Spanish Podcast

Last year, I came across a great resource for listening and comprehension of authentic Spanish (complete with dreamy Spain accent!) :)  As a white, Spanish-as-a-second-language, young, female teacher, I always felt it was important to expose my students to the rhythms and vocabulary and accents of native speakers much different than myself.  This is one great way to do so!

Spanish Podcast is an excellent resource from everything that I have found so far.

From @VSSpanishPodcast

On their website they have a 192 available episodes with their titles.  And their twitter profile is constantly tweeting out links to episodes as well. The episodes are 100% in Spanish, mainly spoken by a male.  The entire transcripts are available online, also in Spanish.  This might be initially intimidating if you are hoping to use these podcasts in a level 1 or 2 class, but I love the explanation that the website gives for why they choose not to translate their transcripts:

"Sólo puedes aprender a hablar y comprender español o cualquier otro idioma escuchándolo, no traduciéndolo. Si hablamos en inglés para explicarte cómo hablar español, sería una pérdida de tiempo, no aprenderías correctamente y nosotros queremos que tengas éxito. Si quieres aprender español o cualquier otro idioma, la única forma es estar totalmente inmerso en el idioma."

What an indictment of the majority of Spanish programs in the United States, am I right?!  Thankfully, there are teachers like you and I out there who know that there has to be a better way than filling in the verb conjugation tables and doing a packet of worksheets each day.  Not to imply that those things can't possibly benefit some students, but they do not typically build fluency.

Granted, I have not used these podcasts in a traditional classroom.  BUT, I have assigned it as preview homework for my group of students traveling to Spain this summer in order to familiarize themselves with cultural customs and to help get their ears used to Spanish.  I gave them much the same advice that Spanish Podcast gives its listeners:

" Simplemente haz lo que puedas para entender lo que estamos diciendo mientras escuchas cada episodio del podcast. Una vez que lo hayas intentado, lee la transcripción en el blog y vuelve a escuchar el episodio."

1.  Listen and try to catch any words you possibly can.  Maybe write them down on a notebook sheet of paper.
2. Read the Spanish transcript and mark it up:  What words do you already know?  What words are new?  Which words are vitally important in this podcast?
3. Listen to the podcast again and make any additional notes about what you understood.  Also, highlight areas of confusion or specific questions you want to bring to class.

From http://www.spanishpodcast.net/faq/

Here is an example of how I used one episode to teach my Spanish travelers about greeting each other in Spain. 

If your students have Apple devices, these podcasts are available on iTunes.  If not, they are easily accessible by going to the website linked above.  They also sell audiobooks and have tongue twisters available for some fun practice with pronunciation.  One of my all-time favorite aspects of the website is their 7 videos that address techniques for how to become conversationally fluent in Spanish:  by listening, repeating, imitating, being consistent, learning from native speakers, NOT translating, and having fun!  What a great homework assignment for students who may be new to the concept of teaching in the target language!  

Have you used Spanish Podcast in class before?  Have you found other podcasts helpful?  I would love to hear from you!

#CelebrateMonday

 ¿Qué día es hoy?

Hoy es...lunes. *collective sigh from all students*

This is how many weeks in my classroom unintentionally started.  I wanted to begin class each day with a few simple questions in the target language and use some choral response to really get the blood flowing.  And yet, when the answer was "the first day of an impossible week and WHY ARE YOU REMINDING ME" it didn't always get the positivity I was hoping for.

That's why I have loved reading about the #CelebrateMonday trend going around.  What a way to change our school culture of complaints and defeat to inspiration and encouragement!

Today is #CelebrateMonday! We can't wait to share the greatness in our school!

A photo posted by Bethany Hill_Central Elem (@mrshill_central_leadlearner) on Feb 1, 2016 at 4:56am PST

Teachers (and students) around the country have taken to posting pictures from their classrooms that make them smile, even on Mondays.  Young teachers have highlighted successful lessons, students have taken selfies with friends and administrators have boasted about the learning going on in various classrooms throughout their building.  When these things pop up on your feed, you can't help but catch on to the contagious energy and optimism!

