Last week, we finally finished Chapter Three. Based on my notes, I finished Chapter three on April 30th last year.
Hooray - we're three months ahead of schedule from last year. Of course, we haven't had the obstacles we faced last year.
Last year, I had a student who was vocal. Every time she didn't understand something, she would whine quite verbally.
At first, I was annoyed. Whining is annoying after all. But then, I thought about it.
She was giving me what I needed to know. I was getting feedback. I was pushing my students in a direction without a map. From her whining, I realized three things I would have to do this year.
I split Chapter three into three sections - 1. Vocabulary 2. AR Verb 3. IR,Dar, Y Estar verbs. Then, I dropped the al y del. I dropped those words because even though those words are necessary, they are subtle and small in every day language and confuse Spanish 1 students so much they turn off their brains to everything else and have a language shut down. Sure, I talked about them, but we moved on. I decided that the confusion wasn't worth it.
And gawrsh, I just realized that Chapter 4 is hard too. Now, I have to teach verb phrases and er and ir verbs. While we're doing this, we're learning about foods. I had the kids make pictures of their favorite meals - and of course, I had to cringe as I got pictures labeled in English - EEEEEEEEEKKKKKKK --- really? REALLY? REALLLY?
Oh yeah, so I'll be patient and hand them back and probably give them a bad grade and let them know they can do it again - but they should realize they are in Spanish class - and label them in Spanish for Spanish class.....
So I guess Chapter Four is hard too?
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