ORIGINAL POST
Mme Naditz's French Class Blog
The same, yet different
Unlike most summers, I had a lot of time this summer to do some reading. In fact, I finally read most of the numerous books I've been collecting on various aspects of education and teaching. I read books on supporting my students multiple intelligences; books on assisting students to summarize, evaluate, and analyze information in a variety of ways; books with ideas for increasing the amount of student talk in my world language classes; books on the appropriate design and use of homework to further student achievement; and of course, the seminal "Classroom strategies that work" by Marzano, and its companion "Classroom strategies that work for English Learners" (who aren't so different from my French learners).
Then I spent time online looking further into technology integration, which led me to join ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education). The depth of knowledge and resources in the materials provided by this organization will keep my brain buzzing for quite a while. Boredom certainly won't be an issue!
Did these books books and web sites impact my practice? I like to think so. I took copious notes in them and elsewhere. I designed my first week's lesson plans using some of the new strategies and technologies (such as my current favorite: wordle) I had read about. I created new wikis for each of this year's classes. I reconsidered my homework policies...although I was gratified to see in the research that, for the most part, my use of homework is in line with what many consider to be best practices, including not usually assigning homework on weekends or holidays. My main focus on homework this year will be to build in more feedback mechanisms (from me or from the students themselves).
I also spent time this summer closely studying the new World Language Content Standards for California Students K-12 and determining which standards I would address at each level of instruction. Eventually, these standards will be available on the California Department of Education web site, but apparently, they are still finalizing the editing and formatting. Having this new document available to describe the practice of all language teachers in the state (and the level of accomplishment of all of the state's students) using the common language of the standards will impact--and invigorate--language programs throughout California.
I did take one trip: to New York City, where I visited two exhibitions related to WWII France (one about literary life of French authors under the Occupation and the other about the life of the Jews throughout Europe, including France). Both exhibits featured sections on the author Irène Némirovsky, whose unfinished work Suite Française I also read this summer. Even more devastating than the knowledge that she died in deportation before she could finish this work were the letters included at the end of the book where all who knew and worked with her were desperately (and unsuccesfully) trying to spare her from the consequences of being a foreign-born Jew in France during the war.
Numerous documents and concepts I viewed in the exhibit will be incorporated into my WWII unit for advanced students in the late spring, which will now have an added component on the power of words. Students need to realize how words are used in the literal and figurative senses to drastically influence public opinion. The Shoah (the term preferred by practicing Jews for the Holocaust) started with words. Words are used to describe and denigrate those of the "other" tribe in Rwanda and other war-torn regions of Africa. Weapons may kill physically, but words are used to justify the unjustifiable or to break the spirit first. Our students must become more critical listeners and readers because words will always be used in ways that twist and alter their intended meanings. Fortunately, focusing on the power of words will allow us to also examine how words can be transformative in beautiful and positive ways as well.
While I was in New York I purchased the French edition of Suite Française and also numerous other books and magazines in French for my students this year. In fact this summer I purchased dozens of books and magazines for my students, making a significant contribution to the variety of reading materials available for the silent reading French 3 and 4/AP students do every Thursday.
All in all, I'd say it's been a wonderful summer. These past several weeks functioned exactly as intended: to refresh and renew, preparing me to start another year that will be the same and yet different. Just the way I like it.