What's going to make you "WOO!" today? #celebratemonday #WCSmission pic.twitter.com/BLhr44dr1e

— Mrs. Abbitt (@AbbittsMonstars) August 17, 2015

So excited to hear about all the great things going on here @WCS_District during our Coaches' meeting today! #WCSmission #CelebrateMonday

— David Robertson--CAO (@drobertson_cao) October 19, 2015

Busy writer this morning! #CelebrateMonday

A photo posted by Bethany Hill_Central Elem (@mrshill_central_leadlearner) on Jan 11, 2016 at 9:39am PST

I have also seen many educational leaders begin to post uplifting quotes and messages to inspire their colleagues as they start the week.  Some of my favorite quotes come from scrolling through the #CelebrateMonday hashtag on Twitter and Instagram alike!

Oh @nortnik65 I needed this! Thank you! Weird can be awesome! #teachersofinstagram #education #CelebrateMonday

A photo posted by Bethany Hill (@bethanyhill1) on Jan 18, 2016 at 6:33am PST

What can you do in your classroom to intentionally focus on starting the week off in a way that students can look forward to?  Can you implement a special ritual on Monday mornings to excite students?  How might your negativity (even unintentionally) in the hallway, in first period or with your fellow teachers impact students on Mondays in a way that is counterproductive to what you stand for the rest of the week?

I challenge you all to participate today (and each Monday) in spreading a chuckle, a compliment, or something that inspires you and tag it #CelebrateMonday.  Perhaps you can even challenge students to take a picture in your class on Monday morning and flood the internet with positivity!

Today I posted this:

To remind students that what feels like hopelessness on a foggy Monday morning might actually be the start of an important transformation in your growth.  What can you post before the day is out?

Leading Through Languages: Workshop Reflections

This past Saturday, Warsaw Community Schools hosted its first ever "Leading Through Languages" workshop at Warsaw Community High School. It took place from 9:00am-12:30pm and was FREE for Warsaw teachers (PLUS it earned you 3.5 professional growth points!)  This workshop excited me from the moment I heard about it because it was born of the collaboration and brainstorming of two dear colleagues:  Mr. Christopher Hindsley and Dr. Shu-Chun Tseng.  They dreamed up this conference declaring,

"Our mission is to inspire teachers by sharing global stories, equip teachers with skills and techniques to implement in the classroom, and enrich teachers by building a global community of educators."

Our wonderful sponsors & the door prizes.

Mr. Hindsley & Dr. Tseng introducing the day.

It was obvious that the day was going to be well spent when I received an email that I could go at 8:30am if I wanted coffee and pastries.  Most teachers might shy away from earlier Saturday mornings, but for a stay at home mom with a Hubby on baby duty:  Get me there as early as you want and get me some caffeine! Sounded glorious.

I immediately got the chance to connect with friends and colleagues that I haven't seen much of this school year.  It was so good to catch up with them and get a chance to "relax" with them throughout the day.  I was very impressed with the turnout that the workshop had:  administrators, music teachers, history teachers, language arts teachers, college students, stay at home moms, media center specialists and world language teachers were ALL present for this day of intentional learning.

**Conference Pre-face:  This Mom was on the verge of tears, literally the entire time.  Hearing life-changing stories and experiences from extremely invested educators and parents left me wiping my eyes for THREE.HOURS.**

We registered, received a folder from Manchester University stuffed with a notebook, a feedback form, a school map and the breakout session offerings and descriptions.  A few minutes after nine, the keynote speaker Kondo Simfukwe was introduced.

