"Secret Password" happenings

Last school year, I started out incorporating a secret password to get into class.  This year, I no longer teach on the block, so I am doing new passwords that I never had the time to get to last year!

So it's been neat. In conjunction, I have really been having fun to break away from the monotony.  While sometimes, I just wait for the password, I played around with these two recently.

Last week's was:

Ojalá = I wish (let's hope)

Each day I would ask students different questions in TL that were accesible to their level(s):
   Do you want a million dollars?!
   Do you have 5 bellybuttons?
   Is it Friday yet?!
   Is it June yet?
   Is it hot outside?
   Is it July?

And they would respond with: "Ojalá" (I wish).

It was a lot of fun and later gave me the opportunity to throw Ojalá + past subjunctive in a reading for Spanish 1 that some kids were able to figure out (once they knew "ojalá" was like "I wish"). Cool!!

TPRS year 7 - secret password tweaks

Here's the evolution that I have had in my teaching.

4 years ago, I decided to stand at my door to greet students.

3 years ago, I continued to do this.

2 years ago, I thought it would be great to add in a handshake while greeting students.

1 year ago, I decided to try out a secret password with my students so that they could get in my class. (see post)

This year, I have continued with the secret password, but continue to experiment.

While I think they really helped me have something else to play around with during targeted and non-targeted comprehensible input during class last year, it also just added that extra element of fun.

Nevertheless, the way I did it last year made it a little disjointed.

As I have been reading on Bryce Hedstom's blog, I have found that there are passwords that are almost call and response. Or they are an interaction that kids have to go through before they can enter.

Last week, I tried out, "Of course!" (Claro que sí).

When dinosaurs attack - movietalk

Here's something I decided to do to help review some things for later as well as add in some additionally useful words.

And I think it's funny.

I realized since this week was a shorter week, it might be fun to spice things up with a MovieTalk and do it as a mini lesson and then build to another MovieTalk with similar structures.

So here is MovieTalk one about dinosaurs:

Día 20 - Goofiness

I can't underestimate the importance of goofiness with Junior High students.  It's interesting teaching middle school and high school because their worlds are so incredibly different.

Middle school students have so much more energy and I am trying to use that.  Part of me tries to calm them down a little bit so that we can learn.  The high school classes often need me to encourage them and coax them into getting a little more goofy.

There is definitely something more fun about middle school students.

Yesterday we were reviewing a story and they were dying of boredom.  So I introduced a new word while we were talking about the story.  I figured it couldn't hurt to through in the word besar (to kiss) into the PQA.  The students suddenly all got really excited when I asked if the character in the story kisses someone else.  Of course he does not.  But then the students start getting really excited and I have to ask if the character in the story kisses or if a student in the class kisses.  Suddenly all of the students want to call out suggestions and contribute to the story.

And all I did was introduce the word kiss.  I need to start thinking like a middle school student again in order to better teach them.