I'm BACK!! #HappyRegentsWeekinaHeatwave or is it #BonneChanceTLM ??? IDK!!!

It's been so long that I've posted that I forgot how to post a link.....WTF?? Kinda cracks me up that they BLEEP out the swear words that earn a CUSSJAR contribution nowadays!! ROFL Heres Hoping this works. #DIGITALNATIVELOVE

por Diós...is it Spring Break yet??

Midterms taken, leaves me a pile of your brainwork to interpret and see if you guys really get it or not. Or is it that I have to see if I am getting it across to you or not....beh...¡Vemos!

¿Se quedará enfadada la Profe o orgullosa de sus estudiantes?

Hacía mucho que no os hablaría...

Lo siento mucho...but like a bad penny...I AM BACK!!! Working at SUNY Cortland ROCKS...almost Spring Break and I am making my midterm exams and my blueprints for my "puppies" they are so much fun to be with and around...that teaching makes me feel like playing with puppies!! Thus that is why I call my students puppies...with all endearment in the Universe!! I hope you all are doing as well as I am!! Well I am back and gonna keep ya posted on "stuff" as well and as much as time allows!! Os extrañáis montones...

happy Camper??

well after a second week at PBL Camp...I must say this is proving interesting.

The task at hand now is to partner up and work on essential questions for the project.

One idea that has been floating around that I find interesting is...Follow the food. How will the spill impact the food chain?? Let's just say...Blue Fin Tuna??? Sushi anyone?? Will the spill cause the extinction of an already disappearing breed of fish...contaminated breeding grounds...shift in migratory patterns?? Time will tell.

This idea intrigues me because of the global nature of our economy. There are folks from all over the world participating in this virtual "Camp" and they are perplexed at how they can incorporate the Deep Water Horizon tragedy into their lessons in a meaningful way for their students. How does what happens on this end of the globe impact people on the other end of the world?? Is it our duty as educators to close this gap and make our future generation of leaders realize that we are all connected...no matter the distance between us!! If one good thing comes out of this tragedy...let it be that our kids realize we are more interdependent than we want to admit!!

Just my opinion!!

So last night I did all my homework for Summer Camp at Edutopia..and now I think I am good to go. We as a group of educators are learning how to incorporate Project Based Learning into the classroom. Our "topic" is the oil spill in the Gulf. I need to think about how I can bring this idea into a LOTE classroom. I think the best way to do this may be to do what we did in Spanish IV a few years back for our final project and make Public Service Announcements in the target language bringing "hot topics" to the world from your perspective.

So homework for next week...how can I teach what may be the worlds largest ecological disaster to the LOTE classroom.

Time to poll the mob!!! What is your opinion....we'd like to know!!!!

Talk about being on Jamaican Time...

SInce I decided to stop the world and get off for the Summer, I thought I should at least sharpen my saw while I get a mean tan. I was planning on taking 9 more credits of coursework but life overwhelmed me (as it can at times) and I thought it best to just take a break...blesssed be the opportunity to even have that luxury.

In a nutshell I am going to "Virtual Summer Camp" with the George Lucas Educational Foundation!! Yeah the Star Wars guy has this cool education community called EDUTOPIA! So I am joined by over 1000 other teachers from around the country learning how to integrate project based learning into the classroom.

The Harvard Business School model in High School...how cool is that. And I get to do it in foreign language!!

I can't wait. We meet on Mondays and it lasts a month.

I will create a wiki and link it here when it passes muster!! YAY!! I love my job.

So...just because it is Summer...never stop LEARNING!!

¡Os quiero bien mi gente!

Feliz Verano todos

Oh my...it has been too long since I posted here!!  I completed 21 Graduate credits at Utica so far.  I decided to take the summer off.  Well needed brain rest.  Officially laid off from S-E, I interviewed at my alma mater last week and am waiting to find out if I made the cut.  

I watched my kids graduate this year!!  My Spanish 4's from last year all went off to higher education....I am so proud of them!!  