I was familiar with Kondo from hearing him speak at Grace College chapels when I was a student, and listening to him preach when I was church hopping around that time, too. However I did not know his entire story, and the way that he told it made him a riveting keynote speaker.  He was born in London, grew up in Zambia, attended high school in Australia and then moved to Winona Lake, Indiana for college.  The man has known culture shock, language diversity and plenty of stereotyping and misunderstandings.  He challenged us to go "Beyond the Cultural Veil", explaining that "it is amazing what happens when understanding takes us behind the veil of what someone did to perhaps why they did it."  Kondo went on to give three specific things that he wishes his teachers would have understood about him as a minority student.  These thoughts really challenged me as an educator to think of how my own cultural experiences have tinted how I view student's behaviors:

1. "I had a very low self-concept.  But I wasn't disinterested."  He explained that he felt fortunate simply to have the opportunity of an education, and would regularly claim he understood when questioned, rather than make the entire class stop for just him.
2. "I am completely people focused.  But, that doesn't make me lazy."  Project deadlines were difficult for him to meet because he valued conversations and relationships over all else.  
3. "I am community-oriented.  So, I'm not motivated by grades or GPA." Teachers tried to hold grades or class rank over him, when in reality no one tapped into his true motivation:  how he was impacting the entire class.  

Kondo challenged me to see behaviors (especially those of middle school students) as less of fully informed, intentional decisions and more as a product of their cultural experiences.  He reminded me that my students might not even be able to perfectly articulate their cultural understandings:  "By the way, that's not how culture works.  I don't go around saying 'this is my culture and I experience it sequentially in this way'...it's just who I am." Kondo made me want to be more curious and observant of my students' lives and hear more of their personal stories that undoubtedly impact their daily life in my classroom.

From there, we went to four different breakout sessions. Some were an hour long, but most were half an hour.  

I chose to attend Christopher's first session:  Connecting Cultures; A French & American Exchange Program.  He talked about the program he has helped to grow between a French high school and Warsaw which involves a three year rotation of a student exchange for two years followed by a group exchange the third year.  My favorite part of this program is that it is a true exchange:  each year the French student(s) come to Warsaw in the fall (six weeks as an individual or 10 days as a group) and each spring our students go to France for the same amount of time. Christopher really inspired me dream about what a Spanish exchange program in Warsaw could look like.  I started envisioning a two country program one day where we could send students to Ecuador one year and Costa Rica the next and then our group trip could alternate between the two.  I think this would so highlight the cultural differences, accents and country specific vocabulary that we can't properly cover in our classrooms.

Mr. Hindsley is difficult to capture not-moving in a picture ;)

A formerly un-motivated student's words about the exchange program and its impact on her.

A parent's words about how the program impacted her child.

Christopher reminded me that "our job is to infuse their day with culture, even if they can't get their passport or fly across the ocean."

Next, I attended Harrison Elementary teacher Deb McClintock & Harrison Elementary Principal Lee Snider's session:  Sister School Partnerships. I had worked in Warsaw during the process they were presenting, but I was completely unaware of all that they had accomplished!  Deb described how she had been intrigued by Asian cultures as a young child, and saw an opportunity to get paired with a Sister School in China thanks to a program called Global Indiana. She even got to visit the school, which happened to be in a prestigious resort community in China.  Lee then informed us of the logistics of scheduling the Principal of their Sister School's visit and planning a group visit for Chinese students to Warsaw as well. It was fascinating to hear how a group of elementary aged Chinese students came to our small town in Indiana, stayed with host families in the area, attended classes at Harrison and tried to live the life of our students. I got emotional (not the first time during the workshop) hearing how not only our students were impacted, but also their parents and siblings as well by getting to know people from across the world.  The difference between this program and the exchange program was that none of our Warsaw students have thus far visited China, but that is still a dream in process.  I am so excited to hear how this program continues to grow!

Lee's quote really struck me when he said, "Regardless of what our students later hear in the media, they can be grounded by knowing they have a friend in China who is a good person."

And Deb's dream deeply resonated with me when she said, "I want our students to have early exposure to other cultures so that their 'little antennas' are up and we can help make the world a smaller place."

Deb (in red) and Lee (center) were a great team.

