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One group of students invented a game to teach the class how to use the subjunctive

Learning through teaching in Spanish 3

If you want to master something, teach it. This is the philosphy Spanish teacher Ms. Shelly Hubman started with when she challenged her Spanish 3 students to create new ways to teach people how to use the subjunctive.

The subjunctive is usually difficult for students to learn, and so to demonstrate their understanding of the topic, the students were charged with creating ways to teach it, both to reinforce their own knowledge and to help other students learn it more easily.

Spanish 3 students Ethan, James, and Wilhelm created this song to teach the subjunctive.

"We were finishing up our unit on the subjunctive, so for a final project we did a version of Shark Tank," Ms. Hubman explained. In small groups, students researched how the subjunctive has been taught in the past and then worked in teams to devise a better way to teach it to lower-level Spanish students.

For their assessment on the subjunctive unit, "The question they were answering was: What is the best way to teach the subjunctive?" Ms. Hubman said.

After students completed their research, brainstormed, and then created their method, Ms. Hubman invited some fifth grade students to visit class so that the Spanish 3 students could demonstrate their teaching tools and teach to a live audience. 

"I am so happy to teach at The Gregory School because the culture is unparalleled. I have taught in many schools and TGS is much more of a community of creative, intelligent, and supportive people. I am so grateful to be part of this wise, collaborative, and inspiring group."

Shelly Hubman, M.A.

Shelly Hubman earned her M.A. in Romance Languages & Literatures from Boston College and her M.A. in Creative Writing from Northwestern University. She has been teaching Spanish at The Gregory School since 2017.