As the year comes to an end, I’d like to share a few highlights from 2017. Although I don’t have a long list of new activities that I tried this year, I did have some great experiences that impacted my teaching (and students’ learning).
Kahoot! Jumble
Early on in the year, I tried out Kahoot’s new Jumble feature and blogged about it. Jumble is perfect for activities where you need to put things in order. Click here to read more about how I used Jumble.
PBL with ABCs
In March I attended I Project Based Learning workshop put on by the Buck Institute for Education. I took an ABC book project that I had done in previous years and applied what I learned at the workshop to make a whole new project. I then carried out the project, with the help of our instructional technologist. Click here to read about the project and see the finished products!
NYSMSA Conference
In October, the New York State Middle School Association conference came to my school. I was on the conference committee so I got to help with the planning of the conference. My colleague Robin Murray and I also presented on Meaningful World Language Cultural Activities. The conference was a great opportunity to meet other middle-level educators and share ideas. Click here to read more about the presentation.
Guest Speakers
I had two guest speakers come talk to my students this year. The first, in June, was Gilles, a student from Côte d’Ivoire, who shared about life in his country and what it was like coming to the United States. The second guest speaker, in November, was Chloé, a student from France who has spent a lot of time in the United States. She answered students’ questions about her experiences studying abroad and what life is like in France. Guest speakers are a wonderful opportunity to give students a fresh perspective. Both of these guest speakers were coordinated through parents of students. Ask students and their parents if they know someone who would be a good guest speaker!
Clark Art Institute
In December, my colleague Robin and I took a group of students to the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, MA, to view an exhibit on Impressionists and their drawings and prints. This was my first time visiting the Clark in quite some time. If you’re a French teacher and live in the area, you should definitely consider taking your students here. It’s also a great form of professional development, because I learned some new things while I was on the tour!
Wishing you all the best in your teaching, your studies, or your pursuit of French in 2018!
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