Lastly, I went to an hour long parent panel of international or adopted students discussing the difficulties they have had in our schools. It was comprised of two local teachers who have adopted children, a parent who has an adopted child in our schools and an international parent who moved to Warsaw for work, started his family in our town, and has gone through the culture shock and stereotyping alongside his daughters.  It was (again) an extremely emotional experience for many of us as we saw their pain and concern about the difficult transition that their students have made in their young lives and how their peers and teachers have impacted that. There were 3 main questions that each panelist answered, and then the time was opened up for all of the teachers and administrators to ask additional questions.  The parents' vulnerability and transparency was inspiring as they bared their family's business to all of the strangers in the room for the betterment of our entire community.  I was so humbled and inspired.  I came away with a few key revelations that could impact how I interact with international students and families in the future:

1. "If you see something extreme or inappropriate, contact parents right away."  Many parents highlighted how the family may be trying to intentionally work on a behavior issue at home, and although it may not appear to be worthy of parent phone call home, always over communicate.  These parents have years of teaching and communicating to make up for and they need all the 'head's up' they can get.
2. "Just because he's speaking English well, don't assume he can read at that level."  As a language teacher I feel like I should not have been so surprised by this one, because we all know that different aspects of language develop differently.  However, it struck me as such a delicate matter when the student could potentially be so well incorporated socially, and yet be quite behind academically.  It also really convicted me as a language teacher that the students who do the best assimilating to our country are the one's whose verbal skills develop quickest.  Why is it that in so many of our classrooms the verbal skills are the ones that we sacrifice so that our students can 'master' accents and reflexive pronouns?
3. "In groups, put him with the higher functioning kids so he can model both their behavior and their language."  Sometimes this is counter-intuitive.  And different groupings serve different purposes.  However, there are definite times when international students or ESL students could benefit from being placed in a group perhaps they are not "ready" for.

The panelists sharing with us about their family's varied experiences in our schools.

We rounded out the day by returning for door prizes and a final word from the committee.  One of the questions (that, in my opinion should be on EVERY conference evaluation form!) was "what session would you like to see offered in the future?"  It was fun to brainstorm about different colleagues I know who could offer wisdom in this setting, and even dream about what I might have to say one day.  It intrigued and frustrated me that the conference claimed to highlight languages, but in an effort to include teachers from many content areas it ended up focusing almost entirely on cultures (valid, and extremely important, mind you).  My biggest hope for the future of Leading Through Languages is that we find a specific way to incorporate language development, language reference, and language pedagogy specific sessions.

All in all it was an INCREDIBLE first workshop. I came home eager to talk my husband's ear off about all that I had learned and organize my four pages of handwritten notes, quotes and ideas. This one will definitely be on my calendar for future years and I can't wait to see how it grows.  On Twitter, many educators tweeted pictures, quotes and reflections under our previously established corporation wide hashtag:  #WCSmission.

#spanstuchat

It's the 3rd Tuesday of the month, so that means dozens of middle school and high school Spanish students from all over the United States (and a few other countries as well!) will be chatting tonight on Twitter from 9-10pm EST.

Two promotional slides from when I moderated #spanstuchat last school year.

#Spanstuchat was created by teachers Rebecca Huls and Kara McNeese.  The first and third Tuesday of each month throughout the school year, they allow other teachers and groups of students to "moderate" the chat (design the questions and tweet them out throughout the hour) by signing up on their website.  As in most Twitter chats, there are a variety of questions (tweeted with Q1 in front and always with the hashtag #spanstuchat) and then everyone who wants to answer, tweets Q2 in front of their answer along with the hashtag.  For more info on how to participate in Twitter chats, see this document. The unique part of #spanstuchat, of course, is that ALL of this is done IN SPANISH. #spanishteacherdream  My favorite quote from their website where they have the moderator sign up sheet and archives of past chats, is this:

Do your best with grammar, but we are not concerned about it in #spanstuchat, we just want you to communicate in the Spanish Language with us! 

