Jennifer Goldman

!Hola Estudiantes!

I so appreciate the emails you have been sending me!  I find much joy in responding to each of you, personally.  I was responding to an email today, and I feel compelled to share with you (what I like to call), "Mini-Life-Lessons".  As you know, I speak to you all very candidly, very openly and always honestly.

These are very strange times, in deed.  Now, mas que nunca, (more than ever) it is incredibly important that you are doing what you can to mitigate (lesson) the spread of the Covid-19 virus.  I miss seeing you in person MORE THAN YOU KNOW!  And I look forward to seeing your awesome, beautiful, smiling faces in person as soon as possible!

"MLL":  Some of the things that I have been thinking about today... and some of my personal quotes I use in class that have been swimming through my mind...

I always say to you that what you do - MATTERS!  And that YOU, individually, MATTER to me and matter to this world!  You have not even begun to realize the amazing contributions you make in this world, and some of your best discoveries and adventures have yet to come!  YOU MATTER!  You are not alone - ever - because you are all "My Babies!"  "Once my Spanish Baby, always my Baby!"

I have also talked about how important it is to conduct yourself in the way you want to be seen.  I have shared my belief that character is not developed in times of adversity, rather it is revealed.  So... BE the REVEAL you want to be!  This is the time to show your beautiful character, your awesome integrity and your true excellence!

I am here for you - always - and we are all in this juntos - together!  !Los extrano mas que saben!  I miss you all more than you know!

Sinceremente, 

"Mama G."

Hola Estudiantes,

!Feliz lunes! ?Cual es la fecha? Es el seis de abril. Los extrano mucho. (I miss you all very much!) Again, this whole teaching online thing is very new to me and by the 20th, I am confident that you will have a schedule of when we meet virtually. By the 20th, I will also have videos of lessons (I teach to a non-participatory student, BenBen); be sure to write down questions you have as you watch the videos so that we can go over all of them together.

Many of you have had questions about grading, doing work, submitting work for credit, etc. I copied and pasted a portion of the FAQ’s that principal Alejandro Vega answered in an email sent to each of you via School Loop.

Clase, es muy importante que you are keeping your vocabulary and grammar skills sharp. Be sure you are reviewing your “tarjetas de flash”, Quizlet, Spanishdict.com and your notes!!!!! …….each day for maximum retention. Don’t get caught white night-gowned!!! More info on Spanishdict.com to come, but DO check out the website - scroll to the bottom and click onto the Realidades 1 book (the one you have at home). I am a huge fan of that site in particular, especially of format and professionalism of the site.

Please be sure to read / complete the “extra credit” - which should already be done (if you were doing the homework the night it was assigned) and submit it by the posted deadline, either today or tomorrow.

I can’t possibly emphasize enough that staying current with subjects / classes is important. Don’t be caught white night-gowned! Do what you can EACH day to master what you have been taught thus far this school-year. Of equal, if not more, importance please stay at home - stay healthy - stay positive - stay motivated! DO YOUR PART to keep yourself, your family, your friends and strangers alike alive and healthy!

I am looking SOOOOO forward to seeing all you again soon!!! And for those of you who are really, deeply stressed out right now -- breathe in and breathe out… ‘this, too, shall pass…” I am only an email away - don’t be afraid to send me a note, just to stay connected.


The message below is an excerpt from the letter Mr. Vega sent to all of you: (P.S. Lee el espanol, tambien. Es un buen ejercicio en comprehension, especialmente que el mensaje es escrito en los dos lenguajes, ingles y espanol … (o) espanol e ingles. :-) )

We will observe Spring Break from April 10 to April 19 and upon our return students will be accountable for assignments and participation. Our district is working on details about grading and accountability and information will be shared with all families in the near future.

Why should my student do assignments if they aren’t going to be factored into their grades? Assignment grades are always used as a measure of understanding of content. They are meant to provide students and parents with feedback on the students' learning. Class grades will not be negatively impacted by students missing or not completing assignments; however, learning may be negatively impacted. In an effort to be prepared for the next step, whatever that may be (next grade level, next class level, AP test, college, etc.), teachers are continuing to provide high quality learning experiences for students.

