11 October, 2008

Some food for thought...

I found this on the Net and figured it worthy to post here
for you guys to review. I mean after all this is what
"they" say is what you should be able to do
after studying foreign languages since Junior High School

STANDARDS FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING
The 5 C's:
COMMUNICATION
Communicate in Languages Other Than English
Standard 1.1: Students engage in conversations,
provide and obtain information, express
feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions.

Standard 1.2: Students understand and interpret
written and spoken language.on a variety
of topics.
Standard 1.3: Students present information, concepts,
and ideas to an audience of listeners
or readers on a variety of topics.
CULTURES
Gain Knowledge and Understanding of Other Cultures
Standard 2.1: Students demonstrate an understanding
of the relationship between the
practices and perspectives of the culture studied.
Standard 2.2: Students demonstrate an understanding of
the relationship between the
products and perspectives of the culture studied.
CONNECTIONS
Connect with Other Disciplines and Acquire Information
Standard 3.1: Students reinforce and further their
knowledge of other disciplines through
the foreign language.
Standard 3.2: Students acquire information and recognize the
distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the
foreign language and its cultures.
COMPARISONS
Develop Insight into the Nature of Language and Culture
Standard 4.1: Students demonstrate understanding of the
nature of language through
comparisons of the language studied and their own.
Standard 4.2: Students demonstrate understanding of the
concept of culture through
comparisons of the cultures studied and their own.
COMMUNITIES
Participate in Multilingual Communities at Home & Around the World
Standard 5.1: Students use the language both within and
beyond the school setting.
Standard 5.2: Students show evidence of becoming
life-long learners by using the language
for personal enjoyment and enrichment.

Happy long weekend

Ahhh...the first long weekend of the school year could not have come at a better time!! I think you all would agree with me...N'est pas?

I plan on staying on the ponderosa all weekend and just catching up with life's duties and chores. I hope that you all enjoy the beautiful weather that is in store...I know I will!! :))

See you on Tuesday!

08 October, 2008

Oh lay your hands...lay your hands on me!!!

On a personal note....My little man came through his surgery okay and is recovering....phew!!

Happy hump-day...and what makes it better is that it is a short week!!  Yippeeee..For YOU...LOL!!  We guys have schoolie-duty Friday, so we have a regular work week.  I look forward to seeing my peeps from ACS as well as mixing with all the educators from our area to learn from each other and to be the best we can be....ALL FOR ALL OF YOU!!!

On my way in today as I drove over hill and dale, I wondered if you guys wanted to do something to cheer up Mr. Reed....lets put our thinking caps on and start brainstorming about how we can make him feel among us even though he is not???    LAYING ON OF THE HANDS....your hands....they are our future!!  Okay getting sappy time to say good night!!  :))  


07 October, 2008

How much do you show YOUR teachers that they are valued??

How many of you go through your day at school not wanting to be there....and letting EVERYONE that surrounds KNOW that you that you hate it???

I think that people give off a vibe...and I feel that negative vibes really resound longer and harder than positive ones. Ever notice that if you are in the presence of someone in a bad mood, or a "glass half full" type....you kinda catch their drift...and have very few positive things to say??

Where does this fit in with my title of today's blog you ask??? Well I offer yet another Pearl of Wisdom to you all, and that is....I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.... again it is a swiped pearl....not my own but belonging to a wonderful lady named Maya Angelou. I had the pleasure of witnessing her speak at Hunter College, and once she made this declaration I have quoted here....it STUCK.....like that proverbial light bulb that goes off in your head when you finally "get it".

I have tried to be a feel person much more than a said or a did person....and I hope that, what is sometimes misconstrued as being hyper...is interpreted by you all as nothing more than my enthusiasm and my love of what I do, exuding from every pore of my being....and hope that you kids can feel it!! :))

Getting back to the title of today's blob....I was shown today.....and it FEELS great!! Thank you :)


06 October, 2008

Yet another week begins...




And so another Monday among you great leaders of tomorrow has come to an end.  I was asked how I am today and honestly, it was Monday and I was so glad to be there!!  Who could ask for anything better???  I feel very lucky to be your teacher and thank the powers that be for my good fortune!!

My wish for each and every one of you is that you find that niche in life where you can feel as much exhilaration as I do at the mere thought of making a living doing something so satisfying. 

5 Mondays down, 35 to go!!  :))