I started "lurking" in the chat (reading all the tweets without really contributing my own) in order to see the level of Spanish used and the topics.  After a while it became obvious that it can be as easy or challenging as students want to make it:  some students really think through each word and submit a simple one thought answer, while others add complexity, look up new words and comment on others' tweets.

I incorporated in to my classroom for the past two years by offering it as a choice homework assignment option (1 of 5 throughout the week) because I knew not all of my students had or were permitted to use Twitter that late at night.  Each quarter I also used one chat as an extra credit assignment:  you got 10/15 for answering all questions in Spanish in live time and to earn the other 5 points you had to engage in an organic exchange with someone about their tweet.  Additionally, if I looked ahead and realized a topic would be beyond my student's knowledge, I made Google Doc help sheets and tweeted them out earlier that evening so they could prepare.

It was one of those cool moments where a handful of students who didn't always engage in other assignments RELIGIOUSLY participated in #spanstuchat and even promoted it for me among their classmates.  I strongly encourage all Spanish teachers to check it out tonight and then brainstorm ways of using it in your classroom this semester!

Social media can be an educational tool...you just have to leverage it to YOUR advantage.

#spanstuchat Tweets

Have you participated?  What did you think?
Read about fellow Spanish teacher Allison Weinhold's experience here!

How Can I Stay Involved?

Maybe you're like me.

Your life is changing directions very quickly.  

You're a young wife and teacher.  You are learning new things in the classroom and you love pouring your energy into getting better and trying new things.

You're looking for your first house and you search online for something that could be part of your future.

And BAM.  One day you find out your pregnant.  And your life priorities and energy and five year plan sorta kinda goes down the toilet...as you knew them, anyway.  Perhaps you go back to work after having your baby.  Or perhaps, like me, that wasn't a sustainable way to live for your family.  So, for now, you are no longer the young wife and teacher who loves to learn new strategies for formative assessments and search for inventive new apps.  Maybe you are now the young wife and mother who goes to baby music classes and says "please don't play with the trashcan/outlets/cough syrup/permanent markers" a lot lately.

Maybe, like me, you still feel like that young teacher.  You still have a heart for teaching and learning and traveling and languages and students.  You're not ready to be DONE but you are choosing something different (and better, for you) for now.  You've been wondering things like How can I keep using and improving my target language? How can I keep a foot in the door in my local school corporation?  How can I keep connected with students I've invested in?  How can I stay involved?

I've been there.  Actually, I'm still wandering around there a little bit.  But, here are five ways I have found to stay connected to Spanish teaching, even while staying at home with my baby.

1. Social Media:  While teaching I created a "teacher account" on Twitter and Instagram.  Even now, I re-tweet articles I have found about traveling, jokes in Spanish or resources for students.  Sometimes I post pictures of my daughter or things I'm doing with Spanish captions to engage students in reading a bit...and often times they will comment me or message me, which keeps those lines of communication open, safely and professionally.  Plus, I participate in Twitter chats where I'm still interacting with teachers and administrators in this area and learning what is going on in their classrooms.

2. Group Tutoring Classes:  I had heard people say before that companies might hire a tutor for their employees to learn Spanish, but I actually had better success within the church.  A local church and organization sends missionaries to the Dominican Republic and they were looking for a teacher to help them learn what they need before going on short term and long term trips.  One night a week, 1-2 hours at a time, and ADULT LEARNERS who are very motivated.  Hello, dream job.

3. International Travel:  I had planned and enrolled students in both my Peru and Spain trips before deciding to stay at home.  So, I kept my word.  Education First (EF) has been amazing at helping me prepare for meetings, communicate with parents and make a near flawless transition.  One meeting a month, a few emails in between, and a bit of organization.  EF does not require you to be a teacher to lead these trips, so if there isn't a program in your area...consider heading it up. I get to promote my tours in the schools, meet new students and travel. to. other. countries.  So.

