Pronunciation: The key between blood and boobs

So today in class, my students asked how to say "blood" in French.  I wrote "le sang" on the board, and before I could pronounce it, someone pronounced it as it sounds in English.  Literally "le" and "sang" (like sang a song).  The correct pronunciation is more like "sahn" but a nasally n sound.

I made that same mistake back in my day when I lived in France.  I was trying to say there was blood somewhere, but little did I know, with my American pronunciation of the word, I was actually saying there were boobs somewhere.  In French, breasts are "les seins" which is pronounced like you would say "sang" in English.

So I started giggling when this student blurted out what they THOUGHT was the pronunciation.  Of course, they were intrigued why I was giggling, so I wrote "les seins" on the board.  I pronounced both for them, without giving them meanings.  I then wrote the English translation next to each word and re-pronounced each one.  It didn't take them long to realize they were saying breasts instead of blood.  The reaction was quite hilarious.

And now they're going to go home and tell their parents they learned the difference between blood and boobs today.  I'm such a great teacher.....

End of the Semester

So I'm feeling a little discouraged today.

As a teacher, I have expectations of myself that are pretty high, especially for a second year teacher.  I truly want ALL of my students to succeed, so any time they don't, I feel like I failed them in some way.

As grades start to come out, there are always those who didn't get the grades I know they are capable of.  I have one student in French 1 who literally refuses to turn in homework.  She has an F.  Every time I have tried talking to her, she has no explanation and won't really answer my questions.  I've tried talking to her guidance counselor and contacting home, but I'm always met with a dead end and she never turns anything in.  Even though she's like this with every other class (we can see grades online), I still feel like there should have been something more I could do.

In my other French 1 class, I have two boys who are both really good friends of one another.  Both of them are very smart.  But they also both get really distracted and are disorganized.  Early on, I made it my goal for them to do well in my class.  I put them both in prime seating to pay attention, I offer them help often, I remind them of missing work.  I just found out that they are dropping my class at semester because their grades aren't good.

It's really silly for me to have this Utopic idea of what my classroom to be.  I teach 12-15 year old kids.  There's no way I will ever engage them all and there's no way they will all love my class and all get A's. 

I want to be a good teacher.  I want the kids to learn and I want them to love the language.  I just wish I didn't take it so personally when they don't.

Clipboards

This is post two in my series of organization tips to make your life easier and make your students' excuses go out the window.

Flu season is upon us.  I don't know about everyone else, but keeping track of who was absent when and for how many days gets to be a huuuge headache.  The hard part of all of that is trying to remember which assignments and classwork they missed and relaying that to them easily.  Yeah, you can probably verbally tell them.  But what 14 year old is going to remember what you say to them ten minutes later?  I also cannot stand being crowded around at the beginning of an hour with students asking what they missed.  It wastes my time and their fellow classmates' time.

Instead, I decided to start a clipboard system.  Each level has a clipboard in the room.  Each clipboard has a sheet of paper on it with three columns: date, classwork and homework.  This allows students to see exactly what we did (INCLUDING: what was handed in...I can't tell you how many students do their homework but don't hand it in because they were absent the day it was due), what notes they need to get from a classmate, and what homework they have.  Any handouts are in the absent folder (see THIS post to know what I'm talking about with that). 

I only started this a few weeks ago, but it's making a big difference.  It's especially effective in conveying if there is something out of the book or a non-worksheet assignment that is due.  My students used to just go to the absent folder, but I obviously can't put their textbook in there to tell them they have #4 on page 38 due.  My goal is by the end of February to never hear the words "Madame, what did I miss?" ever again.  Of course I'm happy to clear up any questions, but 90% of their original questions can be answered by checking the absent folder and the clipboards.

Class Folders

I've noticed over the years that students will give just about any excuse to get what they want. Most of the time the excuse is geared towards making their life easier all while getting the best grade possible.

My next few posts are going to be geared towards showing ways to eliminate those excuses (mostly through classroom organization).  Hopefully they can kill two birds with one stone: firstly keeping you (the teacher) organized and secondly, DRASTICALLY cutting down on excuses and increasing student self-responsibility.

In my room, each hour has a box (I use a magazine holder box).  In each box are three folders: IN, OUT and ABSENT.

Rather than have students pass forward their work and then I put it in some sort of grading pile, I have them turn it into the in-folder.  This majorly cuts down on "Madame I gave that to you!" or "Madame, I put it on your desk!"  If it's not in the in-folder, it's not in.  The out-folder is where I put finished/graded items for students.  They are always welcome to dig through there to see if they have anything to take.  Whenever there is a work time and the out-folder is getting particularly full, I'll pass it out as well.  The absent folder is where I put any worksheets students missed while absent.  I put their name on it and they go to the folder to get any handouts they missed.  It saves my sanity from having to keep track of extra copies for students who are gone.

