I believe that a key element in my Spanish class is keeping the students motivated. My personal style of teaching brings enthusiasm, cultural elements, and technology into the classroom to increase learning motivation. I teach with a contagious smile and open personality that helps me to interact with my students as I guide them through their learning process. Teaching my native Spanish language enables me to draw upon my own culture and personal experience as a foreign language learner as I teach my students to effectively communicate with me in my own language and, perhaps more importantly, to gain an appreciation for another language and culture.
When I walk into my classroom, magic happens! My premier goal is to motivate my students while helping them become good language learners. When students began to develop a desire to learn and think for themselves, real learning takes place. To reach this goal, I rely upon many activities that involve a total physical response. Instead of just reading about salsa and listening to the music, my students dance the steps and sing the songs, engaging in the action as they learn both Spanish language skills and elements of Hispanic/Latino culture. Through this type of active participation, students learn and form their own opinions and base of knowledge. I define my approach to teaching foreign language as rationalistic since I encourage critical thinking and a desire among my students to communicate.