4. Individual Student Tutoring:  I sent an email to all of my teacher/friends in the Spanish department at two middle schools and the high school, letting them know they could pass my information on to students and parents who needed additional tutoring.  I meet one night a week for an hour at Starbucks and help the student re-learn what they missed.  It's ideal for me (additional income & practice), the teacher (ain't nobody got time for that), and the student (additional reinforcement).

5. College Supervising Teacher:  The Christian college in my area has a strong education program and sends many prospective teachers into the public schools to complete their student teaching.  I get to observe them 5 times throughout the semester, evaluate them, mentor them and then eventually recommend them to pass student teaching if I feel they have earned that. It's entirely on my own schedule and allows me to not only know what is going on in the area public schools, but also keep up to date with what is expected of prospective teachers.

I didn't include the reading, ESL volunteering, conference attending and other ways I have enjoyed practicing Spanish and learning how to improve my teaching.  Obviously, you find options that work best for your family and passions.  I have loved my decision to step back from full time and even part time teaching "officially" and spend this time learning and growing "unofficially" as I soak up every minute possible with my precious daughter.

If you're like me, maybe you can find ways like this that you didn't know existed and enjoy some of your favorite aspects of classroom teaching...without the actual classroom, for now. 

What ways have you stayed involved in your temporary, or long-term, absence from classroom teaching?

Dia de los Muertos

You know you're a Spanish teacher at heart when...

you get WAY more excited about Día de los Muertos than you do about Halloween.

This can be a fun holiday to decorate for, talk about, and compare and contrast with students.  However, if you teach in a small town, rural, conservative area of the MidWest like I did, it can be a tricky conversation to have with parents.  In this post I have included not only cultural ways of bringing this holiday to your classroom, but more importantly ways of making that culture real, vivid and meaningful to your students instead of trivial facts for an upcoming quiz.  After 3 years of slow progress, here are some of my best...

1. Pan de Muertos:  I suggest coordinating with your Home Economics teacher ahead of time so you can be in the kitchen on the day you do this activity.  Otherwise, I have had the students do the process and then I have run down to the ovens to bake it for them to pick up later.

2. Altares en clase:  Set up a table at the front of your classroom and have students contribute items.  You can take pictures in front of it, use your Spanish to describe the colors and components and even use it as a prop as you discuss important vocab (see number 5!)

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/4d/71/32/4d71323aa5d00ef9fbe1beca6f29a0f6.jpg 

3. Parent Email:  I highly suggest emailing parents a letter a few days before you discuss or participate in these events. Include what your plans are, give them a few details about the holiday and its cultural significance and offer them an opt-out if they are uncomfortable with their student participating for religious reasons.  I also recommend cc'ing your principal or mentor teacher in that email to keep them in the loop.

4. Papel Picado:  Buy cheap tissue paper, download a few patterns and collect as many scissors as you can.  When your students are finished, you can string them together and decorate your classroom or even the hallway!

5. Vocabulario:  There are all kinds of words you could teach your students related to these customs and this holiday.  Perhaps you want to put the ball in their court?  You can have your class contribute words they think are important, instead.

6. Videos:  Search for tactful, interesting videos that you could show to introduce this holiday or to help students visualize how it is celebrated.  This is my favorite one I have found:

7. Venn Diagram: Throughout the week, no matter what activities we did, I always had a Venn Diagram printed on neon cardstock and in my students' hands before the week began.  All throughout the week, each video, activity, reading, etc I would ask them to pause and write down two facts, or one observation comparing and contrasting Día de los Muertos with Halloween.  At the end of the week you could add this to their portfolio, display them in the room, or take them for a grade.

8. Fotos:  One of my favorite activities was to have students bring in a picture of someone who meant a lot to them that had passed away.  We got in small groups of 3-4 people, and used our basic Spanish to tell their name, relationship to us and one thing that defined them.  If they wanted, they could then describe this family member or friend in greater detail.  Students always enjoyed honoring someone's memory and as a teacher it was an EYE OPENING activity into the lives of my students. When I talked about my grandmother or a high school friend who had died, my students were not only engaged in the language, but connected with me on a personal level as well.

