Ms. Whitaker’s Spanish Class Bienvenidos!

Welcome to Third Grade! I will introduce you to your Spanish class and to our classroom. If you have any questions during my presentation, please raise your hand and wait to be called on.

All About Me My background I grew up in Mexico City, Mexico. I attended Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico in Mexico City, Mexico. I have a M.S. in Spanish Education from Nova Southeastern University My experience I’ve been teaching for 27 years. I have also taught College middle and high school level.

My Goals To give you the academic and social skills you need to read, write and speak Spanish. To provide a supportive, and fun classroom environment. To help you meet your academic goals and discover new interests.

Class Subjects The areas we cover during Spanish class are: Vocabulary Grammar Verbs Reading and Writing Culture

Reading Our program incorporates reading through out the culture of the Hispanic countries.

Reading Every unit lesson contains reading assignments. We also have a FCAT reading workbook that we use in class.

Writing There will be several writing assignments. Essays from the culture taught in the class. Reading assignments reports. Sentences and paragraphs written in Spanish.

Vocabulary We learn new vocabulary words on each unit lesson. During the two weeks lesson you have the opportunity to use the words in several ways until you learn to read, write and pronounce them properly.

Grammar We learn the parts of the speech in the Spanish grammar. We practice them through our reading, writing and pronunciation lessons.

Verbs We learn, how to conjugate verbs in Spanish using all the different tenses. You will be able to recognize, present, preterite, imperfect and future tense and use them in conversations.

Culture Our program incorporates the culture of the Hispanic World. We learn about the culture of Spanish speaking countries.

Classroom Community Our classroom is a community. In our community, we have rules. Our class rules are: Be respectful and responsible. Be organized and follow directions. Be on time. Be prepared.

Classroom Community Be respectful and responsible with every person in the classroom, we do not tolerate, pushing, bullying, screaming, talking loud or being aggressive. If you need to talk, always raise your hand and wait until your teacher allow you to do it. Be organized and follow directions, you need to have your supplies and books with you.

Classroom Community Be on time; when the bell rings, you need to be seated and with your material on your desk. The daily lesson will be always on the board. Be prepare to begin class right after the bell, you won’t be allow to go outside and look for your supplies. Go to the bathroom before you come to class, avoid unnecessary interruptions of our learning time.

Homework Every night, I will assign 20 minutes of homework. This includes 5 minutes review of today’s lesson Everyday you will have oral questions about your homework and your answer will count as a class participation.

Tardiness and Attendance policy The class begins right after the bell rings; any late arrivals, will be recorder as a tardy. A more than fifteen minutes unexcused tardy will be recorded as an unexcused absence. After five parents’ excuse absences during nine weeks period, you will only be excused with a doctor’s note.

Tardiness and Attendance policy Excuse absences will allow you to take any missed test or turn in assignments. The only assignments that you will not be able to make up are the group work assignments.

Spanish Class Supplies A three ring binder with five dividers. A Spanish-English dictionary Three different color pens, either blue, black and/or green, not red. Pencil and eraser. index cards spiral notebook and loose index cards.

Grades Lesson tests and quizzes 50% Daily individual participation 30%. Group work and dialogues 20%

Let’s Have a Great Year!