La Maestra’s Corner

  Classroom celebrations are fun and children really love them (teachers…well they can be chaotic!). Often, whether birthdays or any other special occasion, these celebrations can be the ‘perfect’ excuse to bring not-so-healthy choices to students. Many school districts have strict guidelines as to what can be brought to classrooms (store-bought only, no nuts, etc.), other districts and/or schools can be more lenient as to what can be shared. However, one thing tends to remain constant: sugar. Fortunately, classroom celebrationsRead More ...

Every time I come across and/or find great bilingual or Spanish literature; I feel is my duty to share it with all of you. Some of the titles I am informing you on this post you may already be familiar with, but it is never a bad idea to refresh our memory and re-read them. Some are classics, while others are just too amazing to pass. What I love about many of the books I am sharing with you inRead More ...

In a dual-language program (whether 50/50 or 90/10), one of the goals is for children to learn to proficiently read and write in both languages. Coming from an English-only classroom, every year I had some students who had difficulty with fluency and speed (how many words per minute they could read). I knew that if they were spending too much time trying to decode words, there was going to be little or no comprehension. Why? Your brain cannot spend aRead More ...

I hear it over and over again; “I just stopped reading to my child once he/she got older.” The truth is, as children grow and learn to become independent readers, parents often step aside. Do not get me wrong, independent reading is marvelous and many people (myself included) love getting lost in a book. However, I love to hear a great story; I actually enjoy when parents come to read to my class because I get to be a listenerRead More ...

Report cards are done which indicates that I am officially ready for parent-teacher conferences. If you still have not yet met with your child’s teacher, I suggest you take a look at a previous post of mine (full of tips to make sure you have a great conference). While I have to admit that the past two weeks have been crazy busy, this week’s post is not about conferences, or teaching, but rather about your child and another observation/realization IRead More ...

I cannot believe it is that time of the year already! Parent-Teacher Conferences are just around the corner. It seems like it was yesterday when I was running around trying to set up my classroom and getting ready to start the new school year. But, time flies. It is already November and before we know it, a new calendar year is upon us. Parent-Teacher Conferences are a great opportunity to check on your child’s progress and mastery of academic standards.Read More ...

  Last week, I gave Spanglishbaby readers the opportunity to take a special peek into a kindergarten classroom at a dual-language school. I received many great emails from parent to teachers – THANK YOU for all your questions and comments. I also got quite a few requests asking me about dual-language in the upper grades (not just 4th or 5th grade, but beyond). I am excited to be able to share with all of you great insights as well asRead More ...

I have always believed that it takes a ‘special’ kind of heart to be a kindergarten teacher – sugar maybe? As an upper elementary educator, I often take for granted that children come to me already knowing how to hold a pencil or writing words with spaces between them. This week, I had the rare opportunity to visit a kindergarten classroom at my school and I was fascinated with what I saw…I just had to share the wonders that takeRead More ...