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April is Arab American Month: How & Why Should We Celebrate it in Spanish Class?
As April begins to release it’s blossoms, let’s ready our classes to uplift Arab voices in celebration of Arab American Month. Mi gente, join me in a cultural deep dive that impacts our target language and cultures that we teach–not only for this month but for a...
March into Culture: A Deep Dive into Intercultural Learning in Spanish Class
As March approaches, I find myself eagerly anticipating the many enriching experiences it brings! March is not just another month; it's a vibrant tapestry woven with cultural wonders and learning opportunities, particularly in the realms of interculturality &...
Honoring Afro-Latinos in the Spanish Classroom: My Journey and Resources
Spanish is a language that offers numerous opportunities to explore cultural intersectionalities, allowing teachers to recognize and uplift diverse student populations. Whether delving into history, music, geography, laws, or linguistics, cultural intersectionality...
Obstacles That Keep Afrodescendientes out of Our Spanish Curriculum: Ideas, Tips, & Reflections for Overcoming Them
Spanish teachers face many challenges in the World Language classroom. Therefore, proposing to add anything to the proverbial “teacher’s plate”-- including more diverse and inclusive topics to the curriculum, could seem as much as a herculean feat. On one hand,...
Culture Your Way! Integrating Culture in the Classroom with Snackable Forms of Content!
Welcome to the vibrant month of November, a period woven with a rich cultural tapestry that beckons us to explore and celebrate a diversity that is especially pertinent to the Spanish classroom. As we journey through this month, we have the opportunity to bring the...
Decorating your classroom shouldn’t drain the bank! 🛒💸 | 5 Free Downloadables for Your Class!
¡Hola mi gente linda! If you're new here to The Cultural Classroom, my name is Allison and I am a Spanish Teacher with over a decade of classroom experience! One of my greatest joys is sharing my love and passion for the Spanish language and culture, while also...
✨ “¡Listos para brillar! Elevate Your Spanish Classroom Experience” ✨
📆 ¡Nuevo año/Nuevo yo! 🌟 Are you ready to make this school year one for the books? As you gear up for an epic journey with your Spanish students, I've got some fabulous tips to help you create the most awesome classroom experience ever! 🚀 Check them out below! ➡️ Talk...
Themed Ideas for the Spanish Classroom for the Month of May!
May is an exciting and busy month for Spanish educators everywhere. But with so many cultural celebrations and holidays taking place, it's the perfect time to explore new themes, share engaging stories, and promote important discussions with our students–especially in...
Celebrating the Asian-American and Pacific Islander Communities in Spanish Class | CLASS ACTIVITY FREEBIE INCLUDED
As you might know, May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. While you may be wondering how to make this celebration relevant in your Spanish classroom, I want to help you think of some easy ways that are little to no-prep! Let's start with...
¡Feliz día de las madres! FREE DOWNLOAD!
¡Hola todas/todes/todos! As Spanish teachers, we have the opportunity to not only teach our students the language but also to expose them to different cultures and traditions--and in reverse, show how the Spanish language/customs can be incorporated into everyday...
A New Take on Verb Practice: La Batalla, a no-prep review game
This post is about a fun, no-prep verb conjugation review game called La Batalla. This winner will keep your kids in the target language & approximate authenticity through the inspired "Batalla Naval" format! What do kids really want to know? Many times while in...
An Oral & Musical Take on National Poetry Month for Spanish Class
Check out these activities that combine song & music to celebrate National Poetry Month in April! What exactly is poetry? My love of poetry was reignited by a webinar that I watched by Diego Ojedo that was amazing! Poetry is about art and expression:...
What is a WebQuest and why my students love them?
Have you used WebQuests recently in your World Language classes? No matter where you are in the school year, WebQuests offer a great opportunity for your students to experience authentic culture and to grow intellectually. Let's explore some of the ways I implement...
A Spanish/Latino St. Patrick’s Day? Keep Reading! ⤵️
What do you know about the relationship between Spain + Ireland? Did you know that there is a relationship, genetically and culturally between these two powerhouse and unique countries? Here are a few examples below: ⭐️Spaniards are the closest genetic relatives to...
Freebie: Mes de la mujer | ¡Tarjetas!
Check out my new FREEBIE for you for Women's History Month! Download your cards here Have your students honor the important females in their lives by customizing these gorgeous and diverse cards with messages of inspiration & love. A quick demo (less than 2...
