I am available for extra help before school (only SHS) and Tuesdays after school at
SHS & Thursdays after school at FHS II. Just let me know whether you are coming to make sure that I do not have an unexpected commitment. By the way, I like it when students ask for assistance—that is an important life skill. :o)
My contact information:
E-mail: sabine.spezia@uticak12.org
Phone: 586-797-2091

It is your RESPONSIBILITY to behave in a way that shows RESPECT for…
Yourself
 Be intellectually honest
 Do quality work
 Speak up if you have concerns or needs
 Set appropriate boundaries
Others
 Honor diversity
 Honor space
Time
 Honor yours, mine, and ours
Property
 Take care of things (whether they belong to you, your neighbor, me, or our school)
Rules
 Know the rules for both our school and our class
The Environment
 Reduce, reuse, recycle
 Keep your desk and surrounding area clean
 Participating in class work and ask questions for clarification
 Doing your homework
 Managing your time
 Working with your partner or group
 Bringing the materials you need to do academic work
 German textbook: This must be kept in good conditions.
Do not write in or otherwise damage your textbook.
 German workbook (see syllabus for costs & payment options)
 1” 3-ring binder with paper & labels (Your textbook isn’t a binder!)
 Pencil or pen
 Completed homework (for reinforcing what was learned in class)
• Labels for your binder: D1 (7 labels): Kapitel 1-7; D2 (7 labels): Kapitel 7-
10, 11/12, 1/2, 3; D3 (6 labels): Kapitel 1/2, 3-7; D4/5: (See syllabus)
Class Policy on personal electronic equipment : All personal electronic equipment must be turned off and placed out of sight in my room. Failure to do so will result in confiscation and Saturday school. In-class use will occasionally be allowed as required for a specific assignment. No video, audio, photo, or written comments can be posted, tweeted, sent, or linked to any electronic, print, or audio media without the expressed written consent of this classroom teacher prior to the posting, tweeting, messaging, or linking of said content.

Your RESULTS will be reflected in a quarter grade that is based on:
Homework (20%)

Homework is practice & reinforces what we learned in class. Even if you are not sure you are doing it right, do it! If there is no assigned homework, at least review vocabulary (We will discuss different ways to do this.)
 You earn credit for having homework completed to the best of your ability and on time . Sometimes homework will get an accuracy grade.
Class Participation (25%)
 This is a weekly grade given for participation, behavior, attendance, and completion of assignments. Twenty points may be earned each week.
The points from one week are independent from every other week. Each week you will start with 12 points. Below you can see how you can easily earn points, as well as how you can lose them —the choice is yours.
 Participating in vocabulary review as instructed = +1
 Using a planner to write down what is on the assignment board (show me!) = +1
 Bring in a related current event and present (not read) it = +1
 Volunteering to participate in a class discussion, answer a question or read = +1
 Demonstrating disrespect for anyone or anything in our class = -1
 Coming to class unprepared = -1
 Asking for a pass out of class (except for approved medical reasons) = -1
 Speaking English during a designated German time = -1
 Sleeping in class or an unexcused tardy = -2
 Unexcused absence or suspension= -4
Quizzes (20%) & Tests/Projects (35%)
 Quizzes will not always be announced. (Cramming for a quiz or test does not produce long-term memory.)
 Once your class starts with weekly verb conjugation quizzes, you will have 4 chances to pass (2 or fewer verbs wrong) within one week. Failure to do so will result in a 0%. Each retake results in an automatic 6% quiz grade reduction.
 Test study hints will always be posted on our Blackboard site at http://bb91.misd.net. (Parents: See PowerSchool for log-on information.)
Our Grading Scale is as follows:
94% - 100% = A
90% - 93% = A-
87% - 89% = B+
83% - 86% = B
80% - 82% = B-
77% - 79% = C+
73% - 76% = C
70% - 72% = C-
67% - 69% = D+
63% - 66% = D
60% - 62% = D-
59% & lower = F
Your Semester Grade will be calculated as follows:
Quarter 1 (3) = 40%
Quarter 2 (4) = 40%
Midterm (Final) = 20%
(2 “ F ” s for this automatically equal an F for the semester.)
*Any plagiarism/cheating (this includes homework) will result in a “ 0 ” for the assignment and a phone call home. (You are equally guilty if you allow someone to copy your work; plus copying does not help someone learn.) Outside of high school, the consequences are more severe!*

The Beginning of Class: Be in your seat and ready to work when the bell rings. Have your homework out and ready to be checked. Check the assignment board and copy down any assignments in your planner (or whatever you are using to keep organized). Then start reviewing vocabulary. If you are absent, you can find my lesson plans on Blackboard.
The End of Class: Class is not over until I dismiss you. Until that time, I expect you to stay at your own seat and work. Do not put away your materials early, line up at the door, or walk around the room. Before you leave, make sure that your desk area (including the floor) is clean.
Tardies: Any time you arrive late to class, quietly hand me your pass. Seat yourself quickly and join in whatever activity is in progress. You are responsible for making up any activity that you missed, as well as copying any notes. You are also responsible for showing me your completed homework. If you have missed the review of the answers, you are responsible for getting those also.
Absences: If you are absent for any reason, you are required to make up all work missed
(unless I have specifically told you otherwise). You can find out about missing work from our assignment board and also from our Blackboard site. Check with a classmate or ask me whether there were any handouts. If there were any notes, politely ask a classmate whether you may copy the notes.
Passes out of Class: Every time you ask for a pass to leave my room, you are missing valuable learning time. If you are leaving my room more than infrequently, then you and I will have a discussion about this, and I reserve the right to deny you a pass. At an appropriate time in class you need to ask me whether you may use a pass. If so, than at the front of the room is a pass sign-out clipboard. Fill it out and take the appropriate pass.
Substitute Teachers: There may be times when I cannot be in class with you. I expect my students to cooperate with substitute teachers; if you do not, be prepared to serve a detention with me after school. My instructions to my substitutes always include that you are to be in your own seat and you are not to have a pass out of our room.
Partners: 1) Most of the time, I will assign your partner(s). 2) You will have two different types of partners this year. You will first be in a base group: Your base group partners will be with you all year. You will be (as much as possible) seated by each other. You will start and end each class with each other. The purpose of this type of group is to offer each other support. At the beginning of class you will check homework with each other and review vocabulary. At the end of class you will review with your group what was covered in class to ensure you understand what was learned and/or let me know what still needs to be explained more. You should share phone numbers/e-mail addresses with these group members in case you are absent or are having trouble with homework. Sometimes I will put you with a randomly-selected partner or in a small group to work on an assignment.
There are no alternatives to working with a partner or in a small group.
(Thanks to Madame Gross for sharing this format on the AATG listserv.)

With every assignment, quiz, test, rate your effort with this rubric:
4 = I worked on the task until it was completed. I pushed myself to continue working on the task even when difficulties arose or a solution was not immediately evident. I viewed difficulties that arose as opportunities to strengthen my understanding.
3 = I worked on the task until it was completed. I pushed myself to continue working on the task even when difficulties arose or a solution was not immediately evident.
2 = I put some effort into the task, but stopped working when difficulties arose.
1 = I put very little effort into the task
4 = excellent 3 = good 2 = needs improvement 1 = unacceptable
Source: Understanding Mindsets. http://www.pvusd.k12.ca.us/departments/GATE/dweck/documents/dweck_booklet_english.pdf on 27 August 2011.