I have a French social security number

Working at the primaire is definitely making me rethink what age group I want to work with after France. I am so so in love with my primaire kids. Of course, here in France, I'm exotic and fun and only see them twice a week. As a speech language pathologist, my role would be somewhat different. It's something I'm definitely thinking about right now heading into application time.

Today was day 2 of teaching Halloween. It was a definite homerun. The six box game took the kids a bit of time to figure out, but hopefully later on they will remember and it will be a bit easier. We shall see. "Lazy" bingo was a success, like last time. Yesterday, I was at the collège and it went like -- pardon my French -- complete merde. Well, the first class anyway, the others were just meh. Yesterday, I worked with a class that has specifically been identified as learners with challenges. I won't describe it too much more because I don't want to inadvertantly harm any of my students or the school. If you work in a French school, you probably know who I'm talking about. Anyway, before yesterday morning I did not know that that would be the class that I'd be working with. I took half the class on my own. It went... okay? ish from my perspective. They stayed calm and in their seats. The only loud outbursts were from one that possibly can't help it. Anyway one of the students had forgotten something and had to go to the administrative offices to find it. I allowed a different student to go get it. Evidently, some of the things that had been muttered in the back of the class where less than savory and the student told one of the administrators. So, said administrator came and gave a talking-to to the class (NOT yelling and it was a very productive/positive-oriented talking-to). The final point here is that I will not be left alone with such a class again. A couple of the students in that class, I really feel for. For various reasons that I don't know, they are in that class and the unfortunate truth is that their peers won't allow them to get their full potential. Yesterday made me really sad.

The other classes yesterday were with older students. It seems that the older the students get, the less willing they are to go out on a limb and attempt English. I was asked to teach about cliques. I've got to say I don't know a whole lot about them, but I managed to put together a lesson on them. Unfortunately, the projector in my room didn't work so I wasn't able to show them Jena Lee's US Boy to start off the discussion. Luckily, enough of the classes watch/have seen Glee/High School Musical/Mean Girls so they had some sort of base to go on. I taught the word hierarchy. I think I also have made them all think that American high schools are the worst.... I tried, but I'm not sure I managed to convey that they were exaggerations of reality and not necessarily typical.

Today, however, today was just awesome. One of the teachers at the primaire had been an assistant in the UK and he said that I did a great job. It also just felt really right and good. Before leaving for France, a veteran teacher I know told me the secret to teaching children is to always have enough material for an entire class. I've been striving for that. I try to have a few activities during the time I have with them and switch them up enough that kids don't get bored. We'll see how it goes after Toussaint when I'm talking about non-Halloween words. Monsters are really easy to imitate, mothers less so (hi Mom!). Oh man... we are going to have a field day with the interdental fricatives oh yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Muzzer, fahzzer, bruhzzer and then of course we shall return to the problem of the short i with seeeester.

Also today, one of my students (now not so secretly my favorite) gave me Breton caramels (see start of post). My heart melted oh so so cute. I wanted to give him some extra stickers in return but unfortunately (or fortunately?) the students have a VERY strong sense of justice. If you give a sticker/candy/whatever to one student, you sure as hell had better have enough for all of them. I gave out candy corn during all of the Halloween classes. In the first one, I accidentally missed one kid and he was about near tears. Today, seeing as I had only used three quarters of one of my two bags, I decided to tell one class to take two candy corns. This was as they were exiting for recess. The kids from the prior class got wind that they were getting more candy corns and I began to hear little exclamations "mais POURQUOI are they getting TWO? We only got one!!" I decided to be gentille and give them more, because really I had more and it's better to give them away. I have discovered that I actually like candy corn. I never did before. Perhaps it's nostalgia?

I tried to get the kids to actually apply "I'm scared." The kids understand It's raining/it's NOT raining, but they haven't begun extending that to I'm happy/I'm NOT happy. So I put up the pictures of the monster/witch/ghost and also the fireman/mailman and cowboy. And started with an example, "When I (point to self) see (point to eye) a monster (point at monster), I'm scared (mime being scared). When you (point to student/s) see (point to eye) a monster (point at monster), how are YOU? (put up hands in questioning position)" I did this a few times with the witch and ghost. The students began to catch on, then I tried the fireman. It took a bit of time, but eventually they figured out "I'm not scared." We'll see how much they remember after Toussaint.

The primaire school is set up around a courtyard. Most of the buildings are one story (all of the classrooms are on the groundlevel) and you can pass from one classroom to the next in one long stretch (for most of the classes, the itty bitties are in another building not connected). So when I walk from one class to the next or to go to the teacher lounge during recess/before class, the little kids will see me and follow me outside. Then I'll hear "Maryyyyyyyyyyyyyy Maryyyyyyyyyy Maaaaary HELLOOOOOOOOO Maryyyyyyyyy!"

Today during the recess, one of the teachers taught me how to laminate so I could protect the drawings I've made for the classes. I was working at this when I realized that it had suddenly gotten very quiet. Whoops. Recess was over and I was late. Heureusement, it was not a problème.

Basically, right now, I'm really enjoying working with the primaire and thinking of ways to help them with English. It's a fun little puzzle. AND I feel really proud because a couple of the students in the primaire that have studying problems are really getting my lessons. When they figure out/remember things before the rest of the class that melts my heart as much as getting the caramels. French kiddos ftw.

Bisous,

MCJ