RosaGalindo

EDUC486
GradingandManagement

PartI:MyIdealClassroom

WhenaskedabouthowIwouldarrangemyclassroom,orwhatIwantthestudentstofeel
whentheystepintomyroom,Istrugglewithhowtogoaboutansweringthequestion.Ican
attackitfromvariousangles,butingeneral,Iwantmyclassroomtobeaplaceofcomfortand
enjoyment.Istronglydislikegoingintoalanguageclasswheretheclassroomhasthe
stereotypicalpostersaboutcultureandthewhiteboardsorprojectorsarethefocalpointsofthe
room.WhenIhavemyroom,Ihopethatwhensomeoneenters,theboardsandprojectorsarethe
lastthingtheynotice.IhaveavisionofwhatIwouldlikemyclassroomtolook,feelandsound
like,evenifitisonlyanidea.Regardless,Ihopetoachievethisthroughmanipulatingand
personalizingclassroomambience,thephysicalspaceoftheclassroom,andhowImanagemy
resources.

ClassroomAmbianceandPhysicalSpace
Insteadofrelyingonthelightsinstalledintheroomforlighting,Ihopetobeabletoadd
afewlampsinafewcornersoftheroomthatway,Icanhavemorecontrolofthelightinginthe
space.Ihopetohavewindowsinmyroomsothatthestudentsdontfeelenclosed,andsothat
thereisplentyofnaturallight.Regardlessoftheamountofwindowsintheroom,ifIwantto
brightenordarkentheroombecauseofvariousactivitiesthatIcandoinmyclassfordifferent
unitsandcommands,Icandoso.Inadditiontothelamps,Iwanttomakesurethateachcorner
oftheroomhasitsowntheme.
Inonecorner,IwanttohaveacafecornerwhereIwillhaveacouplecomfychairs
withbookshelveswhereIwillhaveafewtextbooks,dictionaries,magazines,andjournalsin
Spanish.Iwillusethiscornerforstudentstoreadorpracticeinterpersonalcommunicationin
pairs.Further,ifIneedtopullastudentasideduringorafterclass,tohaveapersonal
conversation,foranyreason,Iwoulddosointhiscorner.Iwouldwantthestudenttobeableto
becomfortablewhileIgivefurtherexpectationsorwhereIcanexpressconcerns.Plus,Ithink
thestudentswouldenjoymetellingthemletstalkovercoffeeatthecoffeeloungeinSpanish
becauseitisabreakfromwhattheynormallyhear,andwellhaveourownclassculturewhere
studentsarehearingandhavingfunwiththelanguage.Also,itwillprovideamoreprivatespace
whereconversationscanbeheldwithouttheaudienceoftheentireclass.Ultimately,havingsuch
acornerwillmakeiteasierformetodogroupworkusingroleplaybecauseIcanhaveagroup
ofstudentsusethecornerasastagewheretheyhavepropstopracticeaskingormaking
commands,whileotherstudentsareatotherstationssuchaswhiteboards.

InmyroomIwanttohavealargewhiteboardoneachwallthatwaymystudentscan
divideintogroupsandeachuseawhiteboardtopracticegrammaticalstructureswithplentyof
spaceforeveryonetopractice.Iwanttominimizethetimemystudentsspendsittingintheir
seats.Iwouldpreferthemtobeinteractinginconversationanddiscussingthelanguageinpairs
orgroupsandworkingoutstructuresonthewhiteboardssotheycanliterallymanipulatethe
languagecommunally.AttheendofsuchactivitiesIwouldliketohavethemreturntotheirseats
anddiscusswiththegroupinthecirclewhattheydiscoveredorhadtroubleswith,andconclude
theactivitybyproblemsolvingasagroup.
Inaddition,IdliketomakesurethatIamabletoplaymusic.Inoneofthecorners,
closesttothedoor,IwanttohavemydeskwhereIhavemycomputeroraudioplayersoIcan
playaudioclipsforbothlisteningcomprehensionactivitiesaswellasbackgroundmusicduring
activities.Insteadofatimer,IwanttobeabletoplaymusicinSpanishanduseaseriesofsongs
thatIwillrotateouttouseastimemeasurements.Forexample,ifIwantstudentstodoaspeedy
activityinfiveminutestorearrangeacornerbypracticinglocativeprepositions,thenIwillplay
themusic,andtheyhavetodotheactivitywithinthetimelimitofthesongs.Plus,Iwouldwant
mydeskinabackcornerthatwayitindirectlytellsstudentsthatIamnotthesoleeducator,and
thatinthisclass,theywillhavepowertomakedecisionsinsteadofbeingtoldwhattodo.They
willhaveresponsibilityfortheireducation,whichleadsmetothethirdcorner.Inthethirdcorner
Iwanttohaveatabledesignatedforassignmentsandpaperwork,whichIwilldiscusslater.

