Spanish III projects provide real life experiences for students

UPDATE: Nov. 5

After completing his trip to Toledo’s, Landon Bell, ’21, shares his experience and what he learned. He explains what he enjoyed most about speaking Spanish outside of the classroom.

“I learned how to apply what I learned in the classroom into a real world experience like Toledo’s.” Bell said. “I enjoyed speaking Spanish to try and communicate with my friends, even though we messed up a lot. Asking the waitress and my friends questions in Spanish ended in many laughs and overall it was just a great experience.”

From taking trips to the grocery store to speaking Spanish at Toledo’s Mexican Restaurant, Spanish teacher Rachel Rodriguez prepares her Spanish III classes for life outside of high school. Not only does she limit her teachings to just Spanish, but Rodriguez incorporates Christ into her daily lessons.

Throughout the year, Rodriguez teaches her students different conjugations and new Spanish vocabulary. Students learn to apply Rodriguez’s teachings to real life situations like ordering food from a Mexican-based restaurant. These opportunities give students to experience how Spanish can be applied to real life situations.

Rodriguez has been teaching on campus for the past four years and last year, she decided to take her Spanish III classes to Toledo’s. Rodriguez believes this experience gives the students a taste of what its like to use a foreign language in a real-world atmosphere.

“I feel like going to Toledo’s is a good experience to practice Español,” Rodriguez said. “This trip provides a real world experience and getting comfortable speaking Spanish outside of the classroom.”

Previous Spanish III student, Joshua Savage, ’19, enjoyed the trip and said it was a success. Savage explained how the trip was valuable as it teaches students to depend on their own knowledge and understanding, as well as practicing what they had learned the past semester.

“The class was very nervous, yet confident in our bilingual skills,” Savage said. “As a whole, we were able to practice all that we had learned in class, but in a restaurant environment. Our interpretive skills were tested and witnessed firsthand our education come alive as we conversed with the hostesses and waitresses. I gained confidence in my foreign communication skills and practice in a real-world environment.”

Rachel Rodriguez’ Spanish III students enjoy a meal at Toledo’s Mexican Restaurant during 6th period, Nov. 1. The goal was to give students a real world Spanish experience. @fresnochristian #TheFeather #FCspansih pic.twitter.com/q50ZaeRZuf

— The Feather Online (@thefeather) November 1, 2018

Spanish periods third and sixth will travel to Toledo’s, Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. Both classes have been practicing and preparing for this trip by making their order’s on paper plates. Rodriguez reenacts their trip in the classroom by acting as the waitress and students practice ordering their meal and asking questions all in Spanish.

Charles Gong, ’20, agrees that practicing for the upcoming trip will make the actual experience smoother.

“I’m excited of getting the experience of going as a class and being able to order in Spanish,” Gong said. “Being able to see the usage of the Spanish we’ve been learning applied in a real life scenario. I’m also excited about the delectable food and the opportunity we have to get graded on this.”

Max Munoz, ’20, interviews Rachel Rodriguez on the upcoming Spanish projects this semester, Oct. 29.

Rodriguez explains why she decides to take her classes to a Spanish Vallarta Supermarket this year.

“The atmosphere feels like there is culture around,” Rodriguez said. “They have cultural foods so they can experience what our food looks like as well as our products. Also to get a feel of a different atmosphere that is completely different from Save Mart or Vons.”

The next trip the classes will go on is to Vallarta Supermarket, a Hispanic Spanish speaking grocery store. This will act as a semester final, reviewing all the vocabulary and Spanish grammar learned throughout the first semester.

For more on the event, check out Spanish III’s Toledo’s trip by Lindsay Weimer. For more articles, read Sadies 2018: California’s Great America by Addison Schultz.

Max Munoz can be reached via email and via Twitter @maxmunozz.