Become a more confident language teacher.
We lose many minutes of precious class time to inefficient, drawn-out transitions. This is especially true when we want our students to transition out of an activity that has gotten them talking with classmates! Use signals to help students transition from one activity to the next Here are three strategies that I used to get…
Read MoreIt’s a new semester for many of y’all, and if you used Fast Finisher activities in the fall, you probably have a few students that are chomping at the bit, ready for more. Martina to the rescue! I finished up a new pack of 15 Fast Finisher worksheets (purchase it here), and even better I have started…
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I woke up this morning to a notification in my Inbox of a new blog post from Cynthia Hitz–so I knew that it was going to be a good day 🙂 In this particular post, Cynthia shares her BEAUTIFUL Brain Break Balloon Bulletin Board! I love it! If I had a classroom, I would definitely…
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I’ve received several emails recently asking me questions about my Fast Finisher (Extra Time) Folders. You can read all about them here, but in a nutshell they are my system for managing students who complete work very quickly. Those students know that they can choose a folder and complete the activity whenever they finish the current…
Read MoreY’all are going back to school, and I’m having a baby. The end result is the same, though, right? Less sleep, more stress, and a house that’s never clean? The difference is in the preparation. I’ve got my hospital bag packed (wishful thinking since I still have a month to go…), but how is your back-to-school checklist looking?…
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It is important for all teachers to informally assess students’ comprehension throughout any lesson in any content area. When we ask a comprehension question, we use students’ response to determine whether it’s time to move on to the next topic, or if we must spend more time on whatever we are studying at the moment.…
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Some of you may know that I have the mother of all multi-level classes this year: 6th-12th grade, 1st-7th year Spanish. I asked parents and students for grace during the first few weeks as I figured out how to meet everyone’s needs, and they did. We are now finishing up week four, and I have a…
Read MoreWhen I spend time explaining my syllabus on the first day of school or at open house, I often get that deer in the headlights look: Acquisition, Storyasking, Standards Based Grading…it’s a lot to take in at once! And because there is never enough time on either of those occasions to accomplish everything that I…
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We had WAY too much fun storyasking in my previously-Plan B class today!! I am amazed at the transformation that they have undergone in the last few weeks–anll it took was finding the right system! We have been using the Marble Jar, and they are totally rocking it. They hold each other accountable («¡Cállete! ¡Habla…
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