PhysicalSpaceofClassroom
Asmentionedearlier,Iwilldesignatecertainspacesforeachcorner,oneformydesk,
oneforassignments,andoneforthecafecorner.Asalanguageinstructor,Ifeelthat
interpersonalcommunicationisthemostimportantelementtoacquiringanewlanguage.Iwant
toarrangemyroominsuchawaythatisconduciveformaximizinginterpersonalcommunicative
exercisesaswellashavingstudentsleadinstruction.Inordertodothis,Iwillarrangemyideal
classroomunlikeanyclassIhaveyettosee.Insteadofdesksfacingforward,ordesksclustered
ingroups,Iwouldactuallywanttoarrangemystudentsdesksintoalargecircle.
Thecenterspacewouldbeleftopensothatstudentscanengageinaclassdiscussion
moreeasilyandpracticerespectingwhateachpersonhastosay.WhenIneedstudentstoengage
inconversation,thelargecircleenableseasymobilityforthemtogroupuporfindapartnerfor
pairs.Further,thecircleallowsmetobeeasilyseenbythestudentswhenIhavemySpanish1
classutilizetheTotalPhysicalResponsemethod.AnotheradvantagethatIhavewithmycircleis
thatwhenIneedtouseaprojector,Icanstilldoso,evenifonlyafewstudentsneedtoturn
aroundintheirseats.Butthepurposeofthisarrangementistofurtherlisteningcomprehension,
oralcommunication,establishclassroomculture,anddistancemyteachingstylefromdated
traditionalgrammaticalapproacheswherethestudentslearnwhatiswrittenonawhiteboardall
day.Thisdesignallowsforthestudentstolearnfromeachotherandbemoreengagedinthe
conversationinsteadofsittinginquietlyintheperipheralsunengagedinlearning.

ResourceManagement
Aspreviouslymentioned,IwouldliketodesignateacorneroftheroomwhereIhavea
tablewithcubbiesusedforassignmentorganization.Atthisstation,Iwillhavearowofcubbies
designatedtoeachclass.IneachrowIwillhaveaslotforassignmentstobeturnedin,aslot
whereIcanstoregradedassignmentsthatIneedtobereturnedtothestudents,andaslot
designatedforhandoutspertainingtothecurrentunit.
Allassignmentsthataretobedoneonhardcopycanbeplacedinthecubbyassignedto
theirclassforturnins.Idonotwantpilesofworkonmydesk.Instead,Iwantstudentstobe
responsibleandturninanyassignmentsthatIrequireofthemtoturnintobeplacedintothe
appropriatecubby.OnceIgradetheassignments,Iwillplacethemintoaslotfortheappropriate
classlabeledgraded,andstorethemthereuntilIamabletohandthembacktothestudents.
Whilestudentsareworkingingroupsorpairsatthewhiteboardsorwalkingaroundtheroom
engagedinanactivity,IhopetoplacetheassignmentsontheirdesksatthistimethatwayIam
notdisruptingtheirlearning.Thisalsopreventsmefromwastingourtimebysortingthroughthe
paperworkandhandingthembacktoeachstudent.Byplacingthemfacedownoneachstudents
deskwhiletheyareengagedinanactivity,theyareabletocontinuetheirlearningwithout
distractionandwithoutwastedtime.
IntheslotwhereIhavethepaperworkandhandoutsforthecurrentunit,Iwillhavea
filingfoldertokeepthepaperssorted.Thiswillhelpbothmeandthestudentskeeptrackofthe
handoutsforeachsubunitinthecaseofabsences.Whenastudentmissesaclass,theywillknow

exactlywheretofindanyhandoutstheymayhavemissed.Attheendofeachunit,Iwillreplace
anyremainingpaperswiththenewunitshandouts.Thisultimatelyhelpsmestayorganized,and
ithelpsthestudentsberesponsibletofindanypaperworktheyaremissing.Bystayingorganized
inthisway,Iammanagingbothtimeandphysicalresourcesinmyclassroom.

