Blossoming in Dual

Currently, my home screen looks like this

 

And it is one of my biggest pet peeves to have a home screen like this! Most of the clutter are screenshots of the March Madness books, while others are activities that I’m in the middle of planning and just needed to quicksave (like the one titled Untitledlll) or things I’ve forgotten I’ve had. To be quite honest, this clearly reflects where my head has been at lately and I’m going to take the next ten minutes to clear this out.

What does your home screen look like?

Today was just one of those days,

where my eye was twitching,

my head was throbbing,

and I was in need of a double shot espresso, which surprising soothes my nerves when I am stressed.

And it had nothing to do with my kids. They were great today! They worked hard and were very interested and engaged in all the activities we did. I guess it was just one of those days.

I think the best thing to do now is to call it an early night. Goodnight!

I learned so much during the after-school PD on Asi Se Dice!

It’s such a fun strategy, which really lets students explore, make connections, and translate a text, from English to Spanish and vice versa. Of course, it’s so much more than that because it allows the student to really examine the language and make sense of the selected text, as a way to engage students in conversation. The most important part of this whole strategy is the metalinguistic process. Students should be able to explain their justifications as to why they chose the specific wording or phrase to translate.

We were able to experience the strategy using the poem Dos Idiomas, un solo corazon by Hildelisa Diaz. Just the title alone, which literally translates to Two languages, One Only Heart, can be a discussion piece because in Spanish, “un solo corazon” means that the person has a wholesome heart, instead of literally having just one heart. Of course, this was with a group of dual/bilingual/ESL teachers, so it was easier for us to determine the author’s craft. Yet, I can see this becoming a strategy to use in my dual 2nd grade classroom. An idiom, such as Sana, sana, colita de rana. Si no sanas hoy, sanaras manana would be such an interesting text to use for this specific strategy, since it literally translates to Heal, heal, frogs butt. If you don’t heal today, you’ll heal tomorrow. I’m intrigued to know how the students would bridge their language and what justifications they would use to explain their answers.

 

This weekend was all about me!

I took a nap.

I got my nails done.

I got my eyebrows done

I spent time with those I love the most.

And I’m well-prepared for tomorrow.

But I’m lacking the motivation to write so I am going to call it a night.

This is my nephew.

He is almost two and loves mariachi music.

Seeing him today made me realize how amazing milestones are. Last time I saw him was three months ago and he was starting to walk. Now he is running, talking, and his personality is shining through. I am amazed at how fast hes growing up!

A little late to the party, but I wanted to share an update on our March Madness.

After we spent the past few days discussing what makes a good book and a good character, coming up with our selections, and voting, we finally started writing today! I divided our classroom into two sections, Los Libros and Los Personajes, and spent time modeling and brainstorming with each team. After, each of the teams had time to talk to their groups and decided on their favorite choice, pertaining to books or characters, and fill out a graphic organizer to jot down their thoughts.

 

 

 

 

 

My favorite thing about all of this has been the collaboration occurring within each of the teams. As dual learners, it can be hard to transfer your thoughts from one language to another. The idea might be there, but the language can lack, making students feel unmotivated and frustrated. So, this new structure of encouraging them to use their friends as a resource has been very beneficial and has improved their Spanish oracy. Although some unacademic talking did occur, it was overshadowed by their interest in the activity and their collaboration with each another.

I am so proud of 2S!

The gray skies and the cool breeze highlight what is usually my colorful classroom. The students moan aloud as another indoor recess is announced. Can you blame them? The temperature has been wonderful, with most of them showing up with only a sweater. But, it’s really hard to enjoy being outside when it’s pouring rain.

Yet, to me, this small glimmer of “warm” weather gives me hope for a chance at enjoying normal things, like ice cream, iced coffee, and the outdoors – 3 of my favorite things. I have Cold Induced Urticaria, which basically means I’m allergic to the cold. Recently, my allergy has been getting progressively worse and I’ve been updated to an EpiPen, as well as new medication. Will it ever go away? Probably not, but I like to think I stay positive and don’t let our horrible Illinois winters get to me. For now, this is my home and I’m not going anywhere.

FAQ about CIU

1. It can manifest in many ways – like hives and tiredness when its cold temperatures or throat tightness when I eat or drink something cold
2. I survive our winters by just bundling up and staying away from going out, as much as possible. I carry a warm blanket and extra clothing in the car, just in case.
3. I drink a lot of hot coffee, hot chocolate, and hot tea. I’m basically 90% of these drinks.

Another day, another short slice.

Today, I just wanted to share something I’m really proud of: my Book and Character March Madness activity! We are coming to a close in our opinion writing, and as a final writing activity, my students have been picking between a number of books, to nominate what they think is the best book and best character. You can see our picks here! We are going to keep it going tomorrow and begin drafting our opinion pieces.

I am so excited for the outcome and for our celebration once we are all done!

 

Today was one of the first days in a long time that the weather was beautiful.

There was a slight breeze, but the sun was shining and it was a nice reminder of what’s to come.

I could almost see myself sitting under a tree, reading my favorite Isabel Allende book, and letting the sun warm my skin.

 

If only I had taken a break and left school earlier 🙃

 

My cozy little bed

wraps its warm, gray wool covers

around me.

 

Protecting me from the rising sun,

my cozy little bed hides me from the light,

invading the room through the tiny cracks on the blinds.

 

The alarm urgently rings,

forcing me to stagger out of

my cozy little bed,

and say goodbye

to the most secure place

I have known.

 

All day, I wonder if

I’ll ever feel that safe again.

Only to come home and find,

my cozy little bed waiting for me.