I also have my OWN set of folders in my school bag to keep organized.  I have a "to correct/grade", a "to hand back/to", and a "my papers".  I ALWAYS take anything from the in-folder of a class to put it immediately into the "to correct/grade".  Once it's graded, it's put into the "to hand back/to" folder, which then goes to the out-folder.  By using a folder system, I have found that losing student work is minimal to non-existent, which not only cuts down on their excuses, but mine as well.  Whenever a student comes up to me and tells me they handed something in (even if I'm showing it's not), I can say with SO much more confidence, "Sorry Pierre, I don't have it here.  Maybe check your folder?"

Dice Tic-Tac-Toe

I came up with a fun new game for students to practice verb conjugations.
Basically, it's a variation of tic-tac-toe.  I made sheets of paper with six tic-tac-toe boards.  Each space has a different subject (which left me with one leftover space, so I just put definition in that last one).  Each board corresponds with a number and a verb.  For example, if you roll a 1, you have to go on board 1 and only conjugate the verb that goes with board 1.
Rules:
1. Split the class into groups of two (or if you want to make it even more interesting: three).
2. Make sure the students have the list of which number corresponds to which verb (either with them or on the board... in the future I might just put it on the sheet of paper they use for tic-tac-toe).
3. The first student rolls.  They then choose a subject off of the corresponding board.  They write down the conjugation on a sheet of scrap paper.  Their partner must check the answer.  If it is correct, you can put your X or O down.  If incorrect, you don't make a mark and that spot is still up for grabs.
4. The next student rolls.  They can choose an available subject off of the corresponding board and conjugate as well.  Play goes back and forth until each board has a tic-tac-toe on it.
5. If a player rolls the number of a board that already has a tic-tac-toe, then the turn is over.
6. The winner is the person with the most tic-tac-toes.  In the even of a tie, roll the die.  Whoever won the board that corresponds with that number is the winner.

The kids played it today actually and they seemed to like it a lot.  I am always trying to find new ways to review, and this way worked well.

CLICK HERE to download your very own reusable template.

Puzzles

Some colleagues of mine showed me a great way to have the kids review.  They made puzzles that were four squares by four squares cut in half diagonally to make triangles.  On one side of each line is a clue, the other side is the answer.  I thought this was a great idea, but I couldn't shake the thought that there is no way for the kids to check their answers.  All the triangles fit together into the same final shape with a million different possibilities.

So, like with many things, I tweaked it.

I still used triangles, but I didn't make them form together into lines of squares.  The triangles were all oddly shaped and sized so that they would only fit together in one way.

I had the kids each make one.  I told them they could do vocabulary (English/French), verb conjugations (subjects/verbs), or clues (you smell out of this/le nez).  They handed them in so I could check to make sure they were accurate.  I then handed them back and had them cut them apart.  They traded with partners and put them together.  It worked out great!  It gave them a chance to review what we're learning.  I found that many kids did much more than just translations, which was great.  But even translations gave them a chance to practice vocab.

The cool thing about this is it can be used with just about anything.  Teaching match (problem on one side, answer on the other), teaching vocabulary, parts of speech, dates, historical figures...you name it!

Here is an example of a finished puzzle put back together:

Want an outline? Click HERE.

Vocabulary Diagrams

Vocabulary is one of the hardest things to "learn" for students, especially in a foreign language.  Any given chapter that I teach, there are usually at least 50 new vocabulary words they have to learn.  I'm not a huge fan of flashcards because I don't like my students memorizing translations.  I want them to look at a pen and think "stylo".  I don't want them to look at a pen, think "pen...pen in French is stylo...STYLO".  Any flashcards I do use have photos instead of words.

One activity I love to do to reinforce vocabulary is a diagram project.  For example, during the school unit, I had the students draw a diagram of the classroom and label at least 15 items (3 of which had to be verbs like raising your hand, talking, asking a question, studying, etc).  It's a great way to apply vocabulary with them actually CREATING the vocabulary.

Circuit Review

Thanksgiving fell at a really weird time this year.  Normally it means it's almost December, but this year we had a full week of November left after Thanksgiving.

Based on the foreign language curriculum, I do a chapter per month with each level.  It times out really nicely and it gives the kids an idea of when there tests end up being.  This chapter test will be on Friday, so it's time to review, review, review!

I like to mix up review activities.  Yeah, Jeopardy is fun, but you can only play it so much.  Another teacher told me about this circuit activity that is great review for the kids and usually takes up an entire class period.

