Week 2-Friday

Today I went to the middle school around 9 am. It was somewhat of a slower day since both classes had to finish a test and a quiz. I started out by organizing some flash cards that really needed it. Then, as they finished, I was able to share with them some of my pictures from my time in France last year. As most of them have never been to Europe, they were pretty enthralled. It was nice to be able to tell them about some of the things I learned, as well as some of the things I noticed about France that are vastly different from the United States. Some of them looked shocked that it was possible to have a place that was so different. While I think they've learned a lot about the French language, I don't think they understand very much about its culture and characteristics. That's why I'm excited to give them their project next week. I think it will really open their minds to certain things about France that they had no idea about before. I left the school around noon, and after lunch, met up with a student from one of Mikaela's classes who needed a little extra help with what they were learning. It was a great opportunity for me to be the one trying to explain the concept instead of the one learning it. I had to try really hard not to confuse them and to make everything more clear. I think I helped...I hope! It felt good to know that I could use what I've learned to help someone else out. Also, I really enjoy it. I don't find any of the work grueling. I think it's fun. Tomorrow morning, I'm going to go back to Mikaela's French 1 class to help out with their Saturday class. They're making crêpes and tartes. I'm pumped. Yum!

Week 2-Thursday

Today I headed over to the middle school around 9am. I showed my planned activities to Ms. Greenly, and she told me that they would fit in just fine with the plans for the day. I then spent some more time refining my plans, and made an answer key for the Jeopardy game I created yesterday. For both classes, today was mostly about review for a test because they have not had French class in a couple of days (they had state testing). After they finished their review, I got to do my human sentence exercise with the other class. It was a little more difficult because the class is much smaller. During the second class, I got to do my Jeopardy activity. It ended up working out really well. I was nervous because I wasn't sure whether I had made it too easy or too hard for them (I have only been in their classes two other days so I wasn't sure what level they were at) but there ended up being just the right balance of right and wrong answers. Tomorrow I am going to do the Jeopardy with the other class, as well as another activity I made up. Next week will be spent almost entirely on the French culture project I created for them. I'm anxious to see how they do. I left the school around noon. Overall, it was a very productive day, and good to observe the students and how they each learn. I hope that before my project is over I will be able to get to know their individual learning styles a bit more.

Week 2-Wednesday

Today was my second day teaching Mikaela's French 1 A block class. I got to Proctor around 9am, and began class almost right away. I started class by giving them a quiz. While some whizzed through, others seemed to struggle a bit. However, they seemed pretty enthusiastic and were not angry with me for giving them a quiz, so I would call that a success. Next, we moved on to Human Sentences, an activity that I had created for Tuesday but forgot at home. It seemed pretty easy for them-almost two easy. I think I mixed up the levels of the middle schoolers  and high schoolers! After that, they performed their skits. It was really nice to see them having so much fun with each other. Some groups had the whole class laughing at one point. The best part is that I know that they were learning. They were enjoying themselves by actually carrying on a semi-complex French conversation. I'm not sure if they realize it, but it's a great accomplishment. I had the class vote on their favorite (to see who would win the chocolate bunny prize), and there was a three way tie! So I asked them to put their heads together, do some quick thinking, and improvise the sequel to their telephone conversation skit. Some did very well, others seemed nervous and could not verbalize exactly what they wanted to say on the spot. Either way, they all did very well and the winners ended up being Hallie and Abby. I think that activity was pretty successful. We unfortunately ran out of class time (classes are shorter on Wednesdays for sports games) so I didn't get to everything I had planned. But we got through most of it! I had so much fun with them-they are a riot. After class was over, I spent a couple of hours planning some activities for the middle schoolers before they start their project on Monday. I made up a "Where's Waldo" type of game called "Où Est Pierre" to help them learn how to give directions, and I also made up a jeopardy game of all the things they've learned this year. I hope they like it, and that they can see how much fun learning a new language can be. What I found when I was learning French (and even now still recognize) is that I learn the most when I'm actually applying what I've learned, and that it's the most fun to be able to use what you learned in a classroom to help you out in real life. Foreign language is the perfect example of that.

Week 2-Tuesday

Today was by far the best day of my project so far. I reported to Proctor at around 8am, and taught my first class ever. I taught Mikaela's French 1 class. When I got there, Mikaela wasn't there yet, so I had no option of being shy. I got to talk with the students and tell them what we would be doing that day. When Mikaela got there, she just went and sat in the back, and everything was up to me. I began by reviewing their homework and answered a couple of questions. Next we did an activity all together on adverb placement. I was so pleasantly surprised at how much they know and are able to answer. Also, they were all really vocal so there were no awkward silences and always plenty of volunteers. After that, I had them write skits. I answered their questions while they did that which was really fun. Tomorrow, they are going to perform their skits. They will also have a quiz which I wrote and will grade. It was fun reviewing things with them and making my lessons become a reality. I then led some reading, vocabulary, and a game of French Pictionary in the French 3 class. We had a lot of fun. Unfortunately, that was my last time in their class. They were also very nice and really engaged. I had a ton of fun! I really enjoyed my first day of teaching! I hope tomorrow goes even better. After the quiz, we will watch their skits and play some games to make sure they understand the current grammar and vocabulary. If the rest of my project pans out like this, all the work will be well worth it. I'm learning a lot.

