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.
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