Spanish Class Fashion Show

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

In recent years, high schools around the country, including Hastings High, have been pushing for a more interactive style of learning. Educators want to get students up and out of their seats to get them fully immersed in learning the subject matter.

However, this tactic can be used more naturally in some subjects than in others. For example, the Spanish department pushes for a creative, fun, language-filled, and overall excellent educational environment.

“I do like our subject area because we can do what I consider to be more creative things,” Spanish IV teacher Linda Shaw said.

This can be seen in a recent class project that Spanish IV students participated in. With a partner, the students put together two wacky outfits to model. They then wrote detailed descriptions of the ensembles that they memorized and recited as their partner strutted down the aisle.

Shaw, who rewrote the Spanish IV curriculum about eight years ago, feels that the fashion show is a great opportunity for students to be creative and do something unique and the students agree.

Doing the interactive parts in Spanish class is actually what makes the class interesting and one of the reasons I’ve loved being Spanish classes all four years of high school. It is an enjoyable way to learn so we are not bored all class doing simple things,” senior Kolby Lintz said.

The fashion show accompanied a unit where the class focused on more advanced clothing and shopping vocabulary to build upon knowledge they got in lower level Spanish.

Students saw the unit as an exciting way to enrich their knowledge of the culture of Spanish-speaking countries.

“It prompts us to learn about the fashion culture in other nations and it’s a good bit of fun,” senior Spencer Tessman said.

The show is all part of the greater learning goal of being able to produce Spanish on the go.

“Anyone in the department will tell you that in order to be able to produce the language, we need to use a lot of what we call ‘comprehensible input’,” Shaw said.

This means, that the Spanish instructor must use vocabulary that the students already know so that they are able to comprehend the language which transforms into speaking as time goes on.

Another way to engage students is through simple conversations and telling stories in class. This is also a major point of enjoyment for students.

“My favorite activity in Spanish isn’t necessarily any particular activity but I just enjoy having group discussions in Spanish in class,” Tessman said.

All of this is due to the attitudes that students carry into class every day. They have to be willing to act a bit silly, but it makes for an overall more pleasant experience.

My favorite thing about the fashion show was seeing all the crazy combinations of clothes people chose to wear! It was just entertaining to be able to goof around with it and not be so serious,” Lintz said.

Part of the ideal attitude is a willingness to mess up and try again.

“You have to take a lot of risks when learning a language. You have to be willing speak and make mistakes because it’s going to happen,” Shaw said.