Teaching Spanish II is always a test of endurance, patience, and satisfaction watching students grow from novice levels of Spanish to intermediate levels for most. This year I taught three sections of Spanish II, which have a mix of students with most 9th graders having had Spanish since elementary school and then daily in 6th, …
Category: My Philosophy
Summer Series Reflections 2023
-PLEASE FOLLOW AND SUBSCRIBE to my blog so you will receive an email when I post. My goal is to add 20 new subscribers for each of these summer posts. Please help me reach my goal. -CONTEST: Remember in almost all of my posts I have included musical theater references. At this point, I have no idea which references I have included on each post. So the contest is to add a comment on 5 different Blog posts with your guess of the musical theater show tune reference (of the 5, it can only include 2 of the ones that I am posting this month). The first person, who has also FOLLOWEDSUBSCRIBED to my blog, to add 5 comments with the correct musical references will win a $25. Amazon Gift Card. My musical theater fans, if you are going to read the posts, why not read with a purpose?
Some Food for Thought from April 2023
Written April, 16 2023 This was a post I wrote on Facebook that I feel should be on my Blog too. (No musical theatre references). This was a commentary I had after reading an opinion piece on April 16, 2023. I just wanted to post about what a joy it was to present with my …
Reflection 2021-22 Spanish Level IV
My final post from this reflection series is about my 2021-22 year in Spanish IV with my intermediate students. The post talks about the Ohio Seal of Biliteracy, using student data, developing thought, my core classroom values, discussion days, honing communication based on novice topics, and finding a happy balance. Thanks for reading. Gary
MASTERY LEARNING using High-Frequency Verb Quizzes
The 2021-22 school year provided me a chance to try out ideas with MASTERY LEARNING and a policy about retaking assessments until an 80% average was reached. I used this idea consistently throughout the whole year with both my Spanish II and IV classes, and I am very pleased with the results. One of the …
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Reflection 2021-22 Spanish Level II 
I am finally sitting down to write this important reflection of my Spanish level II classes this past year (even if it is in July and not June or any other month throughout the school year).
If I Teach with CI/TPRS/Acquisition-Driven Instruction, Will My Students Be Ready to Take the AP® World Language and Culture Exam?
I wanted to share this new post I wrote as a guest writer on the Teacher’s Discovery World Language Blog. I had the chance to reflect on a question that I am often asked about Teaching with Comprehensible Input and the AP World Language and Culture exam or class. Unfortunately this blog is no longer …
Socratic Circles as Assessment ~ the Why and How
Happy 2018-19 school year! I wanted to take the time and share a strategy, or better yet, a framework for learning and assessment that I use as one of the tenants in my Spanish IV classes and at the end of Spanish III. This framework is preparing students for a Socratic Circle or Socratic Seminar, …
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New Year’s Reflection #4 – The Human Side
New Year's Reflection #4: the human side of teaching with a little help from a few musicals
“I’m Ready” and Certainly in Great Company
To Blog, or Not to Blog?-that is the question. Yes, this has been my question for many years. I certainly did not join this train early in the blogosphere world but now “I’m ready” to join the great “company” of all of the world language bloggers from whom I have learned so much. This new professional goal is going to challenge me to allow myself the time to sit down and write.
My Mosaic of World Language Teaching 