Junior/Senior High Spanish Teacher

08/09/2021

It is so vitally important to be exposed to other countries, other customs, other languages and other ways of thinking about our planet. It seems to be human nature that we easily get in a rut, thinking our way of life is the same as other countries. Truth to tell, we are surrounded here in the United States by two oceans--yes, we have Canada to the north and Mexico to the south; as such, perhaps we aren't exposed as much as we could be by other customs, languages and ways of thinking. We all share this planet and as such, having curiosity as to how others live and researching & exposing oneself to other music, ways to thinking, etc. is probably a healthy endeavor. We do not necessarily have to embrace customs different than ours, but we should, at the very least, be aware of cultural differences and patterns of life.

07/22/2021

In today's world, having experience with a 2nd language is a HUGE ADVANTAGE in securing a job. Spanish, German, French, Portuguese are all languages that will help you move forward in our world that never stays stagnant. Just because we (here in the USA) are separated by two oceans, DOES NOT MEAN we should brush aside various languages. Math, Science, History, English, even Phys Ed are required throughout high school--a 2nd language should also be a requirement.

05/17/2021

No time like the present to brush up on a 2nd language & what better language than Spanish! Living in Argentina for 6 months with a wonderful family with whom I still stay in touch, taught me so much & if I had my say-so, every high school student would earn free college credits by living with a regular family in a country whose language is not English. I still hold those memories dear to my heart & living in Argentina not once, but twice, gave me a new prospective on customs, people and beliefs.

07/24/2020

Precious children from Guatemala during an Easter Festival...wonder if the photographer said: "Diga Queso!" ("Say Cheese!") prior to taking the picture?

06/04/2019

Fiesta de la Tirana is coming to your northern Chile neighborhood on July 16. It is one of the biggest religious festivities in Chile & has between 200,000 - 250,000 celebrants during the week.
Dancing is clearly a huge part of the celebrations of Fiesta de La Tirana, as dance groups & pilgrims dance before the Virgin. The doors of the sanctuary at La Tirana are formally opened on July 10 & dancers make their entrance ("entrada") from July 11-14. Each dance ("baile") is assigned a specific time for entry--the same order applies for departure at the end of the week. They dance first at a plaza at the entrance to town, in front of the statue of the Cruz del Calvario (Calvary Cross). There is generally a priest there to formally welcome & bless the group at the Cruz Calvario."

04/13/2019

Película muy convincente que no parece recibir mucho "en el aire " ... ambientado en mi amada Argentina, esta película tiene suspenso, patrimonio cultural y una historia estupenda. .. ambientado en mi amada Argentina, esta película tiene suspenso, patrimonio cultural y una historia estupenda.

(Very compelling film that doesn't seem to receive much "on air" play time...set in my beloved Argentina, this film has suspense, cultural heritage and a terrific story.)

03/21/2019

Spring fever is about to hit our pre-teens, as well as teenagers. April is creeping up & it is often challenging for our students to focus on anything...let alone a second language that some consider totally irrelevant to their lives. If your school is fortunate enough to participate in a student exchange program, ask that student from a different country to speak to your class--even if it is not in the 2nd language you are teaching. Peruse social media, such as YouTube with a travelogue or a full-blown film...BRING THE LANGUAGE TO YOUR STUDENTS IN UNIQUE, CREATIVE WAYS. Blessings on you all for caring enough to teach a 2nd (or even 3rd) language!

02/02/2019

https://www.realworldholidays.co.uk/events.aspx

There are tons of festivals in South America in 2019, from food to film, with a dash of carnival thrown in! Check out our constantly-updated list to find out about upcoming events in South America.

02/02/2019

It has been a more-than-challenging winter here in the North East. This should not dissuade you from learning a second language. Embrace, study and learn another language than English. Trust me--it will SERVE YOU WELL when you apply for that life-changing vocation. The easy answer is to learn Spanish. Having lived in la Republica Argentina por seis meses...I know how vital it is. AND REMEMBER--how can Latin qualify as "a dead language" when it is fundamental to such languages today as Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian...and YES, English. Language teachers...BE SURE TO INTEGRATE THESE LANGUAGES INTO YOUR COURSE STUDIES. Nothing exists in a vacuum...ESPECIALLY ENGLISH. DO YOUR JOB--REIGNITE THE VITAL IMPORTANCE OF LEARNING A 2nd, 3rd, EVEN 4th LANGUAGE! DO YOUR DUTY...AND DO YOUR JOB!

01/25/2019

Viví en esta encantadora y pintoresca ciudad de San Juan, Argentina durante seis meses. Aunque era invierno en San Juan durante el tiempo, todavía era encantador y lo echo mucho de menos. Si puedes, aprovecha los viajes internacionales. Es el tipo de educación que nadie puede llevar nunca.