Bay Haven School of Basics Plus Transformed into “El Restaurante Bay Haven”

Jamie Vieira, a Spanish teacher at Bay Haven School of Basic Plus, believes immersion is the best way for students to learn.

On Friday afternoon, all students K-5 practiced Spanish during lunchtime by ordering food and asking all questions in Spanish. The menus were even in Spanish (with translations).

“My goal in this school is to get them excited about Spanish,” Vieira said. “These kind of activities are a great way to fulfill the goal I have of teaching through immersion. It helps with the speaking with Spanish, to practice their listening skills and just having them be super motivated about Spanish.

More than 20 Spanish-speaking volunteers were on hand to help with the students and serve dessert.

“I like to support what the teacher is doing,” said volunteer Maria Hodges. “I like that children here are learning [Spanish].”

Kindergarten and first grade students get 30 minutes of Spanish each week . Second through fifth grade students get an hour each week.

The Spanish emersion was also billed as a manners lesson. Vieira said the school has been holding a contest to see what class has the best manner in the lunchroom and the winning group gets to eat lunch at a Mexican restaurant.