Our first six weeks with Teacher Melanie!

Our first six weeks with Teacher Melanie!

Now that I’m adjusted to my new life here in Spain, let me tell you about these amazing first six weeks…

I am the Auxiliar or Culture and Language Assistant here at CEIP Antonio Rodríguez Almodóvar and my role is to encourage conversation and introduce relevant American culture into the classroom. Let me say…this is THE BEST job I’ve ever had! I am showered with love and appreciation and I get to use fun activities to get students involved in their curriculum. I think the one thing that I have been shocked by is how much I am truly able to teach the students. When I have their full attention I am able to introduce new subject matter and they walk away with knowledge and new confidence in their English. There is no better feeling!

Second grade is a surprisingly quiet bunch. They are energetic when they know the activity at hand but otherwise are very quiet. They are the last group I have to find my best communication style with. All of my other grades, I’ve tapped into what gets them excited and talking…second grade. We will get there soon!

SCIENCE

In class we follow the book very closely. I spend my time reading the activities and reviews out loud. I have used “Wiggle Breaks” to shake their nerves out from time to time. During a wiggle break they are given 10 seconds to stand near their chair and jump/shout/shake or anything that they want to make noise and move in their places. It seems to get them more comfortable and more likely to speak. We have covered the water cycle, and they had a fun song to sing to me about it. We also covered landscapes and I found it fitting to sing Marvin Gaye “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”. The lyrics mention: mountain, valley, river, wind, rain and cold!

We’ve now started the animal kingdoms and I hope to find some fun communicative activities for the units ahead!

Outside of traditional classroom instruction I also took the opportunity to teach about Martin Luther King Jr on MLK Day. I also made sure to bring a little bit of the American style of holiday celebrations for Valentine's Day by giving the students candy and a Valentine treat to keep and to share. At the end of the school day I could see that they had shared all of their stickers with their friends and were enjoying their lollipops...ahh spreading love! :) <3