Jalen Rose Leadership Academy

Enter a Learner, Exit a Leader

Summer Program

Señor Ashlin Kneeland

503-619-7751

Spanish 1 2015-2016

Course Description: In this course, our goal will be to acquire Spanish language. “Acquiring” a language is very different than “learning” a language. Acquiring is something that happens to you instead of something that you make happen. When you learned how to speak your first language, you acquired it naturally by listening to other people speak it around you for a long time; not by studying it. Therefore, almost all of our class time will be spent using Spanish--not using English to talk about Spanish--and the focus will be on listening and reading instead of speaking and writing. Those skills will come naturally as you take in more and more Spanish by listening and reading, but they will not be a major focus of the course. This Spanish course is a Comprehensible Input Spanish course, and we will use methods and strategies that are based on Dr. Stephen Krashen’s Input Hypothesis. In particular, we will use the TPRS (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling) method of language instruction that was developed by Blaine Ray and based on the work of Dr. James Asher.

We will focus our class time on the acquisition of high frequency structures (the most frequently used words in a language); between three and six new target structures each week. (You will learn more than this, but you will only assessed on the target structures.) We will use these structures in class discussions, stories, and cultural explorations, and you will be expected to recognize them when you read or hear them and, in time, be able to produce them in speech and writing. Before the year ends, you will read the novel Agentes secretos y el mural de Picasso, by Mira Canion, and possibly the novel Esperanza, by Carol Gaab.

Materials Needed:

  • 1 Notebook
  • 1 binder
  • Blue or black ink pen
  • #2 Pencil

Classroom Expectations

The material you will be learning is vitally important to your success at JRLA and beyond. It will prepare you for college and give you some of the tools you need to take care of yourself and the people you love. Thus, 100% of students must abide by the following expectations 100% of the time. If you violate any of the following expectations you will receive the appropriate demerits and/or loss of workplace points.

  1. Follow directions the first time they are given.
  2. Be present and punctual. You need to be in class, with all necessary supplies and in proper dress code, seated and working on your Do Now when the bell rings.
  3. Be respectful. Respect yourself, respect one another, respect Profe Kneeland, and respect this place. Inappropriate or hurtful language, vandalism, and disrespect will not be tolerated.
  4. Keep hands, feet and objects to yourself.
  5. Follow all JRLA Rules and Guidelines outlined in the Student Code of Conduct.

Classroom Consequences

  • A warning, either verbal or non-verbal. When I give you a warning, I may not say “that is a warning,” I may just say your name, or ask you to stop doing something. I also may just look at you and gesture that you stop doing something.
  • Loss of workplace point: The second time I have to address you about violating expectations you will lose a workplace point.
  • Defiance: If you continue to violate expectations a third time you will receive a demerit and Profe Kneeland will call home at this point.
  • Disciplinary removal: It is my hope we will NEVER get to this point. However, if we do, you will immediately be removed from class and lose your remaining workplace points for the day, as well as miss out on any work for the rest of that day. You will also receive four demerits, and Friday detention.

Notes: You will receive five workplace points a day. This is a category that all of you should get 100% in. The points are yours to lose.

Grading Policy

First and foremost, EVERYTHING WE DO IN THIS CLASS IS FOR A GRADE. My purpose is to make sure you have the knowledge, not just the grades. Simply put, you will not get grades just by showing up. In order to get an A, you will participate and give 100% of your effort at all times. There will be two different types of work. Some work you will receive credit for giving you best effort, and some work will be graded based on correctness.

Below, you can see how your grade will be calculated:

Process Grades:

Classwork: 20% of final grade

Homework: 17.5 % of final grade

Product Grades:

Assessments/ Quizzes/ Projects: 37.5% of final grade

Workplace Skills (100 points per quarter): 10% of final grade

Final Exam: 15% of final grade

Attendance and discipline

  • Scholars will be dropped from the class after their third absence.
  • A tardy in excess of 15 minutes is considered an absence.
  • Disciplinary removal is NOT considered an absence.
  • Demerits and Detentions
  • Scholars must serve all detentions earned.
  • Detention Slips will be passed out on Thursdays and served on Fridays.
  • Scholars who earn more than FOUR detentions during Summer School will be dropped from all their classes and will not be promoted.

Contact Policy

I will be keeping in touch with you and your families so that we can work together to help you achieve the most you can this year in Literature. I check my email daily and I will respond within 48 hours (usually immediately).

I have an open door policy with both my classroom and my cell phone. If you ever need help on homework or anything else, please feel free to call me. However, please remember that I am your teacher. I am trusting you with my cell phone number; do not disrespect me. Please see the first page for my contact information.

Procedures:

The Story Asking:

STORYASKING Storyasking is a form of storytelling in which the storyteller (in this case, the teacher) doesn’t know what will happen in the story, and so she asks the audience what they want to happen at different points in the story. Therefore, the teacher is not telling the story to the students; she is asking them what happens, and they decide.

In each storyasking session, we will have several target vocabulary terms that we must acquire and therefore include in the story. Our goal is to repeat those terms over and over and over. For example, “dog,” “eats,” and “dances.” The story could be about a dog that goes on a cruise and eats and dances every night. Or maybe the dog eats a huge piece of cake and dances off the calories at a discoteque in Paris. It’s whatever the class decides.

