November 2024

November 2024

The second grading period has been filled with discussions about family and community. Students gave wonderful oral presentations about their own identities, explaining what has influenced them in their lives to become the person they are today. This is one of my favorite projects throughout the year because I learn so much about my students. (See pictures below for some student samples.) We also worked in groups to discuss factors that benefit or encourage a quality education in a society. Students did research and planned a presentation to argue for or against such statements as "when we have access to free education, we have the same opportunities to develop our abilities". We were also graced with a guest speaker last month who is not only a Mills faculty member, but a graduate from SMUHSD! Ms. Torres presented on her family and her own education, engaging in a discussion with the class.

Students are developing their reading and listening skills as well. We have learned about Spanish families whose older generation has taken on more responsibility raising their grandchildren, watched a Ted-X video about how cell phone companies have manipulated the public's behavior and read about a community organization in Argentina that helps give the youth a positive way to spend their free time. These audios and readings are difficult for some students to understand, but I always make sure that we discuss key vocabulary prior to listening/reading and students sometimes work in pairs or groups to discuss the content as they go.

The beginning of November is a special time where many people in Spanish-speaking countries commemorate those loved ones who have passed away. Most students who have taken Spanish for 2 or 3 years prior to taking AP Spanish learn about Día de los Muertos and its traditions. In AP Spanish we dig deep into the origins of this holiday, learning about the ancient people and religions that created the symbols and practices that are still seen today. As we have these discussions and learn more details about the Hispanic culture, I hope that students will be able to pull from this bank of knowledge when they are taking the AP exam.

September 2024

See what we've been doing in Spanish class so far...

September 2024

This year's AP Spanish class is small, but there is a great deal of potential that I see in each and every one of my students. One great benefit I have this year is that I taught many of these students their freshman year, their junior year and now I have them a third time in AP. I am incredibly grateful to have such a wonderful group of young adults who work extremely hard, pay attention to details, enjoy each other's company and are eager to learn more about the Spanish language and culture.

We have spent the first 6 weeks discussing personal and public identities. This AP theme includes such topics as national/ethnic identity, self-esteem, assimilation/alienation and personal beliefs. Our class delved into an excerpt from a story called Expulsados, by Francisco Jiménez, which is a peek into the life of a migrant family who moved from Mexico to California in search of a better life. Students worked in groups to analyze key vocabulary, depict the story with imagery, make predictions, summarize quotes and make personal connections.

We have also spent some time during the first grading period to learn about indigenous languages of the Americas. Students have learned the names and origins of the most common language spoken in Spanish-speaking countries and presented their research finding to the class. Students also listened to an interview with an activist who has fought to preserve the guaraní language in Paraguay. Learning about indigenous peoples of the Americas has exposed the students to the idea that not all of the inhabitants of these countries are of European decent. 

Next week the students will be presenting their own identities with the class, sharing the details about their histories, families, hopes for the future and what has influenced them so far in their lives. I look forward to learning more about my students as individuals and am excited for their first formal presentation.

Back to School Night Presentation 2024-2025