Shhhhhh. it's a secret! First day activities!

So, here's my little secret. My first day of class will not consist of me struggling through names, strictly reading my syllabus and rules, or anything else that has to do with "housekeeping," unless it is requested by a student.

Here is what I will be doing on my first day Spanish 1 classes.

First, we do a little movement and input activity. Yes! My goal is always to start my classes in Spanish. So we will start by finding a partner or group.... Here are some of the find a partner sentence ideas (you may have to invent some based on what you see in your classroom). You might want to have a few pictures prepared to demonstrate a word more efficiently. The most important rule of this activity is that no one gets left out ever (oh oops am I sneaking a classroom expectation in here...maybe :)

So here we go:
- Look for a group that has the same color...
       shirt
       shoes
       hair
       socks
       backpack
-Look for a group that writes with the same hand as you
- Look for a group that writes with the same writing thing you write with (pen or pencil)


- Which do you prefer....
      cats vs. dogs
      pop vs. country music
      plants vs. pets
      being inside vs. being outside
      running vs. swimming

Ok, after this activity, which I will keep snappy, short, and focused we will play a name game, Where students will practice the basic introduction of "my name is" "what is your name." We will practice this phrasing while wandering the room forming groups. Finally, we will go around the classroom and see who can say everybody's name (if there is time).

What will your first day of class look like?

What's New at my Store?!

So, I most often don't blog about the products on my TPT store. Not because I don't think that they are great products, but for the most part, I feel that they are self-explanatory, and people will find them if they need them. However, my store has two new products that I am really excited about!

Note: I am super careful to respect the work of the clip artists that I use so I am not gong to post pictures here, but you can follow the links to find these products.

Ok, so the first new product is a build a verb ice cream cone! I am really excited to try this one in the classroom because it is something I have been wanting to create for awhile. The goal is to make verb conjugation more friendly for kinesthetic learners. The cone contains the "root" of the verb such as com for comer. Then, the students can put the different ice cream flavors on the cone to conjugate it. So, in my classroom I might say something like "yo como el helado." (I am going to try to use sentences as much as possible to keep conjugation in context). The students would make their cone using the ice cream flavor that has the "o."  I have a few other suggested activities with this product, but I know it's one that will be a time-saver and I can't wait to let students physically manipulate the verb conjugations without having to struggle with the mental load of writing them and conjugating them!


https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Spanish-Present-Tense-Build-a-Verb-Ice-Cream-Cone-3863813


My second new product this month is an ocean animals vocabulary practice. The bulk of the activity is flashcards. Now, I know you may groan, but flashcards are really just task cards in disguise, when used appropriately! I plan on laminating and cutting several sets to do fun things with such as an animal scavenger hunt around the classroom, playing matamoscas, playing "go fish," memory, and I have included an "I have, who has" game. The possibilities are endless! What sort of games do you make out of cards?

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Animales-del-Mar-Spanish-Ocean-Animals-3977704


As always, if you use these products, let me know what you think!

Ready, Set, GO!!!

Dear Teachers,

I see you. I see you picking-out your classroom theme, decorating, arranging desks so they're just right.

I see you. Toes tapping through the requisite but boring meetings, eyes lighting when discussing a new idea with an administrator or colleague, frustration mounting that this technology that you loved has now been tweaked.

I see you. Smiles beaming genuinely as students fill the school with sounds. Finally, finally, no more quiet!

I see you. Exhausted after the first week. rearranging desks and seating, worrying over a student, eyes-lighting when you figure-out how to connect with a student.

I see you. Waiting patiently, while launching forward, calmly, patiently, smoothly starting, while in your mind envisioning the end. How you will travel together may not be decided, but the final destination clearly in your mind's eye. I see you.

Good luck to all this school year. I hope it is a joyous and meaningful 2018-2019!

Are Your Speaking Prompts Sensitive to Your Learners?

Like most teachers/people, I used to ask my students what they were going to do over the holiday break. I believed it to be an innocuous question. However, one day as I was walking into the school, I asked one of my eighth graders what she was going to do over break, and her response was both heartbreaking and a wake-up call. She simply looked at me and said, "the adults will sit around and get drunk and I will look forward to school starting." I suddenly realized how cruel it is to use  the question prompt: what will you do during the holiday break? This prompt is problematic for two main reasons, it is insensitive to students whose home lives might be difficult already, and it often highlights income disparities between the students.

Instead, I have started asking questions such as, "What was the most fun thing you did over break?", "What was one thing you enjoyed about your break?", Who were the people you got to see over break?". While these questions aren't perfect (and I welcome other suggestions!!!!!), they at least give students who don't travel or have adults who spend time with them, the opportunity to give an answer. Seeing a movie might have been the best thing, or sleeping, or playing video games, listening to music, etc. Yes, these questions can still highlight income and home-life disparities, but I feel like every student can think of something they enjoyed at some moment.


Happy teaching in 2018!!!!!

P.S. If you haven't checked-out my free New Year's Resolution activity, look for it in my TPT store!!!!