Mrs. Rak’s Spanish Class Bienvenidos!

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

El Salvador  I was born and raised in El Salvador.  El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America.  It has tropical climate- 78o average. My experience:  I’ve been teaching for 11 years – 7 at PV.  I have taught from elementary school to college, but MS is my favorite!

My Family  My husband  Simon  Our pets  cat, Enzo Simon and Me Enzo

My Goals  To give you the academic and social skills you need to progress to the next level.  To provide a supportive and fun classroom environment.  To help you make new friends and discover new interests.

Skills  The main skills we will develop in MS are:  Reading  Writing  Listening  Speaking

Geography  The Hispanic Countries Unit will focus on Spanish- speaking countries and their culture.  Ahhh! That includes food!!!

Music and Art  We will listen to and translate popular songs from the Latin American world.  We will create handicrafts depicting the culture from LA.

Classroom Community  Our classroom is a community. In our community, we have rules/expectations to help us get along with each other:  Be respectful and responsible.  Be a polite and positive participant  Speak in a normal tone of voice, and listen attentively.  Be organized and follow directions.  Be on time.  Be ready to learn when class begins.  Be prepared.  Have materials with you and know due dates. . Be productive  Turn in work on time, and always do your best.  Be a problem solver  Correct problems quickly and peacefully before they escalate.

Course & Homework  I will assign about 25 minutes of homework almost every night. This includes 15 minutes of reading.  Your homework is due at the beginning of class.  If you need extra time to work on your homework, you can come to Room 246 during 9 th Period to work on it.  Bring notebook, book/ packet, and appropriate writing tools to class.  Know due dates, and submit all coursework on time.  All assignments are posted on Lettergrade and on the class Web site.

Show Respect  Value yourself. Be honest and ethical, and practice strong moral values.  Treat all members of the school community and all visitors with politeness and respect.  Honor the ideas and opinions of others.  Offer to help.  Be responsible with property and belongings.

My Pledge to Students  I will trust you until you give me reason to do otherwise.  I will respect you and work with you to solve problems.  I will correct and offer feedback on your work.  I will work with you to meet learning goals.  I will offer extra help should you require it.

Let’s Have a Great Year!