.
� researching a cultural topic related to the vocabulary/topic
of the
chapter (approved by the teacher) and presenting it to the
class.
Students (who are not absent) who receive a 0 for the day are
required to
come in for a conference. If it happens again, parents are
notified. The
third time the student will be isolated, may have administrative
D.T., and
will not be allowed to make up any of the points. It is easy to
earn your
daily 5 points.
Absences are costly. If you are absent, you are not in class
practicing
your language skills. Naturally, some absences are unavoidable.
If you are
absent, you will lose all 5 points for the day unless you make up
the work
you missed. Please see Frau Weirich immediately upon your return
(stop by
before homeroom for a few seconds to find out what you missed.)
Work for
absences must be made up wthin two days of an absence, including
those for
being tardy. Come see her before homeroom on the day you return
to see what
classwork you missed, which you are expected to make up.
In addition, follow the homework syllabus for your class, which
can be found
on my website. Each is updated as needed. Refer to the MASH
handbook
regarding pre-arranged absences (and tests should be made up
immediately
upon your return or if you have been absent the day immediately
before the
test, make arrangements as negotiated between you and me. They
can be made
up before or after school so I can be there to clarify any
questions you may
have and also because many of the assessments are oral.
If you are absent on the day of the quiz or test, you should be
ready to
make it up on the day of your return. If you were absent the day
before the
test and missed the review, you will make up the test within two
days or as
negotiated with your teacher. Failure to do so will result in a
0.
NOTE: School policy requires that you submit your parental excuse
to the
atendance before homeroom of the day you return. Until I see
confirmation
of that slip, I am not allowed to record any grades for make-up
work of any
kind. If you do not bring in the slip on the day you return, you
still are
required to make up the work and fill out the pink office form
which says
you will receive the grade after the excuse is turned in within 3
days. If
you fail to bring your excuse to school after three days, you
will
automatically receive a zero for that evaluation/day's work.
Please don't
expect me to constantly remind you about what work you owe.
How would I lose points from the Daily Language Practice grade? Fractions include constantly speaking in English, consistenting
speaking out-
of-turn, distracting others, being totally unresponsive, not
retelling
stories or other partner activities, doing homework from another
class, not
following teacher orders, being disrespectful to others, not
being prepared,
any off-task behavior, including not listening. But MOST OF ALL,
I cannot
evaluate your German when you do not come prepared to class - you
should be
able to recall and know the English meanings of the vocabulary
words, be
able to use them in context, and be able to retell in your own
words the
little story which uses the vocabulary words. Every one has a
bad day now
and then, but when these actions frequently occur, they prevent
classmates
from learning in a low-stress atmosphere. (See the MASH handbook
re: student
expectations and the Code of Conduct). I can't evaluate you for
language
acquisition and use if you are not speaking the target language.
How are grades determined? The following categories are used for grading:
* homework
* classwork
* oral evaluations
* aural evaluations
* daily language practice
* writing assessments
* reading assessments
* in-class projects
Announced oral quizzes (about 10 minutes in length) and other
retell
evaluations occur about once a month and usually consist of the
chapter
stories, sometimes with the maxi-stories. These are listed with
the
homework assignments on the website. (See #5 re: frequency of
testing).
Announced, written vocabulary quizzes are given after the maxi-
stories (for
each section of the chapter � although some sections are
combined - there
are several mini-stories to learn the vocabulary, then a maxi-
story, and
when all the vocabulary for the whole chapter has been learned, a
chapter
story).
Tests follow the chapter story and include reading, writing,
listening, and
sometimes translation. These are listed with the homework
assignments on the
website. Quizzes and tests are announced well in advance and are
listed on
the homework assignment page for your respective level. You
receive formats
for all of them.
Rubrics are used for all assessments.
All graded materials are filed in Room 110 and can be viewed at a
mutual
time or signed out overnight. Also, parents, guidance counselors,
and others
who need to know more than just a grade will have access to
them. Plus, they
won't get lost, and if there is ever a question of whether I
entered it
correctly into my gradebook, the work will be there to refer to.
Your overall grade can be verified at any time on the website
under the icon
Grade Average (for your level) by entering your student number
without
the first 0. Your grade in the gradebook is updated after each
assessment,
but overall grades are posted at the end of school on Fridays. It
is a good
idea to keep track of your own grades. You will receive a written
student
report at interim time and at the end of each marking period.
What is the TPRS method? Levels I, II, and III will be learning new vocabulary and grammar
via Total Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling(TPRS). It is a
natural method
which simulates how people learn their first language and is
based on recent
brain research.
� TPRS emphasizes input rather than output, acquired language
rather than
contentious learning, and long-term memory. Instead of
learning long
vocabulary lists, students are introduced to 3-5 vocabulary
words at a
time which are used again and again in teacher-asked questions,
student
retelling of stories, and the used of higher level thinking
skills.
� Grammar is learned implicitly in context in Levels I and II;
it is
presented more formally in Levels III and IV.
