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Profesora McEnaney



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FAQ

En �sta p�gina se incluyen las preguntas m�s frecuentes de estudiantes y padres.
  1. Quien es Profe. McEnaney? Who is Profesora McEnaney?
  2. Cual es la direccion de email de la profe? Teacher email address:
  3. Como debo estudiar? How should I study?
  4. No puedo!! I can't memorize. How can I learn a foreign language?
  5. Can I use an online translator?
  6. What if I don't know a word?
  7. Malas notas: If I get a bad grade on a test or quiz, can I make it up?
  8. Hay ventajas? Is there extra credit?



Quien es Profe. McEnaney? Who is Profesora McEnaney?

Some of you know me, and some of you don�t, so I thought I would share some
information about me with you.  Maybe you�re wondering� Who is Profesora
McEnaney?  Well, here�s what I think, and the beliefs by which I seek to live
and teach.  Thank you for reading my philosophy, and for being a learner and
teacher with me!  


About learning a �foreign� language:

I believe language is the greatest of all human achievements. 

I believe that learning the language of another community provides us the
opportunity to move toward peace.  Why?  If I can communicate with you, I can
understand you.  If I can understand you, I can see your perspective.  If I
can see your perspective, I can respect it, whether I happen to agree with it
or not.  

I believe that the journey of learning a language is a noble one.  


About education:

I believe we are all both teachers and learners.  I believe you are here to
learn, but you will also teach, for living includes both, whether we intend it
or not.

I believe we are all capable of things far greater than we expect.  

I believe in work and responsibility� even when they teach us hard lessons.  I
believe it is more important to be a great teacher than a popular one� even
when that means teaching hard lessons� and that accepting responsibility for
our actions provides an opportunity to learn and grow from them.    

I believe in natural consequences�that we receive what we create for
ourselves�and that it is as it should be.  


About life:

I believe in laughter.  No matter who you are, if I can laugh with you, we can
live in peace. ☺

I believe in struggles and errors.  They are proof of effort, and
opportunities to learn and grow.  

I believe in you.  Whoever you are, you have my full confidence; that you can
be a successful, positive contributor to all situations; that you can laugh,
that you can learn, that you are inherently good.  



Because these are my core beliefs as a person and educator, I pledge to honor
all of these beliefs in my interactions with you.  I promise to provide
instruction, laughter, honest feedback, and due reward.  Let�s have a great
year together!
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Cual es la direccion de email de la profe? Teacher email address:

You can reach me at emcenaney@msad71.net
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Como debo estudiar? How should I study?

Picas pequenas.  Small bites.  The best way to study a foreign language is in
many short sessions, especially in the beginning. Review your flashcards and
speak the words out loud to practice your pronunciation. Remember, our goal is
to advance your Spanish abilities, and you can't move up until the basics are
strong.  Foreign language is like math, you have to be able to add before you
can do algebra!
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No puedo!! I can't memorize. How can I learn a foreign language?

You CAN memorize!  You know your phone number, right?  You can tell me the
alphabet, yes?  Your locker number?  Your favorite movie lines? You have
practiced these skills over and over becasue they were useful to you.  You can
practice and learn this, too.  :)
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Can I use an online translator?

NO.  Use of a translator does not practice your Spanish, or improve your
skills.    The Department of Foreign Language at MSK treats use of translators
as plagarism.  The products of these tools are not your own work, thus, using
them shows unprincipled decisions and you should expect natural consequences.
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What if I don't know a word?

If you are working on homework and come across something you don't understand,
you have the following options: 

1.  Try to determine the meaning of a word using logic and context.  Sometimes
you can determine the meaning of a word based upon the rest of the sentence. 
For example, if I said, "I was riding my skoochit when I got a flat tire," you
would understand a "skoochit" to be a bicycle.  

2.  Use a Spanish-English dictionary. 

3.  Use www.wordreference.com -- This is an online language dictionary, not a
translator, and its use is 100% APPROVED by the Foreign Language Department at
MSK.
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Malas notas: If I get a bad grade on a test or quiz, can I make it up?

Sorry... no.  In some very extreme circumstances I will allow retakes, but
usually the answer is no.  The reason is that I believe we live with our
decisions (to study or not) and we learn from our mistakes (to study next time
or not).  If you did not understand a concept, please see me to improve your
performance on the next assessment.
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Hay ventajas? Is there extra credit?

Maybe.  Remembering that the very word "extra" implies that all other work is
done, you have been a serious student and worked hard all quarter, and that
its purpose is to bump your grade SLIGHTlY ahead (say move you from a B+ to
an A-, not save your grade from an F to a B).  This is determined on a case by
case basis, depending on the effort you have put in prior to requesting extra
credit.
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Last Modified: Wednesday, May 13, 2009
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