Señora Uceda

SPANISH 1A COURSE INFORMATION

Teacher:     Señora Uceda

                   B. A.  Spanish & English   Stephen F. Austin

                   M. A.  Spanish                  Texas A & M

Web Site:    teacherweb.com/TX/FriendswoodJrHigh/Uceda/

E-mail:        duceda@fisdk12.net

Conference: 5^th Period

Tutorials:   Tuesdays & Thursdays at 8:00am or by appointment

Textbook:  Buen Viaje (Glencoe)

Course Objectives:  Students of Spanish are expected to develop the four language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing as well as an appreciation of Hispanic culture. 

Course Prerequisites:  A student must hold an 85 or above average in 6^th grade Language Arts and have passed the reading section of the TAKS exam in order to qualify for enrollment in a Junior High Foreign Language course.

High School Credit: The minimum requirement to receive the high school foreign language credit is to maintain a 70 in  both 7^th and 8^th  grade Spanish.  However, the jr. high foreign language department recommends proceeding to level 2 Spanish at the high school only if the students maintains an average of 80 or above. If a student does not meet the requirement to continue in the Jr. High program, he or she may take Level 1 Spanish at the High School and will be given the opportunity to receive the credit in one year, rather than two.  Two credits are required for graduation, and three credits are required for the recommended graduation plan. In order to comply with the High School's policy regarding high school foreign language credit, students must maintain at least a 70 average in the first semester of 7th grade in order to remain in Spanish class during the spring semester. Students with an average of below 70 at the end of the fall semester will be placed in an alternative elective for the second semester.

Attendance Policy:  State law requires that a student be in attendance at least 90% of the time that a class is offered.  If a student does not meet the attendance requirement, credit will be denied.  Every 3 tardies that a student accrues to a class will be recorded as an absence when determining final exemptions and denial of credit.  Students who are more than 10 minutes late to any one class will be considered absent.

Classroom Rules: 

1. Be seated, quiet, and ready when the bell rings.
2. Listen, pay attention, and participate in class.
3. Stay in your seat and on task until the bell rings.
4. Respect classmates and their possessions.
5. Follow standard classroom procedures.

Consequences for violation of rules:

1.  Written Warning

2.  Written Warning

3.  Write me a letter of apology (50 words; due the next day or room restriction assigned)

4.  Morning room restriction / Parent Notification

      *If you fail to attend your room restriction with me, it will be referred to the office.

5.  Office referral

***Other logical consequences may be applied to specific situations.

***Student may be sent immediately to the office for severely disruptive behavior.

***Violation of school policies has its own specific consequences.

"Firmas":  "Firma" means "sign."  If I say this to you, it means that you have broken one of the above rules and must fill out and sign a sheet indicating which rule you have broken.

Pesos:  Pesos are awarded to individuals for class participation.

            1.  Pesos will never be given to someone who asks for one.

            2.  No bumming pesos from other people!

            3.  You may use pesos on your test grades. (1 peso = 1 point)

            4.  Only 5 pesos may be used on a grade at a time.

5.  Use all of your pesos by the end of the nine weeks.  The color will change 2^nd quarter.                   

Beginning Class: 

1) Enter class in an orderly manner and greet me in Spanish.

2) Go to your assigned seat.

3) Read the objectives for the day and pull out your necessary materials.

4) Get out your notebook, copy down the day and datein Spanish, and get ready to take notes.

5) Class greeting / “Good Things”

6) "Cinco Minutos de Silencio":  Quietly copy the notes from the overhead.  DO NOT TALK DURING THIS TIME!!!

Grades:    Tests & Projects = 40%                  

                Quizzes = 20%

                Participation & Daily = 25%

                Homework = 15%

Tests:  There will be written, speaking, and spiral exams.  Written exams will always be announced several days in advance, and students will be given a study guide.  If you miss class on the day of a test, expect to take it during class the day you return.  If the test has a listening section, you will have to come in during morning tutorials to complete it.  If you do not come in during the scheduled time and do not make other arrangements with me within 2 days of returning, your test will be graded with the answers on the listening section marked wrong.  If you miss a test and are absent the next class meeting as well, you have 2 days to make arrangements to make up the whole test before or after school.  Points will be deducted from your test after two days. Until you make up a test, your test grade is a zero.

Quizzes:  All quizzes are timed and many are unannounced (“pop quizzes”).  If you miss a quiz, you will receive the grade that you make on that particular section of the next test.

Spiral Exams:  You will be required to bring a notebook to this class everyday and copy notes into it at the beginning of each class.  You will have spiral tests in which you will have to locate notes using the date.  These tests are timed and are pop unannounced.  If you are absent, you are responsible for getting the notes from me or from someone else in the class. 

Make Up Work:  If you are absent, assume that we did something for a grade and you have a zero.  You have 2 days to make up the work that you missed.  Until you make up the work, your grade is a zero.

Homework:  I expect homework to be done before you walk into the classroom the next day.  If it is not complete (INCLUDING HEADING) when I pick it up, it is late.

Late Work:  30 points deducted for late work; must be turned in by the end of the unit.

Participation:  You will get 2 general participation grades each quarter and will start off with a grade of 100 for each.  In order to maintain that grade, you are expected to do the following:  be prepared for class, follow classroom rules, SPEAK SPANISH in class, sing, and volunteer.  Each mark that you receive in the “negative column” of my participation chart will result in a 5 point deduction of your participation grade.

Flashcards:  Flashcards should be cut out and on your desk when the bell rings.  Flashcards will not be accepted the day after they are due.  If you do not have your flashcards, you are still expected to participate with someone who has theirs. 

Extra Credit:  I do not give individual extra credit assignments.  If extra credit is offered, it will be offered to the entire class.  I believe that it is better to focus diligently on the required work rather than to rely on extra credit to obtain your desired average.