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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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 &...
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...
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. Key takeaways: If you...
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...
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...
Hello October, welcome! And hola maestrxs, ¡bienvenidxs! Even though my banner suggests that this post is only about Día de los Muertos, I stuffed some other October-themed surprises in this post for you. Keep on reading, mis amores!!! Ok, let’s start with...
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...
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....
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...
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...
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,...
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...
¡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? Watch the original video at...
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,...
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...
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:...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
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....
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...
