Ideas and Resources for Spanish Teachers
Are you beginning a new career as a high school Spanish teacher? After college and student teaching, I thought I knew what I was getting into! But as the saying goes, “Age before wisdom”! Wow have I learned a lot! And for anyone who thinks they could use the tips you don’t learn in college, here are my top 5 things I wish I knew about teaching Spanish when I started!
Spanish teachers, especially when they are not native Speakers of Spanish, often struggle with having their language skills decline once they enter the classroom. We may not use Spanish for long lengths of time, and often when we are using Spanish, we are finding ways to make it simple and comprehensible to our students. Here are some ideas for how to keep up your Spanish!
How do you feel about your summer vacation time? Do you make a Spanish teacher summer reading list? I have to admit, that after completing 23 years as a full time Spanish teacher, I have gone through every stage. Stage 1: young, unmarried, no kids… meant I was teaching summer school or running summer camps. Then came the season of having little ones with trips to the park, the zoo, swimming lessons! During the Covid years, I wanted to not think for one second about school during the summer. And most recently, I find that the summer gives me time to think about my profession and get creative. (Once I have restored my energy and gotten my blood pressure back to normal!
The best kind of PD for Spanish teachers is having summer experiences in Spain! This week we visit Benidorm and learn about the culture there along with some new vocabulary!
What summer experiences can Spanish teachers have to help them continue to develop… without feeling like you’re working? Take a trip! This summer I am fortunate enough to have taken a trip to Spain to visit family.
