John Jay High School

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FAQ
En esta página se incluyen las preguntas más frecuentes de estudiantes y padres.

What is the grade distribution for this class?
How is participation calculated?
Can I hand in late HW?
What happens if I'm absent?#
What if I don't understand the HW?
How do I use the Spanish Symbols in my typed essays?
How can I form the Spanish symbols on a Mac?

What is the grade distribution for this class?
For Spanish 2 and 3
35%--Tests and Projects
25%--Quizzes
20%--Homework
20%--Participation

For Cultural Spanish:

50%---Tests, Quizzes, and Projects

25% --Classwork

25%---Participation & Preparation

 

For Spanish 4H and Spanish 5AP:
50%--Tests, Quizzes, and Projects
25%--Homework
25%--Participation

How is participation calculated?

Everything that a student does in class counts. Every time a student raises
his/her hand and is called upon to answer or ask a questions pertaining to
the topic at hand, he/she earns a 'check'. This includes going to the board,
reading, etc.  At the end of each marking period, the checks are tallied and
the student/students with the highest number of checks, get 100%
participation, the next higest, gets 95% and so on based on a class scale. 
If the total of checks are close, the student will get the highest possible
grade for that amount of checks.  The lowest participation grade that a
student will receive is 50.  This means that the student attends class
regularly but has never participated in class. (This is very rare).  This
system is competitive but it makes the class more active and interesting.

Can I hand in late HW or Classwork?
As you know, to get full credit, your homework must be complete and on time. 
But if you are unable to complete your hw or classwork on time, you may submit it late for
half-credit (50%) as long as it is submitted before the test or quiz for that
topic.  This encourages the student to study the material before tests given
if they didn't complete it on time.

For Honors and AP classes, Homework will not be accepted late unless you have made prior arrangements with me.

What happens if I'm absent?
You are responsible for getting any work missed due to absence.  I strongly
suggest that you get a classmates phone number, e-mail me for work and check
this web site for missed assignments.  All absent work must be submitted
within 2 days of the absence or it will receive a zero.  This includes tests
and quizzes.  Be assertive and ask me what you missed.  Do not rely on me
chasing you.  That is not my responsibility.  I do not use the school's test
table. So if you are absent for a test/quiz, you must be prepared to stay
after school to take the exam unless your free period coincides with mine.

Spanish 4H and 5AP: If you are absent, I expect that you will find out the assignments due by either checking the website, calling a classmate or e-mailing me.  When you return from an absence, I expect to see all work due on that day unless you have made arrangements with me. You will be expected to take any quizzes that are based on the homework assigned for that date.  Thus, being absent on the previous day is not an excuse.

What if I don't understand the HW?
I usually check my e-mail nightly.  Send me an e-mail and I will do everything possible to explain including calling you if I am able to do so.   If you can't get in touch with me, at least show me that you tried.  Write all of your answers in pencil and we will make corrections in class.  A blank paper will be considered incomplete and receive no credit.

How do I use the Spanish Symbols in my typed essays?
These are the codes for PC. There are 2 ways of doing it. If you are using a laptop, you must use the "NumLock" function and use the numbers on the letters part of the keyboard. 
You can't use the numbers across the top of your keyboard.

First way:

¿ -- ALT + 0191

 á--ALT 0225       Á-- ALT 0193    

é --ALT 0233      É-- ALT 0201

í -- ALT 0237      Í-- ALT 0205

ó -- ALT 0243     Ó -- ALT 0211

ú -- ALT + 0250    Ú--ALT 0218

ñ --ALT 0241         Ñ-- ALT 165

¡ -- ALT 0161

OR:

For an accent mark:

1. Press the Ctrl key and the ' key together.
2. Release all keys
3. Press the letter over which you want the accent mark.

For an ñ:
1. Press Ctrl, Shift, ~(this is the tilde next to the #1 key)
2. Release
3. Press the n

For an ¿:
Press Alt,Ctrl,Shift,?--all at the same time, then release

For a ¡
Press Alt,Ctrl,Shift,1--all at the same time, then release.

How can I form the Spanish symbols on a Mac?
This is simpler than on a PC.

1. press "option"; E
2. press the letter on which you want the accent mark.
    for example: for é, press the Option key and the letter "e". Release and then type the letter e.

For an ñ, press Option key and n, release and then type the n

For an ¿, press, Option and Shift keys; and the ? key;

For ¡, press, Option key, and number 1 at the same time.