PartII:Rules,Expectations,andProtocols

AdvancedPlacementWorldAffairsandCulture
BienvenidosalaclaseavanzadodeCulturayAsuntosMundiales!Inthisimmersionclasswe
willexplorethehistoriesandculturesoftheSpanishspeakingworldthroughhistorical,political,
andartisticmediums.Byenrollinginthisclass,youareagreeingtoabidebytherulesand
expectationssetforthinthisdocument,aswellasagreeingtocompleteandsubmitallrequired
assignmentsbythegivenduedates.Mostimportantly,inthisclass,wewillenrichour
perspectivesofthepastandpresentthroughcurrenteventsbyproblemsolvingissuesand
implementingoursolutionswith21stCenturytools.

Expectations
Inthisclassyouareexpectedtotakeresponsibilityforyourlearninganddirectyourlearning
throughcreatingandimplementingsolutionstoglobalissues.Youareexpectedtoachievethis
bythinkingcriticallyandapplyingknowledgethatyouhavelearnedto21stCenturytoolsto
reachoutandcreateawarenessandresolve.Thebehavioralexpectationsintheclassroomare
thatstudentsremainontaskandworktogethertoproblemsolvethroughcreativity.Nostudent
shalldisruptthelearningintheclassroom.

ConsequencesForWhenExpectationsAreNotMet
Inthecasethatstudentbehaviorisdisruptivetothelearningenvironment,thestudentwillbe
askedtospeakprivatelytotheinstructoraboutpossiblesolutionstoresolvetheissues.If
studentteacherconversationsareinsufficient,thentheteacherhastherighttomeetwith
administrationaswellasthestudenttofindasolution.Ifneedbe,theywillcontacttheparentsor
guardianstofurtherassistinresolvingtheissuesathand.Eachcasewillbemetwithappropriate
solutionsofdueprocess.

Grading
Inthisclass,yourgradeismadeupofthefollowing:
Homework:
15%
Assessments:
65%
Attendance:
5%
Participation:
15%

HomeworkAssignments
Throughoutthecourseofthisclass,youwillbeaskedtosubmitspecificassignmentsfromeither
thereading,discussionreflections,ortocreateshortactivitiesinordertoapplythematerial
coveredinclass
Totalpercentageoffinalgrade:15%

LateAssignments
AsanAdvancedPlacementclass,nolateassignmentswillbeacceptedatfullvalue.Alldue
datesformaterialsandassignmentsmustbemet.Inthecasethatdeadlinesarenotmet,the
assignmentswillautomaticallyreceiveadeductionof10%.Thereisnopenaltyforturningin
assignmentsorprojectsearly,sopleaseturntheminearlyorontimetoavoidtheunnecessary
10%deductions.

Assessments
Summativeassessmentswillbegivenattheendofeachunitinvariousforms(mediapropaganda
projects,implementedcharitiesorawarenessprograms,aswellasanoccasionalwrittenororal
exam).
Totalpercentageoffinalgrade:65%

Attendance
Althoughattendanceisnotweighedheavily,itisunwisetomissattendanceasthemajorityof
thecontentforthisclassisdeliveredthroughclassdiscussion,collaborationandteamwork.
Totalpercentageoffinalgrade:5%

Absences
Inthecasethatstudentsareabsentfromclass,theyarestillresponsibleforturningin
assignmentsontheassignedduedate.Ifstudentsareabsentthedayanassignmentisdue,they
willreceiveanautomatic10%deductionontheassignmentunlesstheabsenceisexcused.Under
thecircumstancesthatastudenthasanexcusedabsencethedaythatanassignmentisdue,the
studentisallowed24hourstoturninanymaterialsorassignmentsperexcusedabsencewithout
agradededuction.Anyassignmentsturnedinafterthe24hourgraceperiodofanexcused
absencewillbeautomaticallyreceivea10%deduction.

Participation
Attendanceiscrucialforclassdiscussionsanddebatesofmaterialthathasbeenlearned.Inthis
classyouarestronglyencouragedtoparticipate,shareopinions,expressconcernsanddiscuss
topicsthatarecoveredinclass.
Totalpercentageofgrade:15%