Change Spanish IV Honors

Taking this class has been one of the worst classes that I have taken in high-school. The tests are on things that we have never gone over in class or had practice with, and the things that we actually can prepare for are only worth 10% of our grades while everything else is worth 90% of our grades. In addition to this, there are very few grades in the three 30% categories, causing your grade to fluctuate drastically. As for the curriculum, I don't even know what we were supposed to learn in this class. I can personally say that not only did I not learn one thing in this class, but it have actually gotten much worse at Spanish this year, and I know that many of my peers feel the same way. This class has also taken away the enthusiasm for learning a new language that I once had. I used to like Spanish, and now I am just dreading taking it next year. All in all, I'd say that not only is this class and it's teachers unnecessary for our students of BHS, but they are making us worse at Spanish and wasting our time. Don't you think that it's ridiculous that students in 4+ AP classes getting straight A's in all of them are struggling to stay afloat in this class? If you think this is a problem, up vote this comment and sign the petition.

This whole grading scale doesn't sound bad at all. Especially since you guys are in a class that learns at such an accelerated rate because it is an honors and a higher level class. This is completely similar to the grading of almost all of my college courses, every single grade that is entered in any category can affect your final grade tremendously. Try talking to the teacher before the big tests to get specifics on the material, and just study for the final and midterm.

My teacher gives little to no warning before our listening and reading tests insisting that warning us would not make a difference because we are supposed to be prepared for these tests by class interactions. I have repeatedly asked my teacher how we are supposed to be prepared for these tests and all she has told me is that we should all be ready for them because we speak and listen to Spanish in class. The teachers are not preparing us well enough obviously looking at our grades. These tests have nothing to do with our vocabulary and activities in class, are weighted ridiculously heavily, and even the boy who sits next to me in class and speaks Spanish at home can't manage to get an A.

Unfortunately I can't post a picture of my current spanish grade to show the true fluctuation, but I had a 90.14% ending this semester as of yesterday granted the tests throughout the year were very challenging. However, the last test we have taken I received a 75% in reading solely because I missed 2 questions and a 44% in listening because I received a 4/9. Personally, I believe this does not measure my education in spanish; I understand it's an honors course and should be more challenging, but we were not rightly prepared. Last semester I finished with an A, but that doesn't mean it wasn't a struggle. As well, I come from a spanish-speaking background and am lucky to pick out bits and pieces, but every single student should have the opportunity to understand the language after being prepared. I find it odd that I receive nearly 100%'s in class work, interpersonal, and presentational communication but then when it comes to tests I do poorly. If I am succeeding in class, my tests should reflect the same. As well, if it is seen that a majority of students are performing poorly, there is an issue within the curriculum. I am now at an 87.38% because of 1 test. I enjoy Spanish very much, but my grade does not reflect my capabilities and it is unfair. I, and others, have worked too hard the entire semester for an unfair turn around in the end. End of junior year is so crucial to many of us, and all we are asking is a fair chance for us and for the future. Thanks and good luck to everyone.

I have those exact same numbers, Mary. It makes it additionally difficult because this abrupt change came on the very last day of school, so there is no room for recovery.

The grading scale isn't the problem. It's the fact that we don't learn anything, and 90% of our grade is based upon things that we literally have never even seen or practiced in class. Plus there are only about two assignments in each category of the gradebook.

The 30% categories aren't the problem. It's not only that we have only two assignments in these categories, but we are not being adequately prepared for these tests. If you take a language class, you know that listening skills are vital to any language. We do not do any real life practice for this. In fact I can recount only three times we have listened to a native speaker clip this year not including tests. It's incredibly frustrating and it's much more than about the "grade". There not equipping us with the necessary skills to be succesful spanish speakers.

This is my current grade: 97.5% in skills and structure 95% in interpersonal communication 95% in presentational communication and 61% in interpretive communication, a section that contains only 18 points the entire semester. ^This is the section my teacher insists she prepares us for in class through discussions and gives us no warning when we have a test until the day of. Completely unfair

Concha's class only has 30 points in the Reading/Listening section, making each point worth 1% of our grade. This type of weighting only works with 100+ or so points in each category

My grade should not have dropped from a 99 to a 79 at the end of the semester because of an 18 point test.