Señora Gose's Homeschool Spanish Blog (aka "Seriously, Suzanne")
Something is algo....
Let me encourage you today! You're doing enough! Read on: My kiddos are often quizzed: "Say something in Spanish." This puts them on the spot, and though they aren't shy (like, at ALL), they worry and sometimes freeze.... concerned about disappointing me or the quiz-maker scrutinizing them. So I've taught them to respond with one word: algo (ahl-goh) Algo means something, after all. I was laughing when I saw one of my sweethearts employ their training this past week.. "Algo? What's algo mean?" "Something." And it triggered another thought in me. Something IS something after all. In that...
Simplifying Life, School, Lessons....
Life sort of catches up to me around this time of year. The newness of the semester is wearing off, and the weekly schedule isn't always fluid and smooth. We're still learning new patterns and processes to accomplish the tasks at hand each day. So I look for ways to simplify our lives and schedules. I like lists. Here's a list for all of us to mull over: 1) Can I simplify by dropping entire events or activities? We did this just last week. We have ADORED our Bee Keeping club for more than five years. It's just a monthly commitment,...
Have you ever heard the phrase, "The devil's in the details?"
Broad generalizations are my specialty. Producing a vision, a goal , and a motivation are where I LOVE to "live." My grandiose execution of the newest, bestest idea and implementation of the ever optimistic dream goes off without a hitch. The crowds are cheering, the family is on board, the attitudes are all a flutter with grins and winks, hugs are copious and free flowing. We'll even get started and have several lovely days in a row on the fantastic journey towards the new exciting goal. ...and then reality sets in. THAT's when self control and discipline is necessary to...
Priorities.... What are yours, what are your children's?
This is a timely blog entry. It's the beginning of a new school year, and we're all looking at how much we can put on our plate, and actually partake of it in a meaningful way. I'm in a startling new position, as we're (for the first time ever) becoming a "SPORTS" family. When the children were younger, we left the house about twice a week - co-op & classes one day, and then church stuff another. It was wonderful. Here and there, maybe monthly, we enjoyed field trips, and of course play dates at friends' houses. But I stayed...
What is their "Spanish Level," after using Flip Flop Spanish?
This is the second most asked question we get. Honestly, I usually sort of hem and haw around this answer when we're at Homeschool Conventions, because the answer is so very dependent on so many aspects: ~ the Spanish learner~ the teacher/guide~ how often you do the lessons~ how motivated the students are~ how long you go between moving forward to the next lesson~ any preexisting attitudes toward learning languages, or learning in general.... So, I hem and haw. (Is that a phrase everywhere, or just in Texas?) But, happily, there are concrete ways to describe your language fluency level in...