"One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way." - Franck Smith
My bright and eager-to-learn Spanish students are realizing the amazing opportunities open to them through the acquisition of a second language and its culture.
I am a Spanish teacher for grades 9-12 in a low-income, high poverty, public junior/senior high school in Pennsylvania. Half of our student population are on free or reduced-price lunch. Our school does not have the financial surplus to purchase resources that would enhance student learning in creative ways.
My Project
In my classroom I have created an immersive environment where only Spanish is being spoken from the time the students walk in the classroom until the time they walk out. On a daily basis we hold “Cafe Español,” or Spanish Cafe time, where the students get together in pairs or small groups and talk or chat only in Spanish as if in a cafe in Spain (which is a very big part of the culture.) I also do something called “Biblioteca Española” (Spanish Library) where the students take a book of their choosing from the class Spanish library to read for pleasure.
I would like to establish an environment with more flexible seating to allow for variations beyond my current traditional, large, connected desks, and chairs.
The goal is to create a more engaging, interactive and comfortable environment more suited to what is done in my classroom in relation to spoken proficiency and literacy in Spanish.
Being provided this table set will help to enhance the learning environment I have created in the classroom and will make it more interactive, engaging and, most importantly, more conducive to learning in the varied and unique ways students actually learn. We are at a time where the traditional settings can become passé and a roadblock to true learning. Alternative and flexible seating will not only help to foster a collaborative environment, but give my students more unique choices in their seating arrangements while accommodating various learning styles, as well as, unique physical needs.
Please help me make this a reality for my students! Muchisimas gracias!
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mr. Vayanos and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
