J'adore francais! Full immersion languages.

I simply adore French.  So much, in fact, that even growing up in Texas I took French all through high school.  I even took French (2 years) at my non-liberal arts college.

I learned to say. "Le parapluie de ma tante est sous l'escalier de mon grand-père." (The umbrella of my aunt is beneath the staircase of my grandfather.)  Not that it comes up that often.  

I married a man who also took French in high school and college, and every once in a while we will say things like... "Allo?  Allo Allen?  Oui, C'est Moi."  Even though neither one of us knows anyone names Allen, or for that matter, answers the phone in French.

So imagine my surprise when I heard at a board meeting recently that freshmen and sophomores in my district are having full immersion language classes. These students are expected to speak (and think) in French for the whole 45-50 minutes they are in class.  
They do impromptu dramas where the audience can add ideas.  They sing, they laugh, they cry (okay, I added that)-- but here's what I know they ARE doing.  They are thinking about French.  A lot.  I mean, a VERY BIG LOT.

It's all part of the district vision to have students be fluent in additional languages.  Love it! They are engaged.  They are excited! And soon, perhaps very soon... one of them might need an umbrella.

It starts with a book.

It all starts with a book.

I wrote this blog post out on paper as part of my 100 words 100 days challenge, as I was away from (most) technology over Easter weekend.  I was glad, as it gave me more time to focus on family.

We participated in a big family Easter meal on Sunday.  Two sets of grandmothers, three daughters families, family friends.  The meal and the company was wonderful, flowing through the usual topics of college, future lives and current job happenings. Guitar playing, children laughing.

Then, as happens each time this big crew gets together, it turned to a book. It always happens.  This time we were discussing It Starts with Food by Melissa Hartwig and Paleo Solution by Rob Wolff. (Probably because we had just stuffed ourselves on pork roast an wine.)  However, inevitably these talks turn to books that work the brain- Blink, Tipping Point, even Understanding a Framework for Poverty by Ruby Payne. My family even has a joke after these big meals which you Payne fans would appreciate-- we ask "Did you  get enough?" and then immediately follow with (without stopping) "How was the presentation?"

These talks always end with someone on Amazon prime on their phone, ordering a book (or downloading it to their Kindle.)  We pass these books around the family at gatherings, and by mail.  Typically, they end up donated or shared with friends.

I wonder how many other families do this.  Does yours?  Every argument must be backed up with text.  (The Internet on it's own, is never a viable source.)  Where did you read that?

Happy reading folks.  And, happy families.
#100words100days

100 Words for 100 days Challenge

Friends!  Obviously my poor fourth grade blog barely got off the ground.  I have done several other things I'm happy with this year.  Some have taken me outside my comfort zone.

Today, I had the privilege of working with some motivated educators who want to share STEM with their kiddos.  I taught a class with my bestie (teach is a little strong here-- shared with spaziness is probably more accurate...) on how to start up a Lego WeDo Robotics Club.  
If you aren't familiar with WeDo, that will have to be another post.

One of the participants in the group, a GT educator from another school is starting a blog challenge, to write 100 words for 100 days.  

This seems doable.  So today, is day #1.  Here we go...

Mixtures and Solutions

Today (Thursday) the kiddos started mixtures and solutions.  We used our iPads and Stemscopes to see what we already know.  Tomorrow we will begin exploring ways to separate mixtures, based on physical properties.  

1 week and counting

1 Week and Counting....

Super excited to meet the new faces this fall.  At this point, you know I'm your teacher-- but I don't know who's in my class.  So if you know you have me--- say hello!  I would love to meet you!

I've been very busy working on preparing our future home, but it really feel like a classroom until you are there.

This blog is where the class scribe will take notes for what we did in class that day.  That way if you are ever absent-- you'll know what you missed.  We can also link photos here, to share with your folks.  

Looking forward to getting started!

Mrs. P