Social Justice in the Spanish Classroom
Many of us are looking for ways to incorporate Social Justice themes in the classroom. Here are some videos on Social Justice & an activity to bring in relevant vocabulary. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Spanish Classroom & Diversity/Inclusion...
“It’s the middle of February, now what?”
I'm sure that many of us teachers (especially if you're reading this post), ran into February with the following sentiment: to increase awareness of the African diaspora in the Spanish classroom! If so, then you're in good company. Because I started February like:...
Empowering Voices of the Black Diaspora [in the Spanish Language Classroom]
A few years ago, I wrote a blog post about my childhood experience living in a diverse, primarily Latino community of Caribbean origins (i.e., Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic) in New York City. The beauty of living in this community was two-fold: I was completely...
Hacks to Jumpstart Your New Year: Teacher Planning Tips
Welcome to the New Year! You know how the New Year always seems so shiny and, well, new? And you make all these resolutions for change…but many times forget all about them and sink back into your old routine within a few weeks? Let’s fix that by engaging in a weekly...
Hacks to Jumpstart Your New Year: Google Drive
Welcome to the New Year! You know how the New Year always seems so shiny and, well, new? And you make all these resolutions for change…but many times forget all about them and sink back into your old routine within a few weeks? Let’s fix that by engaging in a weekly...
Enero: Nuevo año, ¡Nuevo yo!
There is something quite magical about the new year, whether it is something that we just assign to it or if it is truly incredible. I find it full of hope and promise, and a reminder that I am in control of my destiny. What about you? What are your thoughts about the...
Welcome December! | Cultural & Seasonal Activities for Spanish Class
Looking for some fun ideas for the Spanish classroom? This can be a challenging time of the year: on one hand, engagement may be waning, and on another hand, students' attendance is often all over the place, both making lesson planning so difficult (absences that may...
Unique Spanish Classroom Ideas for Thanksgiving & November
As Spanish teachers, we are always looking for fun, no-prep, and new ways to engage our students--especially during this later Fall time of the year, when the mix of holidays, breaks, absenteeism, and a bit of tiredness starts to kick in. November & Thanksgiving...
Why Teach about Indigenous Peoples in Spanish Class?
When I learned about Hispanic culture and people during my K-12 experience, it was often from a Eurocentric, one-dimensional perspective. We never really discussed the racial, cultural, linguistic, and complex diversity that makes up Hispanic communities. Neither did...
Instant Sub Plans Using Pear Deck
I don't know about you, but life can be quite unexpected. Expect the unexpected with this simple trick so that you can turn any Pear Deck presentation into an instant sub plan! Check out my video below or read the key takeaways that follow....
Fun Spanish Classroom Games to Boost Engagement!
In this blog post, you will get some hot tips, ideas, and activity suggestions to increase engagement in the Spanish classroom! If you stroll by my classroom at any given moment, you're probably going to notice the booming wave of loud music pouring out of my door....
Why teach about Día de los Muertos?
There are many reasons why we should teach about Día de los Muertos in class--an amazing and truly rich holiday that shares so much of the target cultures' products, practices, and perspectives. From a social justice perspective, I work hard to make sure that my...
Everything you need to celebrate: el mes de octubre! 🎉
Hello October, welcome! And hola todos, todas, todes! Here is an October-packed blog post for you, full of engaging & diversity-filled activities! If you have any questions, always feel free to reach out to me: theculturalclassroomtpt@gmail.com. ¡Oye! Hispanic...
There’s so much to say.
This blog post is for every teacher who suffers from anxiety or is ever paralyzed by it. I see you. I am you. #normalizementalhealth Don't let smiles fool you. Anxiety loves to hide behind smiles. FLAVA Conference 2022. Let me start by being brutally honest with you...
I hate that I have to write this but…
Growing up, I lived in a community in Brooklyn called Little Puerto Rico. On a side note, I'm reading a wonderful book right now that is basically a biopic of my experience in Brooklyn as a little girl: "When We Make It" by Elisabet Velasquez. Knickerbocker Ave. Marc...
Free PD with Over 30+ Industry Leaders! And Me! Come Join!
I am so excited to share a unique opportunity to grow as a world language teacher: The World Language Teacher Summit! This FREE conference offers quality PD for teachers! I've been watching some of the sessions early and I'm blown away by the content. Some of my favs...
