Reflection on Spanish Curriculum Framework in Kansas

I hope to teach Spanish to high school students in either Kansas or Massachusetts. After reviewing the curriculum framework for teaching Spanish in Kansas, I found I would have the opportunity to utilize the curriculum expectations to create liberated, skilled, and critical thinkers. The curriculum calls for students to demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between practices and perspectives of the target language culture and relate them to their own and others experiences, as well as the ability to use their language skills and cultural knowledge beyond the school setting. Fortunately, when teaching a language you can also incorporate the culture's traditions, history, art, music, food, film, literature, etc. Since Latin America has many worldwide influences, I can incorporate ways in which others have come together throughout history in the good and the bad and relate our similarities. There are many in Latin America, or of Hispanic descent, whom have fought for social justice due to the corruption found in the government, education system and military. These outlets can be used to provide an awareness to students about how even "American" history was influenced by others and cause them to think and become more conscious of the importance of those around them. When I first thought about teaching Spanish, I didn't consider how much I could integrate other subject matters into the course, but the more I think about it, the more it excites me.

-Melissa A. Cera-Garcia