As for me this summer I am attending the Summer Institute at Oneonta this August and enjoying reading for pleasure!!  Mario Vargas Llosa is my first.  A politically charged work of fiction based on historical fact...kinda cool!!

Oh yeah...and SPAIN WON THE WORLD CUP!!!  ¡Viva España!  

Hasta pronto mi gente...

Pheww...is it Friday yet??

It is unforgivable to have let my blog sit untouched for so long....and for that I am sorry!! The school year has begin, both at S-E as well as at Utica College...and I am running as fast as I can...and I LOVE IT!! Yes, it is busy....but it is all so worth the effort I can't begin to describe it.

The enthusiasm in my classes is evident and it makes burning the midnight oil worthwhile for me. Seeing your faces light up as concepts make sense is great...I look forward to moving into making you bilingual by June!!

Workin' for the weekend...and never forget....MONOLINGUALISM CAN BE CURED!!

getting ready to run....

I am so happy I could just scream.....I am getting ready for Freshman Orientation tonight and after spending the afternoon in my classroom yesterday I am felling the excitement of "back to school". Today is also the first day of Fall classes at Utica College, but since I have orientation to attend I am allowed to miss class, the Director of the Program told me so.

It has been a fun-filled Summer after all, between the broken ankle, Graduate School four noghts a week and thyroid surgery..I think I packed enough to do into my break, and now am ready for the Fall.

Can't wait to see you all!!

Happy 4th mi gente

If there is anything I have learned so far in teacher school it is that I do like the long weekends with no homework. This program has been the most challenging thing I have ever done. I am so glad that it is almost over and I will soon have reached the first of many milestones I have been reaching for...for a long time. I always have to remind myself that anything worthwhile is hard work!! But I sure am glad the end is in sight!!

Independence Day ROCKS!!

Hope you all had a safe one!!

brushing off the cobwebs

Well after a long hiatus I am back...life happens I guess and time flies by and before you know it months have passed!!

Since I fell and broke my ankle I have had more of you guys checking in on me than I could have ever imagined!! Thanks for that.

So I suppose that in all now that the school year is over (at least for me) I have to thank you all for helping me break through into teaching. It has been a long year, full of challenges as well as personal triumphs. I am excited to get planning for next fall.

I want to thank each and every one of you that I had the pleasure of meeting throughout the course of the school year...in LOTE class and outside of it!! I love the new career I have chosen for myself and it is thanks to you that I have the courage and energy to hobble around and "Get 'Er Done"!!

Happy Summer All!!!

Way cool "schoolie-duty!!

So today was the first day of the Northeast Conference!! All I can say is WOW!!

It is such a small world...why you ask?? Well of all people to meet on the escalator of the Marriott Marquis between the fourth and fifth floors...but a girl who lives in Harlem, teaches in Brooklyn and grew up in a small town upstate...named SHERBURNE!!! Can you dig it?? It blew me right away I tell ya!! Psyched for tomorrow :)

Happy Sunny Monday...

...I am sitting in my mom's room, enjoying another cup of coffee and piggybacking on a neighbor's wireless internet...listening to all the city noises outside...I am glad to be back for the break and am soooo looking forward to the Northeast Conference of Foreign Language Teachers that begins on Thursday at the Marriott Hotel in the city. It is going to be way cool because I am taking a workshop on differentiation!! I hope to be able to bring back what I learn to you all and incorporate it into my classroom teaching as soon as Monday.

I am also heading out soon to the Teacher's Warehouse...to look for some Spanish and French props to help you guys make the concepts I try and teach you more concrete.

If I haven't said it enough....I love being your teacher!!

¡Gracias por todo!

Here comes Peter Cotton Tail....

...well it is finally Spring Break and I find myself back in the hood. It is nice to be back I must admit!! I am especially psyched because I am going to the Northeast Conference of Foreign Language Teachers next week. I am going to spend a whole day learning how to teach toward your needs. I guess by that I mean that we all learn better in different ways, some are lookers, some are listeners, and some are doers...so I am going to learn how to adapt my lessons to your learning style. I am pumped!!