Celebrating Indigenous and Native Peoples in the Spanish Classroom!
Ways to Incorporate Indigenous Culture in the Classroom My passion is the integration of social justice themes in the foreign language classroom. What exactly is social justice? In the classroom, it can accomplish the following: Slide from my FLAVA presentation in...
Uplifting Diverse Voices During Hispanic Heritage Month: Resources for Your Classroom
I don't know about you, but I love Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept 15-Oct 15)! This infographic does a great job breaking down the history of HHM & its origins! However, although HHM is a fantastic time to celebrate, uplift, and affirm our Hispanic familia, one...
Getting Ready for Hispanic Heritage Month with These Classroom Tips!
From September 15-October 15, the United States observes Hispanic Heritage Month (see this infographic!). Consider introducing some elements of the celebration in your Spanish class, even if you are tight on time & only have one day free on the calendar! I love...
My In-Class Testing Procedures With Electronics in Spanish Class
¡Felicitaciones! You've made it to May (it's gonna be Maaaaaaaay---I couldn't resist): The school year is almost over! How many days do you have left?...
🇲🇽 3 Myths About Cinco de Mayo: DEBUNKED (Share With Students!)
Cinco de Mayo is a very confusing holiday: various myths swirl around its origins and what it represents that persists to this day! For Mexico’s northern neighbor, the United States celebrates Cinco de Mayo as if it were a national Mexican holiday, with full force,...
A Fresh Take On Helping Spanish Teachers: Quick Tips
I recently surveyed my fellow teachers and found out that many struggled with issues that I could help out with: thankfully a decade in the classroom leaves you with a few tricks up your sleeve! Thus the birth of a new series: Quick Tips. I broke down the top and...
5 Facts About Semana Santa + Why YOU Should Teach About It This April (Authentic Culture In The Classroom)
In the following post, you will read about 5 fun facts about Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Sevilla and why you should add it to your curriculum this year! It is a great addition of authentic culture into your classroom. A little backstory as to why I love Semana Santa:...
The Importance of Sharing Personal Cultural Experiences in the Classroom
Sharing personal cultural experiences in Spanish class Many of us Spanish teachers are educating the famous Gen Z--which comes with a variety of implications and sometimes misguided stereotypes. "They don't want to work," I've heard people say. However, my friend and...
A Latina Women’s History Month: Resources brought to you by The Cultural Classroom
The mission of The Cultural Classroom is to create authentic cultural resources for teachers to use and to facilitate the creation of authentic cultural journeys in the classroom. During the month of February, we focused heavily on Afro-Latinos, an underrepresented...
Hey Delta variant! How do I plan for the start of school? Asking for a friend who’s a Spanish teacher. 💃🏽
Is anybody a bit nervous about the start of the new school year? My district is all about going full speed ahead into a in-person learning environment, meanwhile, we have to contend with the Delta variant. I'm not sure what other districts are doing: part time,...
Freebies, Fiesta, and Fun! Getting to Know Each Other in Spanish Class During the First Weeks of School!
Looking for some fun activities for the Spanish 1-2 classrooms for the first couple of weeks? Not sure if you are going to be virtual or in-person (or a mix of both)? Check out my various projects, including a mega freebie! I'll go into detail on each item below: 1....
Spanish Teachers, Save Big with These Tips
To herald in the Back to School season, on August 1st & 2nd, Teachers Pay Teachers will be throwing a site-wide sale! How exciting?! You can save up to 25% off resources in my store!! AGH! Here's my guide on how to navigate this sale like a pro! 1. What's the...
My Teacher Office Glam Up + Special Surprise 👀
My Teacher Office Glam Up + Special Surprise In need of a new place to work If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen my previous office tour of my dedicated teacher workspace in my bedroom. I was so proud of it! I made lemonade out of...
My Favorite Resources for Distance Learning
What does one do with seemingly indefinite time off and no immediate plans for instruction for kids? Well, you go into planning mode. I've been lurking on all my favorite teaching websites, hoarding ideas, and preparing them to share with my followers and eventually,...
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Do you have questions? Would you like to work one-on-one or have a group call with your co-workers on how to incorporate Culture in the Classroom? Send me an email! Theculturalclassroomtpt@gmail.com
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