Sixth graders just crossed an important milestone in Spanish class: they gave their first “charlas” or “chats” to the class. With the entire class seated in a circle, each student was given the opportunity to speak. Students spoke about how they feel before, during and after various situations. One student shared, “Before a small math quiz, I feel nervous and I am a bit scared. During the math quiz, I’m hot and thirsty. After the math quiz, I am tired and hungry.” Student listeners asked questions and shared observations. Students were surprised that a little bit of practice went a long way! After a few practice drills, all students were comfortable sharing with nothing more than a visual chart to help them stay on track.