The first thing you do is figure out how many kids are in that class.  Then you take that many note cards, fold them in half, and put a "problem" on the outside each note card that can be solved in 30 seconds or less.  For example, my French 3s are learning about cooking, so one card might say il/ajouter.  Based on the "cp" in a circle I will put at the bottom, they will know they have to conjugate that verb in the present tense.  Then, on the inside is the answer so they can get immediate feedback and know if it's something they need to work on.  Each "round" lasts a total of 50 seconds.  The first 30 seconds students are solving the problem.  The last 20 seconds, they are checking their answer.  Then you have them each pass their card to the next person.  Eventually each person will have had each card once.

In order to hold accountability, I require them to fill out a worksheet.  I put three columns on it: card number, my answer, check answer.  I require them to write down the "check answer" even if their answer was correct.  I am thinking of adding another column saying "Didn't get it" so they can check it off and can go back to it or just know they need to study it.

One thing to keep in mind is you need to create a "circuit".  Basically there needs to be an imaginary line from the first person to the last person so that the passing can continue.  Here is an example of my circuit seating chart:

You can see that it's literally never ending so that there isn't a point where the cards stop.

The only annoying thing about this activity is you have to constantly watch the clock.   It gets repetitive saying "pass" and "check" every 20-30 seconds.  I'm hoping to find some sort of automatic online timer that would work.

In order to cut down on "instructions", I made a few categories (as discussed with the "CP" at the bottom).  I just write the category on the card and then I write all the categories on the board if they don't remember what they have to do with the card. 

I did this with my French 1s last month and they loved it.  It really gave them a feel for what they needed to review/study.  They really appreciated having immediate answers as well because they could instill the right answer in the moment.

You can also make a game out of it, seeing who has the most right answers.  The beauty of this activity is you can literally use it with any topic or subject.  Math, history, science, you name it.

ER Verbs

I figured since my French 1 students had such a hard time learning être, learning regular ER verbs was going to be a very difficult task.  I braced myself for confusion with them.

Much to my surprise, it went amazingly.  I introduced it last Thursday, and they already seem to have a great grasp of it.  Before I taught them how to conjugate it, I gave them definitions and examples of subjects, verbs, conjugations and infinitives.  I then explained to them how to conjugate regular ER verbs in French.  

Any homework I give immediately following the introduction of a topic is just given completion credit.  Either you did it or you didn’t.  If I do completion credit, I walk around and stamp their paper (so if I make an error in the gradebook, they can show me the stamp and prove me wrong).  On those days, we still correct the homework together so they can check their work and maybe clear up any lingering confusion.  To get a feel for how they did, I just ask them “how’d you do?” and they all respond with a thumbs up, a thumbs sideways or a thumbs down.  It’s a super easy way to get immediate feedback on how well they are grasping what we are learning and if we can move on or not.

Anyway…the day after I taught them ER verb conjugation, we went over a practice worksheet that had been assigned for homework, and at least 70% of them gave me a thumbs up.  That is HUGE.  I was very pumped that they grasped it SO quickly, especially since être was such a struggle.

Today, to reinforce a bit more, we played avalanche in class.  They just rocked it!  They rarely made any mistakes.  I did end up teaching them a song to reinforce those endings (which can be found HERE), which I think helped a lot too.

To any readers, I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!  I, for one, am looking forward to our break with immense impatience.

Blah Days

Oh the "blah" day.  As teachers, we all have them.  You're exhausted.  You can't focus.  Class starts in twenty minutes and you still don't know what you're doing with the kids.  The reasons one might have for this "blah" day are infinite.  Today, mine has to do with hunting.  Because of hunting, I didn't get home until 8:30 last night.  And by the time my deer was in the garage and we were unpacked and showered, I was so exhausted it was bedtime.

I came into school early today, but despite my 9 hours of sleep last night, I was still exhausted.  I remembered that I had planned on lesson planning last night to get ready for today, so I was in a bind.  My husband's "easy fix" suggestion was "have them watch a movie".  No dear, I can't just pop in any old movie.  When I DO use movies, I use them to supplement what we're learning and I create worksheets or activities for it.

I needed something that had them practicing what they were learning, but something that I could plan in under twenty minutes.  It also had to be pretty hands off for me because I was desperately behind in grading and I had told the kids that their grades would be updated at 8:00 last night (note to self, don't ever make promises that need to be accomplished between hunting and school the next day).  It then hit me to have THEM create a crossword puzzle for another classmate to complete.  Not only are they practicing their own chosen vocabulary, then they have to be "quizzed" by another classmate on it as well.  Between having them make those and going over the homework that was assigned Friday, it took up the whole hour.  I just had to print off a prompt and some empty grids and they were able to get to work.

This is something that is so simple and can work in any subject.  Whenever you are having a "blah" day and feel extremely stuck, have the kids create a puzzle of some kind for them to exchange.  It gives them the opportunity to be creative as well as practice their vocabulary.