9. Decorations:  Add a few of these  infographics in the halls or near your desk to get students curious.  I laminate mine and then file them for future years!

10. Even More:  Where do I go when I need more inspiration & resources?  AMY LENORD'S PINTEREST OF COURSE.  Check out her Día de los Muertos board for many more goodies. And here for some additional authentic resources!

Top 5 Spanish Foods to Bring to Class

Many of us Spanish teachers would claim that culture is one of our favorite parts of language teaching.  We desire for students to truly grasp how different countries and people groups live and work and eat and dance and dress.  Most of us fell in love with our target language through a cultural experience.  Our most vivid memories of using our beloved language probably involve being in a restaurant, our study abroad years, riding public transportation or asking questions of strangers; diving into the culture that surrounded us.

And yet, many of us have also felt the pressure of the upcoming chapter test or the need to stay on pace with the project we are doing with our team teachers.  And somehow, sadly, culture often takes a back seat.  Or gets left behind altogether. At least I remember those moments very vividly from my first years teaching.  I desired so badly to make culture less trivial facts and more real life experiences, but it was challenging and I failed many times.

So, here's one way to bring culture front and center in your Spanish class.  BRING FOOD.  I know, I know, we already contribute more than our share of hours and dollars, but the reason I am introducing these foods specifically is because they can take as much or as little time as you have to put into them.  They are foods my host mom served regularly in Spain (hence "Spanish", please let's use that adjective correctly :) ) in 2010 and 2011 and they are foods that are easily transported to class and split many ways.  My "go-to's", if you will.

**Recipes/videos are linked to the names of each dish**

1. Tortilla Española (O Tortilla de Patata):  This is a simple dish with really 3 ingredients, and yet it is all over the place in Spain.  You do have to master the art of flipping the tortilla, but if I can do it, so can you!

You can cut it into whatever shape/size is easiest for you!

An electric skillet is a great way to transport/warm tortilla.

If you don't want to worry about silverware, use toothpicks!

2. Pan con Aceite:  Easy. Peasy.  Get some crusty baguettes from your local bakery/grocery and bring out the olive oil (yes, poor quality compared to what you can feast on in Spain).  A couple of loafs go a very long way.  Maybe even try a little bit of Queso Manchego  on the side (a little pricey in the USA) or sprinkle some Parmesan on top!

3. Naranjas Preparadas:  A familiar fruit done differently.  Slice the oranges, drizzle the oil, sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.  No cooking, baking, nothing.  Sticky, yes.  But they make your classroom smell great and about 99% of your students will love them.

                   

4. Pisto Manchego: Best prepared the night before and brought to school in a crockpot, from my experience.  You will need a variety of veggies for this dish, and I recommend bringing bread along.  My grocery store carries pre-cut, pre-seasoned little bite size garlic toasts, so I buy a $3.99 bag of those and the crockpot goes a very long way!

This is one of those recipes that I change each time I make it.  My favorite includes eggplant!

To show you the little garlic toasts I was talking about :)

5. Patatas Bravas: Always a crowd pleaser.  Buy frozen potatoes to fry or dice up your own.  The beauty is is the salsa brava.  I normally put it on the side (although in Spain its all over the top!) for the students so they can just dip them in it.  Not to brag, but these have literally brought students into my classroom from the hallway during passing periods, so you know they smell great while cooking!  I recommend electric skillet plugged in at the back of your classroom so they're nice and warm.

Lovely picture by cooksipgo.com

                                       
There you have it! Five simple, easy and diverse authenticly Spanish recipes to bring culture to life in your classroom.  You can easily tie these in to adjectives practice (deliciosa, horrible, etc), food and ingredient words (go through the recipes together), or set up an food cart simulation where students have to read a menu and ask questions about prices in Spanish before ordering.  Get creative!  And let me know what your students think of these dishes.