� TPRS is compatible with all learning styles, multiple
intelligences, and
Bloom�s Taxonomy. Action-based communication and oral
proficiency are
emphasized.
� TPRS involves right-brain learning. This method will be used
in con-
junction with hands-on, left-brain activities for optimum
learning.
� Reading is VERY important. Studies show that regular free
voluntary
reading increases reading comprehension, vocabulary grammar,
and writing
skills.
Level I will begin with TPRS following 5 weeks of Total Physical
Response
(TPR). TPR forms the bridge between simple vocabulary
acquisition and
production of speech and writing. TPRS utilizes and expands
acquired
language by contextualizing it by having students hear, see, act
out,
retell, revise, and rewrite.
Levels II and III will also use TPR, but it will be used for
teaching
observable actions in the stories rather than taught as a series
of separate
units, while TPRS gesturing willl teach nouns, adjectives,
phrases abstract
words, etc.
Level IV learning involves more complex and formal grammar that
Level III,
elements of TPRS, reading of longer materials, and activities
with greater
imput from the students which synthesize the four basic learning
skills.
AP German is taught as a college course with some modifications.
What about extra credit? Students are assessed daily (although they may not always earn a
recorded grade)in a variety of ways, and feedback is immediate.
Quizzes and tests are returned the following day unless there are too many
absentees.
Extra credit is awarded only!! on assignments which demonstrate
outstanding creativity, extra effort initiated by the student in
an
assignment or on a test, application of the language outside of
the
classroom setting!! as well as via occasional vocabulary games.
No more
than 10 points of extra credit can be earned per quarter. Extra
credit
papers or projects are NOT available options.
Also, you will not receive any extra credit points if you have
incomplete
or missing work!!!!
What will the final exam assessment be? This alternate assessment will take place around the end of
April. It varies from year to year, depending on class size, level of
ability, etc., and will include all four skills areas in preparation for it
(most of which will be done in class), but the actual grade will be based on
oral
proficiency and the ability to communicate. It is worth 50% of
your final
exam grade.
What is the homework policy? Most homework consists of studying your daily vocabulary and
reviewing what was introduced or practiced in class each day. Written
assignments are brief and focus on a short drill of the day's concept focus.
However, the more writing a student does in the target language, the better a
speaker he/she will become. There is rarely written homework on Friday
(may occur
because of a snow day or some other schedule change). Written
homework must
be completed by the beginning of class for full credit (usually
one point
for every item). Incomplete work earns a zero. Homework completed
and turned
in at the next class will receive half credit. If you are paying
attention
in class, you will need to spend very little studying time
outside of
class.
Students are expected to keep their vocabulary notebooks and/or
flashcards
up-to-date and accurate!! There is a notebook check each marking
period.
What kinds of evaluations might be used? These include:
* oral/oral/listening comprehension assessments
* dictations and timed freewrites
* daily language practice (see #2 above)
* homework assignments
* classwork assignments
* quizzes (oral and written)
* tests (oral and written)
* final exam assessment project
* mini-projects
What defines cheating? A student should complete his/her own work. Cheating results in
a
zero for everyone involved. Some examples (but not all) are:
* copying homework or sharing your homework with someone who
wants to
copy it
* giving or receiving test information
* looking at someone else's quiz or test
* having identical or nearly identical sentences in compositions
(most writing of this kind will be done in class to avoid this)
* using a translation program (it is really noticeable because
they
are so poor in quality!! and use grammar you probably won't
have for
a long time!
Special Culture Days Once each year each class will take a class period sampling
German cuisine,
participating in various cultural activities and games, as well
as other
acitivities decided upon by the students which reflect the
cultures in
Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
German I: Winter Holidays (the week before Christmas)
German II: Oktoberfest, Day of Reunification, German-American
Day (Oktober)
German III: Fasching/Karneval (February)
German IV: Social situation of their choice - oral assessment
(April)
AP German: usually has dinner together at a local restaurant
Field Trips Field trips are rare.
German IV, AP German, and the National German Honor Society
travels with the
AP English classes to two of the Holocaust Museum, the Goethe Institue,the National Gallery, and/or the German-American Museum in the
a German restaurant.
Every two years students are invited to travel to Lancaster to
participate in Uwe Kind's interactive concert.
Every other year, if available, students from all levels may
travel to the
Uwe Kind German concerts, which are based on his singlingual
technique.
However, both trips are dependent on whether parental chaperones
are
available.
Sometimes the National German Honor Society plans a trip
exclusively for its
members, if there is enough interest. This also depends on
whether the
destination is approved by the administration and/or the school
board.
Handbook rules apply while on such educational trips.
Trips Abroad In the past, these trips occurred about every two years. When
there is enough interest, a trip is planned.
National German Honor Society Elegibility requirements can be found under the German at MASH
icon.
Members meet and plan activities on the last Thursday of every
month (except
November and December - when an laternate date is announced) at
7:25 a.m. -7:45 a.m.in Room 110.
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