Week Two: Monday

Today I reported to the middle school around 9am, and helped Ms. Greenly sort out some papers and worksheets for the students to do. Today was a lighter day for them since they just got back from Washington D.C. and are very tired. It was nice because I got to know the students  a little better and got to talk with them. The highlight of today was that I got to lead one of the classes in a sentence activity called human sentences. They seemed to really like it and think it was fun. It was also fun to direct, I could tell I really had their attention. It was nice to have them listening to me. Other than that, Ms. Greenly loved the project idea that I came up with, and we are going to have them do it next week! All of my hard work over the weekend planning it payed off. It was a relief to know that I had done it right. I hope that the students don't necessarily see it as too much hard work, but I hope they think it is fun and interesting to learn about different people, places, and food in France. I'm excited to help them and share my own personal knowledge of France that I gained from living there. While one of the classes seems a but uninterested and bored, the second class at the middle school is always fully engaged and energetic. They seem like they really want to learn. I'm excited to continue being in their class!

Weekly Reflection 1

     Although this week was somewhat stressful, it was a great start to my project. It was also a definite test on time management for me. My biggest challenge was budgeting my time at each school and making sure I got my hours done. Aside from that, my time in each class was very fun. Even though I only had one day at Kearsarge Middle School last week, I learned a lot about how a class of their age functions. I learned that in the same class, there will be people who have a passion for learning the language, as well as kids who are just trying to get through it. It is important to find activities and styles of learning that will work for every different student to cater to their ways of learning. I also learned at Kearsarge that sometimes it may take them a few tries to understand a new concept, and that patience is key. It is also important to know when and when not to help them. That is something that I will have to practice and really get down, because while we do not want them to fail, we also do not want to give them the answers.

I also learned a lot during my time at Proctor this week about lesson planning. I was asked to plan out two class periods for Mikaela’s French one class next week. It takes a lot of time and patience to make sure that each minute of class is productive and will keep the students’ attention. I tried my best to include fun activities that the students would learn a lot from. I also really enjoyed the planning. It ended up taking many hours, but they went by quickly because I found it fun to be in charge of planning what they would do. It gave me a chance be creative and organized and to tap into my own thoughts as a student. I was able to figure out what worked the best for me and to apply it to what I was planning for them. The only surprises that came to me was how long the planning took, and how it is equal to much more than the daily class hours. I think that I was asked to do that planning because it showed me exactly how time consuming being a teacher can be outside of class. This experience taught me a lot about what being a teacher is, and how it is not just a day job.

 
    I can take what I’ve learned this week and apply it to what I will be doing next week. While this week was mostly about planning, next week will be about teaching. I know that while both are equally important, they are also very different, and require different skills. I am hoping that I will be able to take what I’ve planned and use it to effectively teach and show the students that what they are learning can be fun and very useful in everyday life. I hope that I will have the confidence and the patience to do a good job. It will be a very different experience for me to be at the front of the class where everyone has to listen to me! I am confident that they will be great listeners and hopefully take a lot from what I say. 

Friday-Day 5

Today was a pretty busy day. I got up around 8:30 and worked for two hours on lesson plans and other projects for all the classes I'm helping out with. After that, i headed in to Proctor for Mikaela's E Block French three class. It was my first time in this particular class, so it was good to get to know who's in it and what they are studying. They are a little more fun in some ways than the other classes because they know enough french to actually carry a great conversation. I will have fun planning their activity because I won't have to pay so much attention to the level of the sentences, vocabulary, and length. I will be in their class next Tuesday, so I plan on creating a fun activity (maybe charades or jeopardy) for them to do. I also ran the lesson plans I came up with yesterday by Mikaela, and, besides a few minor adjustments, they are gonna work out great! As much as I enjoy doing all the planning, I am excited for the weekend. Although I will have to do a few hours of work since I lost so many this week because of my AP exam day and all of the schedule changes. Next week should be better in that way. I will be at Kearsarge on Monday, teach A block at Proctor on Tuesday and Wednesday, and then be back at Kearsarge for Thursday and Friday. I'm working on planning a project for the middle schoolers that they will hopefully finish by the time my own project finishes so I can see their presentations. Overall, it was a good first week!