Presentations

• Help parents understand more about the Spanish language, the importance of learning another language and specifics about the class through various types of presentations. A PowerPoint presentation can be created on a computer and projected onto a screen in the classroom. The presentation can run continually and should only be a couple minutes in length. Show pictures of the students in the class, along with a brief description of the class objectives. Another presentation is to play a looping DVD on a laptop. Have students create a short skit showing off their Spanish speaking skills, record the performance and play it on parents' night.
  
  

Refreshments

• Serve Spanish-themed refreshments on parents' night. Choose finger foods from various Spanish-speaking countries. Serve tortilla chips and salsa, Mexican dip with chips and fresh vegetables and brazo gitano, a Spanish sponge cream-filled roll. Other refreshment ideas include mantecados, traditional Spanish crumble cakes, churros (fritters) and fresh fruit. Provide watermelon agua fresca to drink along with water for those who may have an allergy.
  
  

Displays

• Have students create displays to show parents on parents' night. Traditional Spanish or Mexican crafts are an appropriate way to help students learn about the culture they are studying and also provide a visual for the parents. Students can make maracas out of papier-mache. Fill a round balloon with dried beans or rice. Blow up the balloon, tape a toilet paper roll to the bottom (where the knot is) and cover both in newspaper and papier-mache paste. After the maracas have dried, paint them in bright colors. Other crafts include making a pinata or a sombrero out of paper.
  
  

Other Parents' Night Ideas for Spanish Teachers

• Spanish teachers can use parents' night as an opportunity to teach parents some Spanish words. Provide a handout with some simple Spanish words that parents can use to communicate with their children. Show number and color words, along with simple greetings. Add humor to the night by teaching parents some Spanish phrases that parents can use with their children such as instructing them to do their Spanish homework or telling them to take out the garbage.
  
  Also have the text book the students are using available for parents to look at, along with other reference materials such as travel guides to Spanish speaking countries.