There were some exciting small steps that I have seen over the last week. The other teachers and I work hard to make sure our students can appropriately greet a Spanish speaker. First impressions are always important and being able to greet someone n their native language can only help to make a positive first impression. I am thinking far off into the future but I like to think that helping them learn these greetings now will help them when they become the doctors, nurses, lawyers, police officers, teachers, and businessmen of tomorrow All of these professions deal with people whose native language is Spanish. I know that any Spanish they learn will help them be more successful in the future.
The great thing about teaching K-2 is that many of my students will greet me in Spanish without me prompting them! I have many students who will greet me with good morning or good afternoon in Spanish when they walk in or when I walk into their classrooms. Many also say "Hola, hola mariposa" (Hello, hello, butterfly) which is the greeting we are using for lst and 2nd grades this year. I love their willingness to use the language!
I saw this willingness just today when one of my students said, "Paco come el fregadero" (Paco eats the sink). I have never taught the word sink but this student had obviously learned it at some time or other and then put it together with vocabulary that we were working on in class. I thought that was pretty awesome! Later a different student asked how to say "I want" and then told me "Yo quiero las papas fritas" (I want French fries). Another awesome moment!
I am loving these small steps! Tell your children to keep up the good work! They are doing GREAT!
The great thing about teaching K-2 is that many of my students will greet me in Spanish without me prompting them! I have many students who will greet me with good morning or good afternoon in Spanish when they walk in or when I walk into their classrooms. Many also say "Hola, hola mariposa" (Hello, hello, butterfly) which is the greeting we are using for lst and 2nd grades this year. I love their willingness to use the language!
I saw this willingness just today when one of my students said, "Paco come el fregadero" (Paco eats the sink). I have never taught the word sink but this student had obviously learned it at some time or other and then put it together with vocabulary that we were working on in class. I thought that was pretty awesome! Later a different student asked how to say "I want" and then told me "Yo quiero las papas fritas" (I want French fries). Another awesome moment!
I am loving these small steps! Tell your children to keep up the good work! They are doing GREAT!