In the beginning, there was 6th grade, and it was...

Welcome to my adventures in teaching 6th grade Spanish. I've decided to blog about my teaching and what goes on in the classroom because 1) some of this stuff is hilarious and cannot be made up; 2) it will be a forum of reflection and constructive advice to fine-tune the learning experience for the kids; and 3) it will be a place where I can keep my lesson plans and materials, and share them as well. I am excited about this year. It's my second year teaching middle school, and after my trial-by-fire experience with 6th grade last year, I have all sorts of ideas that I'm looking forward to trying. They may or may not include things like: toothbrush bracelets, sock puppets, service projects, field trips to restaurants, and, of course, cultural celebrations. Instead of just 4 classroom jobs I traditionally have in my classroom, I have closer to 14. All this in an effort to keep the students interested and involved in learning and using Spanish--and out of trouble! The first 2 weeks of class are dedicated solely to classroom procedures. I think it must be a hard transition to go from a 5th grade self-contained classroom to 7 classes a day with lockers, homework and personal responsibility. What's more, the Spanish classroom can be particularly challenging because it is so interactive and (hopefully) fun. I do this every year, but I find it's so much more important in middle school to make sure they know what is expected of them and how to act. A well-known educational trainer Mark McCloud advocates the "3 for 33" rule--teach the procedures for 3 weeks, then get even more done the rest of the year because students know what they are supposed to do, and not do, in the class. I've found that 3 is a little long for 6th grade, so I'll teach them the basics (what to do when they come in the room, what to do when absent, when to get out of their seats, etc) and I'll add in more procedures as they are needed (how to work in groups, etc.) Attached you'll find my lesson plans for the first 2 weeks. I also include class-building activities during this time because I feel it is important for the kids to get to know each other so they can work together. Next Time: The first week of complete immersion