Sunday, August 11, 2013

Ahhh...the challenges of teaching advanced levels!

So I felt inspired and motivated to write tonight's post because here lately I have NOT felt very confident about my situation...the situation of having FOUR PREPS TO PLAN FOR and being 28 weeks pregnant!!!! I am the Spanish 3 teacher and the AP teacher at my school (we have no level 4) and here lately I am STRUGGLING to find where my kids are at in their Spanish learning with my advanced levels. 

It's SOOO hard to have 25 sets of eyes looking back at you and you're ready and excited to teach but it's like "Hey, what do you know? Can you conjugate a verb? Can you ask me my name?" I have realized SOME CAN....and SOME CAN'T and folks, that's just dang scary if you're a Spanish 3 or AP teacher. 

I have gone back and forth and wrestled with the fact of "Where are my students? How much do we need to review? Where can we back up to?" Ahh, these questions sometimes drive me crazy!

After weeks of idea inventing and pinterest craziness looking for inspiration....I think I might be onto a little something....task/stamp sheets.

Sad thing is...no, I haven't created them yet but I am currently working on them as we speak actually. 

Here's what they are:
1. Every student will be asked to work with a partner. I am going to tell them CHOOSE SOMEONE YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH! So in this case, yes...choose your bestie.

2. The students are going to be responsible for two things: Writing the tasks and Speaking the tasks.  I am wanting to see BOTH of their skills. 

3. The first week of school (and probably the second...heck, maybe the third) they will get time in class to receive a mini review over what their task category is that day (This you can forego or you can do). You can teach the "mini-lessons" right before the kids work on their category task sheets. 

For example...tomorrow we are reviewing "Common Conversational Components" like how are you, what's your profession, where are you from, where are you currently living, etc. 

THESE ARE THINGS ALL KIDS IN SPANISH 3 MUST KNOW HOW TO DO!!!!

But if they can't remember....they have to see it again and be re-taught. 

4. After the "Conversational Category Lesson" the kids will scatter all over the room with their partner, a paper, pencil, and a high-lighter.

5. They will receive their "Conversational Task Sheet/Stamp Sheet" and they are responsible for going through EACH task and seeing if they can speak it and write it. If they can't, they will high-light it and go onto another one. 

THE HIGH-LIGHTED AREAS IS WHERE "THEY" (THE STUDENTS, THE KIDS) have to go home and work on it. Study, read it, quiz each other...it's on THEM to learn it. 

After they can confidently say, I know all this...they will get their next assignment....their "Real-Life Test" This is an assignment I am going to create where they have to take ALL THIS out into the world and use it. It might mean....you quiz another friend in class and show evidence of the answers, they might visit the local Mexican restaurant in town, or they might find a native that speaks Spanish or even better...they can schedule to come talk to me after school or before. THEY MUST show got it. 

Lastly, it all ends with a test over EVERYTHING....every category, every area, etc. This will be the final test of "IF THEY CAN DO IT" 

Now....is this a huge task? You betcha BUT if I can get this created...this will change my Spanish 3 and AP courses FOREVER! Also, I can ALWAYS review it and know where my kids stand ;) 

God Bless,
Brittany B.

P.S. When I get the first one created....I will be sure to post it on TPT :) Gracias! 


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