Colegio Episcopal de San Esteban
Año Academico 2006-2006
Español III

¡Bienvenidos a esta clase! The third year Spanish class is a very important step in your journey toward achieving proficiency this language. There are a lot of things to remember at the beginning of a school year, so I've prepared the following list of ground rules and expectations which will guide us this year, and which you can refer back to later.

1. In order to be a member of this class. You can be in this class only if you were at St. Stephen's last year and did satisfactory work in Spanish II, or if you took the placement test and placed into Spanish III.

2. The official language of this class is Spanish. During class time, the teacher doesn't speak English (except today!) And after class, he also prefers to speak Spanish with his students. ¡Haga el esfuerzo! I hope you will form the habit of speaking to him in Spanish from the start...today!

3. The grading system. This is explained in detail in the Student Handbook. The Spanish Department grading policy for marking periods is as follows:

A. Marking Period
Tests = 50%
Quizzes = 35%
(Class Participation
(Homework,
(Assignments &
(Projects = 15%
Marking Period Grade 100%

B. Fall and Spring Terms
Marking Period Grade X 2, + Final Exam Grade / 3 = Term Grade
(in other words, the term exam counts 33% of the final term grade. There is an exam in the Fall and Spring terms but not in the Winter.)

4. Attendance and tardiness. This is also explained in the Student Handbook. You should read these pages and familiarize yourself with them. Please note that a tardy turns into an absence after ten minutes.

5. Tests and Quizzes. In this class there are frequent 20-25 minute quizzes on the material covered during the previous week. Besides the term exam there will be periodic 45-minute tests. The dates for these are also listed on the homework assignment sheets. During tests, students are not permitted to leave the room to go to the bathroom or to drink water.

NOTE: Students who miss a quiz or an test due to unexcused absence will receive a grade of zero. If the absence is excused, the student will have a week in which to make up the test or quiz. It is the student’s responsibility to reschedule make-up tests and quizzes. If he or she does not meet this deadline, the maximum grade they can make on the test or quiz becomes 80%. If the student misses the second opportunity, the grade becomes zero.

6. Class Participation. In Spanish classes at St. Stephen's, participation is not just encouraged, it is required. Every student should participate actively in the class process every day, and the student's grade will be determined in part by the degree to which s/he participates. See # 3 above. One cannot participate without a textbook and/or workbook. A student will be counted as tardy if s/he forgets to bring these basic tools to class and has to return to a locker or dorm room to get them.

7. Homework. Homework must be done before class and the teacher will collect or check it at the beginning of the hour. Homework is not only a requirement but a fundamental part of the learning process. The student who doesn't do the assignment for the day is not prepared to participate in class; the progress of the whole class suffers as a consequence. When a student doesn't do his or her homework s/he receives a zero. It cannot be turned in later. When a student misses class for any reason, s/he is still responsible for the homework of the day on which they return to class. The syllabus for this class (Section 1 or 3, be sure to check) can be found online in the Spanish III section of my website:

http://spartans.sstx.org/~rlewis/

8. Academic honesty. See the section entitled "Honor" in the Student Handbook, and part III, "Scholastic Honesty" on the sheet "Academic Policies of the Modern Languages Department at St. Stephen's Episcopal School".

9. Class Behavior. In order to do the work we have before us, we will need the cooperation of all the students in the class. Noise or unnecessary interruptions will not be permitted by the instructor, nor will impolite behavior, whether directed toward the teacher or toward other students.

Los cinco mandamientos en clase.

--> no mascar chicle en ningún momento.

--> no prepararse para salir antes de que yo diga.

--> no ir al baño durante pruebas y exámenes.

--> no usar télefonos móviles.

--> no traer comida o bebidas (menos agua).

10. Conferences. If a student begins to experience difficulties (that is, when s/he doesn't maintain a class average of "P" or higher), s/he will be required to meet with the teacher once a week in order to discuss problem areas and questions. If the student doesn't come to this conference, the absence is counted the same as a class absence.

Finally, and in spite of these serious thoughts...your instructor has high hopes that you all will have an exceptional year in your study of Spanish, and that you are going to make great progress in your knowledge and skill in communicating in the second language of the U.S. and one of the most important in today's world!

¡BUENA SUERTE A TODOS!