Hola Familia,
On September 15th we began the month-long celebration of cultural heritage for Hispanic and Latino people who live in the United States. We celebrate our heritage, the many significant contributions and influences that Hispanic and Latino Americans have had on American society. We encourage you to join us in our exploration to celebrate “Hispanic Heritage Month”! How? Here are just a few of the many ways to celebrate:
Listen to Music
A great way to teach children about Hispanic culture is by exposing them to music in Spanish. Choose age-appropriate music or music by important Latino figures to listen to or just sing along. The 21 Speaking countries song in Rockalingua (Username: fvalerio@csdecatur.net and Password: spanish20 )
Get into the Kitchen
Food is always something that reminds people of home. Hispanic culture has a plethora of cuisine to enjoy from every Hispanic culture. Parents can get into the kitchen with their children and prepare recipes from diverse Hispanic and Latino recipes. Another option is to eat from a Hispanic restaurant that serves authentic dishes and try something new. Explore the surrounding area to find Argentinian empanadas, Cuban sandwiches, El Salvadorian pupusas, and Mexican tacos.
Read Spanish or Bilingual Books
Books and stories often tell a story that reflects the background of a certain culture. You can read Spanish-language or bilingual books to your children to learn more about various folklore or significant cultural events. We have developed a virtual Spanish library that you will be able to access by clicking here
Have a great Hispanic Heritage Month celebration! Celebremos juntos!
Spanish Community Circles September 30th and October 14th:
All year long, in Spanish class students will continue to celebrate the unique diversity of Latino and Hispanic language and culture. During the community circle of September 30th the Spanish Department at Oakhurst Elementary would highlight those students of Hispanic and Latino Heritage. During the community circle of October 14th Kindergarten students will sing a song greeting everyone in Spanish. First grade students will be dancing to “La Raspa” (Mexican Hat Dance) and second graders will conclude by dancing the “Merengue”. First and Second graders will be dressed in attires that express cultural pride.
City Schools of Decatur Spanish Program
City Schools of Decatur has one of the most solid Spanish school programs in the state of Georgia and the only K-12 Spanish Articulation Program. At Oakhurst Elementary School, your child is being exposed to the Spanish language 3 times a week and the results we are seeing are wonderful. We carefully designed each class and activity in order to reach each one of our students according to their needs and learning style. We make Spanish fun! Through songs, games, poems, dances, interactive activities and fun projects, your child is immersed in the language and their learning is so natural and spontaneous, almost like when they started learning their first language. We also connect with the core subjects, which makes lessons more meaningful. As a parent, you need to know that children that begin studying other languages in elementary school develop creative inquiry and critical thinking skills (Curtain and Pesola, 1994), Are more creative and better at solving complex problems (Cummins, 1992) Show improvement in the verbal and non-verbal skills that enhance overall school performance (Brown University, 2000)
