We  have an exciting year ahead of us.  I am looking forward to meeting the new third graders as well as welcoming back the students from last year.
 
In all 3-8 grade Spanish language classes, the state public school guidelines are incorporated into the curriculum.  These components are reading, writing, listening, speaking and culture.

 

Elementary

Third graders will come to Spanish class twice a week for thirty minutes each visit.
Fourth and fifth graders also attend Spanish class twice a week, but they will come for forty-five minutes each visit.

Middle School

Students in Middle School, grades six-eight, come to class everyday, for forty-five minutes.

My goal for the Middle School students is for each to be well prepared in order to be successful in any high school program he or she chooses to enter.  That preparation begins in elementary school, with a broad exposure to the language.  Once a student progresses to middle school and is attending class everyday, much more is expected of that student.  Now, there will be homework, tests and grades.  Much more responsibility and accountability will be required.

Upon graduation from St. Luke’s, our goal is that each Spanish student will have earned the grades in order to qualify to begin high school in Spanish II.  That will be a recommendation from the teacher, not a guarantee.  We have found that different schools have different criteria.  We strive to meet them all.

As I am sure you know, we will no longer be dividing the school year into six grading periods.  This year, we will have four grading periods of nine weeks each. I am eager to do this.  It will be a new experience for me, after teaching in six weeks programs for the past thirty-one years!

 

Just a reminder for sixth graders….Spanish class will be a little different than other classes. The year is divided into one semester of language and one semester of Computer class.  Students will either begin the year in Spanish or Computers.  At semester, they switch.  Those in a language, go to computers; those in computers, go to a language.  Within that language semester, the students will begin in Spanish for the first nine weeks, then they will switch to Latin for the next nine weeks.  At the end of the sixth grade year, each student must choose which language they wish to commit to for the next two years.  By having an opportunity to experience each language, a better choice may be made.

 

For those who are new to my class, a little bit about myself.  I received my BS in Education from Texas Tech University, with a specialization in Spanish.  This will be my thirty-second year teaching.  I taught in public school for twenty-eight years.  This will be my fourth year at SLES.  While I have taught a variety of subjects and grade levels, I have taught Spanish I or II for twenty-five years.

I have a love for the Spanish language.  My knowledge is founded primarily in Mexico, and I very much enjoy teaching the history and culture of the country.  Never-the-less, we DO incorporate cultures from all Spanish-speaking countries.

If anyone needs to reach me, it is often easier to use email.  I check my telephone messages early in the morning.  I may miss your call.  I do check my email throughout the day.  My address is: tgough@sles-sa.org.

Itzpapalotl
Can you pronounce the name of this Aztec God?
It means obsidian butterfly.



Can you translate this Spanish modismo?

ser criado entre algodones

What is the message of this modismo?