¿Por qué mi estudiante debe hacer tareas si no van a ser tomadas en cuenta en sus calificaciones? Las calificaciones de asignación siempre se usan como una medida de comprensión del contenido. Su objetivo es proporcionar a los estudiantes y padres retroalimentación sobre el aprendizaje de los estudiantes. Las calificaciones de la clase no se verán afectadas negativamente por la falta de tareas de los alumnos, sin embargo, el aprendizaje puede verse afectado negativamente. En un esfuerzo por prepararse para el siguiente paso, sea lo que sea (próximo nivel de grado, próximo nivel de clase, examen AP, universidad, etc.), los maestros continúan brindando experiencias de aprendizaje de alta calidad para los estudiantes.

What if students don’t do some of the assignments over the closure time? Students who choose not to participate in the online learning opportunities provided to them may find themselves unprepared for the next step. This can place them at a serious disadvantage when school, college, etc. resumes. It is essential that students begin participating after April 19th.

¿Qué pasa si los estudiantes no hacen algunas de las tareas durante el tiempo de cierre? Los estudiantes que eligen a no participar en las oportunidades de aprendizaje en línea que se les brindan no van estar preparados para el siguiente paso. Esto puede colocarlos en una gran desventaja cuando la escuela, colegio empiecen de nuevo. Yo diría que a pesar de que el trabajo no está clasificado, las tareas mantienen las HABILIDADES necesarias para tener éxito (enfatice las “habilidades”)

Hola Estudiantes,

Let me start out by saying how much I miss every single one of you!!!!!! I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I actually miss “freshman chatter”! ;-)  lol

As I learn how to navigate google classroom, I will be posting various items for you all to access at your leisure. I will be posting the guided practice packets (i.e., gpp’s or “God forbid, if I get smacked buy a bus, you could still learn packets!”), various workbook and textbook activities and even some quizzes for you to self-monitor and grade in order to see your personal progress.

I am awaiting a piece of shower-board I ordered to use as a whiteboard for instruction. I will be posting video instruction. I encourage you to view the videos and write out questions you have. You may send me your questions via Google Classroom or SchoolLoop.

Take this time to truly master previously learned material. I will be posting previously learned material in Google Classroom as well. This material will also be a super review for everyone!

Anyone who is missing work may turn it in for credit. All assignments need to be done as assigned on School Loop.

DUE DATE for ALL missing work from ANY student with a zero: any past work that you are turning in is due by April 20th, the date we would have been back from Spring Break.

Composition books: please do the assignment. You will DEFINITELY need those next year!!! We don’t know exactly what this will all look like when school reopens, but I want my Spanish Babies to be prepared. “Don’t get caught white night-gowned!!!!!” Those will be due when we return.

Please be patient with me as I learn how to use these teaching tools. My desire is that all of my Spanish Babies will be ready for Spanish 3-4 in order to keep you all “on-track” for the next steps. ANYONE who currently is earning a D or an F, PLEASE take this time to review the previously learned concepts! PLEASE also take this time to make up zero’s. FOLLOW THE POSTED INSTRUCTIONS for maximum credit!

Remember: ask yourself daily, “What can I do to be part of a solution today and not part of the problem?” It is extremely important that you do what you can to be the best YOU you can be! When we come out on the other side of this crisis, you will want to be as prepared as you possibly can be! Do your best not to ‘get caught white night-gowned!”

I love and miss you all!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nos vemos pronto.

Sra. Goldman

REMEMBER:  If you were absent for the chapter test - Para Empezar (pages 2-23  -- 53 questions), you need to come in during lunch on MONDAY to take the test!

IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO RETAKE THE TEST, you will need to attend Tuesday Tutoring during lunch and then retake the test on Thursday during lunch.  Gracias.

If you have a zero in School Loop, please be sure that the information is correct.  If you did not turn in your flashcards (maybe you forgot them at home, forgot to write one word or phrase per card, or forgot to do part of the work) DO NOT PANIC.  As discussed in class, turning work in on-time is important!  I also recognize that (most of) you are at the beginning of your high school career and figuring things out; that said, I will be offering an opportunity for you to erase your zero!  In two weeks, you will be given an opportunity to do an additional assignment AND the missing homework assignment and turn them in for full credit.  This opportunity will only happen once.  I do this in an effort to get every student on the "right track" - being forgetful once or twice is human.  However, a pattern of that behavior will result in poor grades... be sure you are checking your notebooks (where you WRITE OUT THE AGENDA AND HOMEWORK EVERY CLASS SESSION) and SchoolLoop!  You information is ALWAYS in your notebooks and, 99% of the time, on SchoolLoop.

Be sure you are putting in 15-minutes EACH school day on either your homework or studying your newly learned vocabulary.