My Pitch

For my 20-Time Project this year, I will be learning how to speak Spanish.

Reasoning:

• First, I took Spanish for four years in high school and really enjoyed it. However, that was a LONG time ago - about 30 years ago actually - so I've forgotten most of it. Because I had two majors in college, I didn't have any room in my schedule to take elective coursework.
• Second, I do a lot of traveling, often to Spanish-speaking countries; for example, I've recently traveled to Cozumel, Mexico and Honduras. This summer, I will likely be traveling to at least one Spanish-speaking country. It would be helpful to be able to speak at least basic Spanish when in these countries.
• Next, there are more and more Spanish-speaking individuals in the U.S.; therefore, I have many Spanish-speaking students in my classroom. I would like to be able to communicate with them without constantly using Google Translate.
• Finally, we live in a global society in which we are connected to people across the world like never before. The more familiar I am with the language and culture of others, the better I can empathize with others who are different from me.
• Oh, I almost forgot! My oldest daughter is fluent in Spanish so we can annoy people with conversations and make them wonder what we're talking about. (Mostly kidding.)

Audience and Mentors: The audience for my project will be others who speak Spanish, such as those I encounter in my classroom and while traveling. Possible mentors for my project include Mrs. Rives, a Spanish teacher here at the high school, and my daughter, Lindsey Bellotti, who is fluent in Spanish.

Timeline: Using the backward planning model, I came up with the following tentative timeline:

January: Study basic vocabulary

February: Continue studying vocabulary; learn verb conjugation

March: Practice common phrases; practice additional vocabulary; listen to Spanish-speaking podcasts, shows, etc.

April: Learn grammar and sentences; continue adding to vocabulary; continue listening to Spanish-speaking media.

May: Practice basic conversations; carry on a basic conversation in Spanish; video tape it.

Potential Resources:

• Mrs. Rives, Spanish Teacher
• Lindsey Bellotti, Spanish student - fluent
• Current Spanish-speaking students
• Duolingo
• https://www.youtube.com/user/SpanishStepbyStep
• Other similar websites

I should incur no costs over the course of the project.

Research:
I will research the following as part of my project:

• The best way to learn a language
• The best language-learning apps and websites on the market
• Nuances and history of Spanish; different dialects
• If time, Hispanic culture.

Potential Obstacles:

My first obstacle will be time. I have 3 jobs and 3 kids, so finding the time to study and practice might prove to be difficult. It's something that I'm really looking forward to doing, so I will find the time. Having a timeline will help keep me on track and motivated.

Another potential obstacle is my brain. I'm old, and I don't learn as quickly as I used to! Things that were easy for me in high school might be more difficult now.

Measurement of Success:

If I can at all carry on a conversation and have a Spanish-speaking individual understand me, I will consider myself successful. I know that I won't become fluent by May, but if I can better communicate while traveling and in the classroom, I will be thrilled. It's not like I have to stop in May - I can certainly continue learning Spanish over the next few years. As I get further into my learning, I can determine what is realistic for me. I haven't looked at it yet, but I believe Duolingo tracks progress, so that will provide a measurement of success also. Ultimately, to document my project, I will create a short video in which I carry on a conversation in Spanish with someone who is fluent.

Overall, I'm looking forward to getting started!

My Initial Reaction to the 20-Time Project

Well, it's here! My favorite time of the year! It's time for the 20-Time Project!

**Note for readers. This post is a sample for my students.**

My initial reaction after 20-Time was introduced was hesitation. The project sounded kind of fun, but I could tell it was going to be a major undertaking. After researching a couple of possible project ideas and settling on learning Spanish, my thoughts have changed from hesitation to excitement. I'm really enjoying it so far, and I've wanted to brush up on my Spanish for a long time.

The most difficult part of the process so far has been creating the timeline. I feel like I don't know enough about how to learn a language to break it down into small steps. The best part of the process so far has been reaching out to my mentors, Mrs. Rives and my daughter Lindsey. Both have already made some great suggestions and seem eager to hep me.

As I proceed through the project, I anticipate some challenges. First, I think that organizing my time will be a challenge. I have 3 jobs and 3 kids, so free time is difficult to come by. Somehow I manage to find time to play stupid games on my phone, so I plan to replace the time I waste doing that with learning Spanish.

I've told my family and some friends about the project. In fact, they helped me pick my topic after I did the brainstorming. When I told my daughters that I was starting the 20-Time Project, the first question they asked me was what I was doing for my project this year. My oldest daughter seems excited to be one of my mentors.

In general, I prefer to work alone as opposed to in a group. This project is far more conducive to working alone. If I worked with a partner or group, we would undoubtedly progress at different paces, making working together difficult.

Overall, I'm excited about 20Time, and I'm looking forward to starting the actual project!