When I was interviewed for my current teaching position, one of the questions the Interview Team asked me was, "What will you do to continue to improve your Spanish language skills?" (Can I be honest with you??) I was a little taken aback by the question. After having lived overseas for 16 years, and raised 3 children through the Venezuelan schools, I felt like I had pretty much "arrived". My response at the time was to hopefully travel more to Spanish speaking countries to keep my Spanish up to date. However, that's a pretty big price tag, especially when compared to taking more classes locally for the majority of teacher professional development!
In the ensuing years I've realized how important, and yet how difficult it is, to continue to grow in your 2nd language while living in the United States! Some of the issues I've encountered are:
1) getting caught in a kind of "time warp" of language. Some of the vocabulary & idioms I learned 10-20 years ago have now been taken over by new phrases. I now sound really dated if I use them!
2) blending my Venezuelan accent with that of my new friends from Perú, México, Ecuador, Spain, Colombia, Guatemala, etc. There is absolutely nothing wrong with any of these accents, it's just that I'm now less identified as having lived in Venezuela than I was.
3) getting stuck in your grade level. I'm pretty terrific at 1st grade Spanish, but constantly need to look for opportunities to engage in higher level conversations.
I'm sure I could think of other hurdles if I just spent more time dwelling on it, but the point is, what can I do to combat the diminishing of my language abilities? I'll give you a few of my favorites, and I invite you to share how you keep up with your 2nd language, and actually grow with it!
1) I get involved with native Spanish speakers outside my school. My husband, who is also bilingual, pastors a Hispanic church in Grand Rapids, so I love being able to talk with our friends at church about all kinds of subjects that have absolutely nothing to do with school! I've learned new vocabulary from other Spanish speaking countries, and I've learned to "adjust" some of my Venezuelan terms that are perfectly acceptable in that country, but have entirely different meanings in other countries.
2) I have taken advantage of the opportunity afforded through the Detroit Tigers organization. In Grand Rapids, where I live, the Tigers have located one of their minor league teams. It just happens that many baseball players these days are from Venezuela, Puerto Rico & The Dominican Republic. We have totally enjoyed getting to know & interact with these players as host families!
3) Thanks to friends & family, I have been introduced to a couple of online programs that help me "keep up" I will share these websites with you so you can enjoy them too.
Erika "Tipo 11". This is a monologue from Erika de la Vega, in Caracas, Venezuela. Very entertaining and elightening!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCNZlbSuQz4&feature=related
Les Luthiers--A terrific musical comedy group from Argentina. Great musicians, entertaining, and another way to keep current on vocabulary as it develops.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2eXZXgD6f0&list=PL73EE2B291EC8E996&index=2&feature=plpp_video
As always,
Sheryl René
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Friday, October 19, 2012
Congratulations!
Congratulations to CARLA, the Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition! They have successfully put together their 4th Immersion Educator's conference in St. Paul, Minnesota! The title this year was: Immersion 2012: Bridging Contyexts for a Multilingual World. For those of you who don't know about CARLA, it "is one of the U.S. Department of Education's Title VI National Language Resource Centers, whose role is to improve the nation's capacity to teach and learn foreign languages." I'm sitting in my hotel room just now (watching the Cardinals vs Giants baseball), thinking back over all the lessons I've learned in the past 2 days, and anticipating what else I'll learn tomorrow, the final day! :)
Even as I got into the Supershuttle at the airport Wednesday night, I looked around and asked if anyone else was headed to the Immersion conference; and 3 of the other 5 passengers were! We immediately started talking about where we were from, what kind of Immersion school we were part of, and what we expected to learn at this conference. These ladies were from Utah, a state that is rapidly expanding their Immersion school offerings. But that wasn't the District that came from the farthest away; I later discovered there were attendees from California, North Carolina, Louisiana, Oregon, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Michigan, Colorado,Washington,Nebraska, Idaho, Arizona, Maryland Texas, Hawaii, Canada, Finland, Brazil, Argentina, The Netherlands, Philippines, Spain, Germany, Japan, etc, etc, etc.! I don't know what the numbers are yet, but there are several hundred educators here; each of them coming with their own story to share, questions to ask, and the desire to become better Immersion educators!