It is raining down here so we stayed in and colored Lithuanian Easter eggs all day...it was fun...reminded me of when I was little!!


Hoppy Easter to all of you and yours!!

what a great day...

I think all my classes enjoyed our scavenger hunts today, and what makes it all even better is that we are on Spring Break!! A whole week off before the final push to the end of the year!

Overall I am confident that you all have what it takes to successfully complete the requirements to pass my class if you just do what is asked of you. The formula for success in my world is a simple one!! Follow instructions, cooperate, hand in the work on time and apply yourself accordingly in order to pass the exams given. I think that is a general overall rule of thumb for any class you take in school. Simply apply yourselves, and follow the rules and before you know it...it will be June and you will be itching for Summer vacation to start!!

I do love what I do...all my kids here in Afton want me back...but I like being among you ALL!!

S-E ROCKS!!

Looks like I made it!!!

SO today was the big day of the admissions interview...and I ROCKED IT!!!

I got up early this morning and well everything that could go wrong did!! Found not one but two doggie pile surprises TRACKED all over my year old carpeting (light colored too) in the living room...then after cleaning it all up and oxi-cleaning all the many stains...I realized that there was no milk in the house!! So no latte just a tall black strong coffee that was enough to sprout hair on any good chest...lol...then I go to pick out what to wear....and guess what...NO STOCKINGS.....so that blew that idea....so I made the best of it and got it together, found a pant suit and hoped for the best. Mind you Utica College is a two hour ride from my house, so rather than take my daily commute and go RT 12 up to Utica I went through Sidney and took Rt 8. Nice ride btw!!

I got there like 45 minutes early so I scoped out the campus and found the place where my interview was taking place. The committee of 5 grilled me for about 40 minutes. I thought I did well because they went from stern and serious to relaxed and friendly after a while.

By the time I got home there was already a message on my answering machine congratulating me and the head of Graduate Admissions said that I did a great job at the interview!! WOW MAJOR VALIDATION.

So in a nut shell...I am one step closer to my Personal Legend!!

search inside yourself

Today a kid I babysat for (who just turned 30 *my age is showing again*) helped me remember why I love what I do. I do what I do because I am a HERO!!

All of us has the materials we need to become a hero too...all you have to do is search deep inside ourselves...all you have to do is look.

What he said today is simply this:

Max Tucci

my new quote that i just made up!!! "Be still and know.. in stillness we find truth.... in stillness we find God.... and in stillness we find Freedom"!!

Happy Sunny Saturday Y'all.....

Ah....still sittin' in jammies and enjoying a second caffe latte!!

What a great week last week guys...when the days fly I think it is a sign that we are doing something right. I hope that next week is just as fulfilling.

In Spanish IV we are reading "The Alchemist", in Spanish I we are finishing up taping spoofs on the Food Network...creating our own instructional videos on stuff like preparing the Killer Sandwich, the secret of fried ice cream, microwave meal making as well as the perfect fruit salad!! French I is just putting the finishing editorial touches on the suitcase song. That project is actually a gift for the MS French teacher to thank her for making them so proficient in French!! Needless to say that the video footage is a bit of a mess, so we are making an IMovie that makes a bit more sense!!

It is all so much fun for me to do with you...and to see you guys finally feel confident enough to use what you have studied all year and succeed!!

Thanks for that!!

daylight savings time funk

Seems that losing the hour springing up has me feeling like I left something behind....lol

I am plugging along here and the year is actually beginning to wind down. I think we have like 12 weeks left if I am not mistaken. How cool is that?? Before we know it we will be ushering in Summer. I hope you all are still chugging through too...we are almost there....PROMISE!!

another week comes to an end...

Foreign language week is over and I think it was fun to inject a bit of bilingualism into morning announcements. Many thanks to everyone who participated.

There always seems to be something fun to create at your school. It is so cool to be a developing teacher in an atmosphere where we are encouraged to be creative and use different ways to help you guys "get" it.