A new year...a new tool

It has been far too long since I have shared what is going on in my classroom her on le blog. So, I would like to catch everything up. 1) The end of last year went just as well as the first semester had as far as the performance assessments and how my students grew in their proficiency. I was excited as I headed into the summer that they really were making progress. 2) This year brought some big changes for my program. I welcomed a second French teacher to help me handle my course load! Yeah! And she is really an answer to prayer! I am so fortunate to have a like-minded colleague who is willing to try new things and collaborate with me. She teaches 2 sections of French 1, while I continue with levels 2 through 5 in the senior high and 7th and 8th graders. I am so blessed this year to also have 2 sections of French 3. My 4/5 numbers are down, but these are now all my kids, who have only had me as their French teacher! 3) We have also adopted a 1:1 initiative at my school this year. I consider myself to be a huge techie teacher so I was thrilled when my administration handed me an iPad in April of last year and told me all of my students would have one this fall. I am enjoying how much there is to use that is free. Also, I am enjoying figuring out how to do what I do with new tools that serve to keep my students even more engaged. The students love that all they have to bring to my class is their iPad (or an iPad and workbook for my upper levels). Yes, it has been a challenge to get them to stop texting each other and playing games, but over time, things have started to get better as the newness has worn off. 4) I can't help sharing how excited I am about how great this year is going. I am seeing the fruits of my labor from last year. My students are more comfortable using Feench now and have a solid foundation. The understand proficiency and that speaking and writing are two important skills that they need the most work towards. They are beginning to buy into the idea that this language is something they can use outside the classroom. I absolutely love it! And, others are beginning to notice that what I am doing works! So, there are some ideas on what is going on with me and my students. I have recently been encouraged to share more of my ideas about teaching and teaching world language. So, I hope that my posts will be more frequent.