Monday, January 7, 2013

Day one of the new semester

Last year I spent the first day going over my expectations again.  I think I've done a better job this year of being consistent, so I am going to skip that until it needs to be handled in a "pop-up" manner. 

So tomorrow, when the kids come back, we are going to talk about what they did over vacation.  I figure this will be a great vocab review for my first year students and an easy return to school for my second year students. 

If you have any ideas of how to infuse new vocab/structures/grammar points in this past-tense activity, let me know!  My second years can do it in their sleep by now...

A new year! Phew!

I am trying to let go of my fear of failure caused by the attack of last semester... 

Here is what I know: my second year students are KICKING BUTT!  They are using the language spontaneously in and out of class to communicate with each other.  They are having AHA moments when the patterns of language are making sense to them.  They smile in class.  They smile at me in class.  They smile at each other in class.  It is a good thing.  This is the last year that I will teach the second year kids and I'm a little sad, but I also know that it is the last year that I really have to worry about preparing them for the hell that is French 3.  I say hell because they review basically every grammar point in the first month and then read the history of France in French.  It is a killer!  I should also say that I would LOVE to be able to take this class.  It sounds really interesting.  But I do worry that my non-high-flying kids will get in there and feel like I failed them.  But I'm letting go of that fear and moving on.  Focus on the positive!  And there is soooo much positive.