Uniting Bilingual Forces

Hello friends!
My name is Nancy Alvarez and I blog at www.teachingwithnancy.com.  I am very excited and honored to be part of this bilingual collaborative blog. I will be blogging here the 1st of every month. 

A Little About Me
I have a B.S. in Early Childhood Education, a M. Ed. in Educational Leadership and a Google Educator Certificate. I have taught in both private and public schools.  I also have experience with homeschooling, curriculum, professional development, instructional coaching, bilingual education, and instructional technology.

My specialty is in early childhood education.  I was a classroom teacher for 13 years.  I have taught prekindergarten and second grade and was an instructional coach on an early childhood campus for 3 years.  I am currently transitioning back in to the classroom to live our my true passion, 21st century teaching. I will be teaching 2nd grade in a two-way dual immersion program here in Texas. 

My vision is to create a classroom that inspires innovation, creativity and collaboration through the use of T.I.M.E. Technology Integration and Meaningful Engagement.

Why You Should Follow This Blog
I fully support and believe in the power of PLNs (Professional Learning Networks).  I encourage you to find and connect with teachers with similar interests and passions.  It was not until I took professional development into my own hands that I began to grow astronomically.  If you do not already have a PLN consider connecting with teachers in this group via Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and by following their blogs, your only regret will be not having done so sooner! 


Bilingual Teacher Twitter Chat Coming Soon!
These days there seems to be a Twitter chat about just about anything, but did you know there is NO official bilingual teacher Twitter chat!  Well guess what? There is one starting very soon.  

When: First Sunday of Each Month (July 6th)
Time: 8 PM CST, 6 PM PST
Where: Twitter
Who: Bilingual and Dual Language Teachers 

Topic: Our Bilingual Journey 

Moderators: Gisel Barret and Nancy Alvarez

Hashtag: #DualLangChat

Never Participated in a Twitter Chat? No Problem! 
We will use the Q1 and A1 format. Every month we will discuss different topics related to bilingual education. Our first chat will help us all get acquainted with one another and allow us to practice the Q and A format.

If you don't understand how a Twitter chat works, don't worry we are here to help and support you.  I recommend you download either Hootsuite or TweetDeck prior to the chat. These applications are free and will make following the chat and participating much easier than trying to follow it on your regular Twitter feed.

Don't miss our first chat and your opportunity to grow and strengthen your PLN.  You can begin helping us get the word out by Tweeting about it now. 

Please leave your ideas of topics you would like us to discuss in future Twitter Chats in the comments. 

4th of July Bilingual Blog Hop
Be sure to stop by my blog during the 4th of July weekend to participate in a Bilingual Blog Hop.  This is a wonderful opportunity to meet some new bilingual teachers and to grab some great freebies for your bilingual class next year. 

Most teachers participating in the Bilingual Blog Hop will also be having sales on their paid bilingual products, so be sure to take advantage of the low prices and grab those products you need to make your life easier next year. Like most bilingual teachers, I too know first hand how difficult it is to find quality bilingual materials.

 

I hope you are enjoying your summer!