How to Quickly Create a Clip Chat and a New Resource: The Coffee Run 

On By GaryDibiancaIn Curriculum, Spanish I, Spanish II, Spanish III, Spanish IV, Teaching StrategiesLeave a comment

Sometimes I really hate being inspired. It means that I have to work more and fit something else into an already packed week of lessons. On Friday night while watching the Olympics, I quickly realized that my Spanish 2 structures from last week could all apply to the Olympic Games (and I didn’t even do …

Continue reading How to Quickly Create a Clip Chat and a New Resource: The Coffee Run 

New Year’s Post 2026 (It’s Going to Be a Happy New Year)  

On By GaryDibiancaIn Beginning of the Year, Culture, Curriculum, Semester Reflection, UncategorizedLeave a comment

As I always say, you certainly will not get inundated with posts from my Blog during the school year because for me it is crazy busy. I live deadline to deadline, and although I'm not always proud of that I certainly do get all of my work done.  This all being said, I made this …

Continue reading New Year’s Post 2026 (It’s Going to Be a Happy New Year)  

Games can be both Jekyll and Hyde  

On By GaryDibiancaIn Classroom Routines, Spanish I, Spanish II, Spanish III, Spanish IV, Teaching Strategies1 Comment

What can I say, I dislike how the competitive nature of games can turn so nasty in the classroom. In one class period, we can have both Jekyll and Hyde, and when I see too much Hyde, I get stressed out. But I also know from the results of my student surveys that next to story-telling and story-asking, games are the highest-rated classroom activities that my students enjoy and they feel that they help them learn (I suppose some games do). Of course, the key to making games work is to set clear expectations, especially with regard to behavior and sportsmanship, so that nasty competitiveness of Hyde does not occur. 

525,600 Minutes, 525,000 Moments so Dear – Part 2: This year in Spanish IV and a bit more from the CI SUMMIT

On By GaryDibiancaIn AP World Language, Assessments, Beginning of the Year, Classroom Routines, Conferences and Training, Semester Reflection, Teaching Strategies2 Comments

It is now time to reflect a bit on my Spanish IV Honors course and a few more take away moments from this year’s CI SUMMIT, which was hosted and sponsored by http://www.vocesdigital.com and http://www.teachersdiscovery.com and AnneMarie Chase’s three hour Assessment Spotlight Session. As my last post mentioned, the 24-25 school year was “pretty great” in terms of Spanish classes.  

How Do You Measure, Measure a Year? – Part 1: Spanish I & II and the new from the CI SUMMIT 

On By GaryDibiancaIn Beginning of the Year, Classroom Routines, Conferences and Training, Semester Reflection, Spanish I, Spanish II, Teaching Strategies, Uncategorized2 Comments

So How Do You Measure, Measure a Year? In this post, I will reflect on last year’s Spanish I and II classes and incorporate my newest learning and connections taken from the CI SUMMIT as I prepare for next year. I will follow up with a second post with more details about my Spanish IV class and again some take aways from the CI SUMMIT. 

Running Reflection Series 2: My Experience with Mike Peto’s Brazilian Portuguese Classes ~ Post #6 – My Final One 

On By GaryDibiancaIn Beginning of the Year, Classroom Routines, Conferences and Training, Curriculum, Learning Portuguese, My Philosophy, Semester Reflection, Spanish I, Spanish II, Spanish III, Spanish IV, Teaching Strategies, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I must thank Mike Peto for the amazing experience this summer learning another language. As I posted in my first post about this class, I have been waiting for an opportunity like this for quite some time. This was a perfect summer experience for me and I am going back to the classroom re-energized and recharged for a great school year. Thanks again Mike for being such a wonderful teacher and inspiration. Now for One Post More!  

Running Reflection Series 2: My Experience with Mike Peto’s Brazilian Portuguese Classes ~ Post #5 

On By GaryDibiancaIn Beginning of the Year, Classroom Routines, Conferences and Training, Learning Portuguese, My Philosophy, Semester Reflection, Spanish I, Spanish II, Spanish III, Spanish IV, Teaching Strategies, UncategorizedLeave a comment

These five+ “AHA” Moments and Teaching Tips from my Portuguese classes this summer are helping get me mentally prepared for this school year. Check out my other posts for this series

Running Reflection Series 2: My Experience with Mike Peto’s Brazilian Portuguese Classes ~ Post #3

On By GaryDibiancaIn Assessments, Beginning of the Year, Classroom Routines, Curriculum, Learning Portuguese, My Philosophy, Semester Reflection, Spanish I, Spanish II, Spanish III, Spanish IV, Teaching Strategies, UncategorizedLeave a comment

During this reflection series, I am noting an “AHA” moment from each day of Mike Peto’s 2024 Brazilian Portuguese Classes, which are available on his CI Master Class Site.   “AHA” Moment ~ Day 6: The Weekend Review in the Past Tense  Today’s class started in a terrific way reviewing what was discussed from Friday’s “What …

Continue reading Running Reflection Series 2: My Experience with Mike Peto’s Brazilian Portuguese Classes ~ Post #3

Running Reflection Series 2: My Experience with Mike Peto’s Brazilian Portuguese Classes ~ Post #2

On By GaryDibiancaIn Beginning of the Year, Classroom Routines, Conferences and Training, Curriculum, Learning Portuguese, My Philosophy, Semester Reflection, Spanish I, Spanish II, Spanish III, Spanish IV, Teaching Strategies, Uncategorized2 Comments

I've decided to give this topic its own post. It takes me back to my first day of learning Brazilian Portuguese with Mike Peto this summer and I have not stopped thinking about his clickable Song Activities for the past 25 days. In fact, we are still using these activities daily in our classes, and I still love them.  I feel like this post should also say: Feeling accomplished!