Research shows that a word does not become a permanent part of our vocabulary until we have heard or seen it 70-150 times. In order to get those repetitions, I will be asking really dumb, obvious, silly questions about the story over, and over, and over. I will ask so many dumb, obvious, silly questions that you will want to poke your eyes out. That’s why we have to make sure that the stories we create are FUNNY and CREATIVE, so that we don’t get super bored while we try to get in all of the repetitions we need.

The most important thing in storyasking is that you ALWAYS understand what I am saying: you cannot learn what I’m saying unless you understand what I’m saying. If you ever get confused, all you need to do is (1) make the confused gesture (make a fist and put it in your other hand) or (2) ask me in Spanish to clarify. When that happens, I will either explain it differently in Spanish or write it on the board in English. I will do my best to make sure that you understand me, but sometimes I won’t see that you’re confused, so you need to be your own advocate and let me know! Class will be fun sometimes, sometimes not—this is a rigorous academic elective class. I want you to be involved and engaged in class, but not necessarily entertained all of the time.

Rules for Storyasking

1. Listen with the intent to understand

2. Suggest funny answers to questions

3. One person speaks, everyone else listens

4. Sit up straight with squared shoulders and clear eyes

5. Speak Spanish, not English!

6. Use the hand-in-fist gesture to show you don’t understand

7. Actors match actions with the story

Other Classroom Procedures

  1. Attendance: The JRLA attendance policy is my policy. All students are expected to be in class each day, and arrive on time. To be early is to be on time, to be on time is to be late, and to be late is completely unacceptable.
  1. Attention: The ONLY appropriate way to get my attention in class is to raise your hand. I will not acknowledge anything other than a raised hand unless otherwise specified. Also, my name is ‘ProfeKneeland’. I will only respond to this
  1. Cell Phone Usage: The JRLA cell phone policy is my policy. ANY visible cell phone, iPod, iPad, PSPs, or headphones, whether in use or not, will result in 4 demerits and confiscation. A parent or guardian will have to retrieve it from Mr. Harris. No cell phones. Ever.
  1. Cheating: The JRLA academic dishonesty policy is my policy. Any evidence of cheating will result in 4 demerits, failing grades, and Friday detentions for ALL parties involved. During independent work and tests, there is NO talking, no excuses and no exceptions. If you need anything, raise your hand, and I will come to you. Do not tell me anything without raising your hand and waiting for me to come over to you. Once I have passed out a test, do not talk at any time for any reason. Do not jeopardize your grade by talking.
  1. Dismissal: Class does not end when the bell rings, it ends when I dismiss you. I will do so when all supplies are in the designated location and students are in their seats. No student may leave their seat until ProfeKneeland gives them approval to do so. Please note that consequences await those who feel this does not apply to them.
  1. Food: While I understand that classes are long and you might get hungry during class, you may not have food or non-water beverages in the classroom unless provided by Profe Kneeland. Food will result in a minimum of 2 demerits, per the JRLA SCC.
  1. Group work: We will frequently work in groups to complete class work. We will have several types of group work, and you are expected to get in your group quietly and get to work. Once in your group, you should be working cooperatively and productively.
  1. Homework: Homework is not optional. The easiest way to get an A or B in this class is to complete all home and class work assigned. Not understanding the homework is not an excuse for not completing it. If you miss a homework assignment, you must attend Wall Street and complete it. I am available before school, during lunch, and after school to answer any questions and to provide more explanation for assignments. You may also contact me via phone call or text message if you have questions or get stuck.
  1. Make-up work: You may only make up missed work if your absence is excused by JRLA. It is YOUR responsibility to seek me for make up work and to make arrangements for deadlines to submit. Be responsible.
  1. Movement in the classroom: You should not be out of your seat for any reason during class time unless I have given you permission to get up. If you need permission to get up, you may use the appropriate signal.
  1. Parent/guardian contact: It is important for parents and guardians to be briefed on your progress in this class, therefore I will regularly call your parents/guardians to be sure they are knowledgeable of your progress. Your parents and guardians will also have my contact info and may contact me at any time.
  1. Profanity/swearing: Foul language or swearing of any sort is completely unacceptable in our space. Using profanity is disrespectful to yourself and others around you. Use of profanity will result in a minimum of 3 demerits.
  1. Restroom: The expectation of our class is to develop habits that allow you to be in class for the entire 90 minute period. In the event of an emergency, you are required to raise your hand and request to use the bathroom. You must wait until a break in instruction, so that a Hallway Ambassador may be called. Excessive usage of the bathroom will result in a loss of this privilege.
  1. Tardies: To be early is to be on time. To be on time is to be late. To be late is completely unacceptable and will result in demerits per the JRLA SCC. See my tardy policy above for more information.
  1. Writing Utensils: You are expected to bring a writing utensil to class every day. Should you forget a pen or pencil, you may use the appropriate signal to borrow one from Señor Kneeland in exchange for collateral (keys, wallet, etc.) You will receive your property back when you return the utensil. Should your lead break and you need to exchange your pencil, you may hold your pencil in the air and wait for SeñorKneeland’ssignal. When given the okay, you may swap your unsharpened pencil for a sharpened one.

Summer Session: Accelerated Spanish

Should I have any questions/concerns regarding the syllabus, I will call Señor Kneeland before I provide my signature. Once I sign the syllabus, I am acknowledging that I, along with my child, have read and understand the syllabus for the course and will adhere to all policies and procedures set forth in this document.

Student Signature: ______Date:

Parent Signature: ______Date:

Phone Number (s): Email Address:

Señor Kneeland’s Signature: ______Date: