Spanish

Bienvenidos a la clase de espanol!

Welcome to a new year of Spanish study!

All children in grades 1-8 participate in a 30 minute Spanish lesson on Wednesdays and Fridays.  We began our program just four years ago and already it's wonderful to see how much the children have progressed.

The stress of the program is in oral work.  At this young age, I want to help the children develop an ear for the language.  I also want to stress understanding and appreciation of hispanic culture in its many varied forms.  Starting in 3rd grade, we use a book series which includes the following titles:    VIVA 1, VIVA 2, HOLA, QUE TAL.

So far this year, our youngest students have been working on pronunciation through learning colors, numbers, general greetings, classroom vocabulary and the Spanish alphabet.  We have a new routine to do with 'el alfabeto'.  It's a lot of fun!  The older students are learning specific classroom requests and expressions.  Ejemplo:  Me permite tomar agua?  Me prestes un lapiz?

In the area of culture, we are discussed the history of the Mexican Independence day known as, "El 16 de septiembre" and why this day is so important to Mexicans everywhere. 

November!!!!      (Pictures to follow)

Last November we had fun with the Mexican holiday of El dia de los muertos.  This holiday falls on November 1st and 2nd.  It is a day to remember family members who have died, simliar to our Memorial Day.  Although it is close on the calendar to Halloween, it is not a similar holiday. 

Sugar Skulls are a traditional folk art of Central and Southern Mexico used to celebrate the day.  Mounds of colored sugar skulls are sold by vendors in the open air markets during the week preceding El dia de los muertos.  Spirits of the dead are welcomed back to their homes with beautifully decorated tables made by their loved ones.  Sugar skulls, marigolds, candles, incense and special foods adorn the tables.  Families take the flowers and sugar skulls to the cementary to decorate the tombs.  They spend the day remembering and talking about their deceased family members and, in this way, pass down family memories and traditions to the children.  Watch for sugar skulls and skeletons coming home with the students!!

New in December and January

La Navidad (Christmas) is the most important and celebrated season in all Spanish speaking countries.  The season starts with the celebration of Las Posadas on December 16th.  Posada is the Spanish word for "shelter" and during these nine nights before Christmas, people gather to recreate the journey of Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem.  Special prayers and songs are sung as the faithful go from house to house asking for shelter (posada).  They are turned away until they finally reach a home where they are welcomed.  A grand party follows with food, dance and the breaking of pinatas for the children.  Traditionally, the only time to break pinatas was during these nine nights as the pinata represented the star of Bethlehem bringing good thing to the children. 

Christmas Eve is called La Nochebuena.  People attend La Misa de Gallo (midnight Mass) and then go the their homes for a wonderful meal which has been in preparation the entire day.  Tamales are part of the traditional Christmas meal.  Christmas Day is spent with family. 

Presents aren't usually exchanged until the arrival of the Reyes Magos on el 6 de enero.  Children wait eagerly for the arrival of the 3 Wise Men.  Each child has a favorite "Mago" (Gaspar, Melchor y Baltazar) who will hopefully bring them presents.  The "Reyes Magos" arrive on different animals, one on "caballo", other on "camelo" and the third on "elefante". This happy day is celebrated with the Pan or Rosca de Reyes.  The bread contains a hidden figure of the baby Jesus.  The lucky finder will become the "Rey del dia"  and will also earn the responsibility of hosting a dinner on el 2 de febrero (El dia del candelario).   This day is really the final day of the Christmas season and it happens to be our Ground Hog's Day.

We will celebrate El dia de los enamorados (el 14 de febrero), la Semana Santa (Easter week) and El cinco de mayo.   Watch for updates!!!!!

As always:

I'd like to continue to encourage all families to try to augment our Spanish learning by taking students to places where they would have a chance to practice their Spanish.  We have a variety of Mexican restaurants in the area.  In Waukesha, for example, Casa del Rio and La Estacion are excellent restaurants and Super Amigo Grocery is a wonderful place to explore and see and taste new foods, hear musica or buy a pinata.  The Waukesha Library has children's books, videos and cassette tapes in Spanish.  Look for the easiest.  Cassettes of songs are wonderful.

As mentioned, I am at school on Wednesdays and Fridays and you are welcome to visit our classes anytime.  Call school for a class schedule.  If you'd like to share photos or stories of trips to Spanish speaking countries we'd love to hear them.  Anything you can do to encourage your children is very much appreciated.