senoracmt

HELLO, FEBRUARY!

There is a lot to love (and hate) about the month of February…

My February loves:

  1. We have made it through the darkest 10 weeks of the year.
  2. Those who live in cold zones are getting a surprise snow day now and then.
  3. We’re in that calm part of the year that is usually free from field trips and major disruptions.
  4. Any warm day we have is just the first of many to come, not the LAST of many.
  5. March music madness is on the horizon, so I can start playing the songs as students come into class to get their ear ready to hear them in the competition. (I do this MMM. From SpanishPlans.org.)

My February hates:

  1. Why is it so cold?!?
  2. Why is it dark at 6pm? And can I go to bed now?
  3. Spring Break is a long way off.
  4. Planning can get SO tedious with 14 weeks left of school.
  5. Wait, WHAT? There are only 14 weeks left of school!? I have so much to do! I need to test for Seal of Biliteracy! I need to induct a new class of Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica awardees….

Anything sound familiar? It seems like every time I start to think the year will never end, I realize it is going to end really soon and I need to be more intentional in my planning!!

In Spanish 2, I need to finish a reader, do some more units, and read one more reader. In Spanish 3, I need to finish a reader, do a technology unit, test for seal of biliteracy, do some more units, and read one more reader. In Spanish 4… where we have only THIRTEEN more weeks, I need to finish a reader, do another unit, re-test for seal of biliteracy, do some more units, do a free-choice reader project. I don’t have enough tiiiiiiiiiiime. How is May so close and yet so far??

If you’d like to get your hands on some of the resources I use, TPT is having their annual two day February sale starting Tuesday, February 7. Everything at Somewhere to Share will be on sale for 20% off, get an extra 5% off with code FEBSALE23!

Published by senoracmt

I began teaching Spanish in Illinois in 1994. I have taught levels 1-4 in a small rural high school, 8th grade introductory Spanish, Biology 1, and 101 and 102 at the community college level. My Spanish classes are partnered with the community college to offer students 8 semester hours of dual credit on completion of Spanish 4. In 2011 I met Carol Gaab and Kristy Placido and have since co-authored the book "La hija del sastre" with Carol Gaab and authored the novels "La Calaca Alegre", "Bianca Nieves y los 7 toritos." "Vector," "48 horas","Bananas", "Sostenible", and "Papálotl" through Fluency Matters. In 2006 I became National Board certified and I have been serving as a mentor both for candidates seeking certification in world languages other than English and a virtual mentor for candidates in all certificate areas. I completed my Masters degree in Spanish education in 2011 and did my research on the use of Understanding by Design to create meaningful cultural units for the language classroom. I am a frequent presenter on this topic, please consider me if you are interested in a workshop on backward design. In 2013 I was named the ICTFL Foreign Language teacher of the year and in 2014 I was selected as CSCTFL's teacher of the year. In November of 2014 I was lucky enough to be one of the five finalists for the ACTFL National Teacher of the Year in San Antonio, TX. What a "Cinderella" experience! You can reach me via email at carrie at somewheretoshare dot com.

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