28-02-2008

Today I taught the two levels: Advanced Placement and level 2 in French. I did some power point presentations this week and last week. Students enjoyed them a lot. They specifically loved one on Moroccan wedding. As a follow up, I tried to elicit how marriage is celebrated in USA, but Students asked me about my marriage, how I met my husband and when I got my kid. I used to find talking about one’s life and family very far from the educational field, but I changed my mind. American people talk about their families without any problem, and teachers do this a lot. I found out that this is one of the best ways to explain some of the things that are hard for students to understand. Today, I met a history teacher who invited me to talk to his students next week. And I learned from him something very interesting. He told me that his students remember mostly all the anecdotes that he tells them about some specific historical events, and tend to forget a lot when they don’t relate what they learn to something personal. In fact, I do this in my class too, but I am really falling in love with the amount of informality that goes in the American classroom.

Next week I will be busy visiting many classes either only to observe a lesson or to give a presentation. I am also invited by the vice head of school and his wife to a museum and dinner. I am all excited about this as this week was very slow and I felt a little bored and homesick.