As a new world language teacher at Burkes, I find it incredibly valuable to stay informed about the approaches and activities employed by the Spanish teachers each month. This knowledge enhances my ability to effectively serve my students. I am genuinely grateful to Emily for her sharing her 5th-grade curriculum on a monthly basis with both Dawn and myself. She not only provides insights into the annual goals pertaining to listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, but also details topics, projects, assessments, and cultural events. Emily's expertise shines through her meticulously crafted and innovative plans.

Furthermore, Emily generously shared the 7th-grade three-trimester curriculum with Dawn and me. An especially fortunate opportunity arose when Dawn and I had the chance to meet Emily in August, between 11 am and 12:30 pm. During this meeting, Emily elaborated on the 5th-grade fall trimester's month-by-month curriculum and shared the activities she incorporated. This interaction spurred my own three-hour session dedicated to shaping my 5th-grade fall trimester curriculum later that day.

In addition, Emily graciously met with me again from 2 pm to 3 pm on August 14th. During this afternoon session, she shared the month-to-month curriculum, projects, and assessment details for the 7th-grade fall trimester. Following this meeting, I shared these insights with Dawn from 4 pm to 5 pm. Subsequently, I devoted an additional two hours to refining the 7th-grade curriculum.

Emily's unwavering support and assistance have been invaluable to both Dawn and me, the "new" members of the Burkes' world language department. Her willingness to share has enabled us to grasp the intricacies of scaffolding with Burkes' students and to explore a plethora of enjoyable activities that resonate with the students. Armed with this newfound knowledge, I am eager to integrate these methods and activities into my teaching approach for 5th and 7th graders in the upcoming year.

I’m looking forward for the month to month curriculum sharing from Emily later. I’d like to express my big Thank You again to Emily for her generosity and support to Dawn and me.

Before the school year begins, I dedicate an additional day to working on the curriculum for 6th and 8th grades. I am pleased to invest time in curriculum development during the summer, as it allows me to approach the new academic year with reduced stress and a better-prepared plan with the help of Emily and Anthony. They are truly supportive and exceptional colleagues.