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Bel Aire
Over the last 2 years, a dedicated Spanish Task Force made up of teachers, parents, and administrators researched second language programs throughout the country. After much thought, they decided upon a program which is based in Gladsonbury, Connecticut. In this model, Spanish is integrated in the core curriculum and is part of daily instruction. In other words, instead of having Spanish as a separate subject with its own text book, Spanish is taught as a complement to an area of study in the classroom.
For 4th grade students, Spanish will be part of California History. As students learn about the explorers from Spain, the establishment of the missions, the ranchos, the presidios, the haciendas, they will have the opportunity to practice their knowledge in Spanish, and complement their learning with Spanish literature, music, and words. Their first exploration may very well be the name of our own city, “Tiburon”, and the origin of the names of other cities locally and in California – how about San Francisco? San Rafael? Corte Madera? What a wonderful way to make language real, interesting and connected to the lives of children and their current studies in the classroom.
Fifth graders will be integrating Spanish in all different areas. They begin the year with a literature anthology about forces of nature. This leads right into their Outdoor Education program, where they spend a week with naturalists hiking and studying in the great outdoors. Our Spanish program will complement this study as students compare and contrast earthquakes, volcanoes and land forms with California and areas such as Mexico, Argentina, and other parts of the Spanish speaking world. They may even do a follow up project of their Outdoor Education experience in Spanish! Throughout the year, the teachers will work together to find ways Spanish will complement their studies in social studies and science.
This program is being implemented and taught by Ms. Julia Mueller. Ms. Mueller majored in Language Studies in college (both Spanish and Portuguese) and complemented her studies with many trips to Spain, Costa Rica, and Mexico. Prior to coming to Tiburon, Ms. Mueller taught 3rd and 4th grade at a Bilingual school in San Diego. Although she loved her school, she knew she wanted to move to Northern California and therefore jumped at the opportunity to come to Bel Aire. She loves being in a small, community oriented district.
For more information on the Spanish Program at Bel Aire, please visit
Ms. Mueller’s and Ms. Weiss’s web site.
For more information on the Spanish Task Force, please visit the Reed School Districts web site at
http://rusd.marin.k12.ca.us and go to the Spanish Task Force Link.
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