One of my favorite workshops was: Relating Teacher Practices to Better Student Written Production. The presenters were Nicole Boudreaux and Michelle Haj-Broussard, both from Luisiana, working in and with French Immersion schools. They presented the work of 2 teachers from their District who, through very different teaching styles, have both helped their students make tremendous progress in Writing in their 2nd language. One of the teachers has a very loosely structured classroom, but with very defined goals for her students, allowing them to arrive at those goals in their own way, at their own time. She has 9-10 students in the classroom. The other teacher was more structured in her approach, in a classroom of about 22 students. We saw videos of both teachers at work, laying the groundwork & fundamentals for their students to write, and watched as those same students proudly read aloud their published stories. Ok, back to my classroom drawing board to bust some of my own myths about what 1st grade students can do in their first trimester of Spanish Immersion! One of the key lessons I learned was that I need to give my students more specific referentials & train them how to use the referentials in their writing process. I can't wait!!!
As I publish this post, I'm asking that other attendees add their favorite session to the blog. What did you learn? How will you apply it as you return to your schools? Let's share the wealth of information we've acquired this week!
Always learning,
~Sheryl René
Even as I got into the Supershuttle at the airport Wednesday night, I looked around and asked if anyone else was headed to the Immersion conference; and 3 of the other 5 passengers were! We immediately started talking about where we were from, what kind of Immersion school we were part of, and what we expected to learn at this conference. These ladies were from Utah, a state that is rapidly expanding their Immersion school offerings. But that wasn't the District that came from the farthest away; I later discovered there were attendees from California, North Carolina, Louisiana, Oregon, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Michigan, Colorado,Washington,Nebraska, Idaho, Arizona, Maryland Texas, Hawaii, Canada, Finland, Brazil, Argentina, The Netherlands, Philippines, Spain, Germany, Japan, etc, etc, etc.! I don't know what the numbers are yet, but there are several hundred educators here; each of them coming with their own story to share, questions to ask, and the desire to become better Immersion educators!
One of my favorite workshops was: Relating Teacher Practices to Better Student Written Production. The presenters were Nicole Boudreaux and Michelle Haj-Broussard, both from Luisiana, working in and with French Immersion schools. They presented the work of 2 teachers from their District who, through very different teaching styles, have both helped their students make tremendous progress in Writing in their 2nd language. One of the teachers has a very loosely structured classroom, but with very defined goals for her students, allowing them to arrive at those goals in their own way, at their own time. She has 9-10 students in the classroom. The other teacher was more structured in her approach, in a classroom of about 22 students. We saw videos of both teachers at work, laying the groundwork & fundamentals for their students to write, and watched as those same students proudly read aloud their published stories. Ok, back to my classroom drawing board to bust some of my own myths about what 1st grade students can do in their first trimester of Spanish Immersion! One of the key lessons I learned was that I need to give my students more specific referentials & train them how to use the referentials in their writing process. I can't wait!!!
As I publish this post, I'm asking that other attendees add their favorite session to the blog. What did you learn? How will you apply it as you return to your schools? Let's share the wealth of information we've acquired this week!
Always learning,
~Sheryl René
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Need a new perspective?
I spent 5 hours today volunteering at a one-day-only set-up of the Mexican Embassy in West Michigan. The Embassy employees come here once a year to help Mexican citizens update their papers, without having to make the trip to Detroit. Having lived overseas for many years, I've definitely had my share of visits to government offices to get papers in order. It is not always the most pleasant experience. It can be so intimidating to approach those government workers behind desks, in little rooms crowded with people, and await their response to your requests. My husband, Dale, deserves all the credit for making this experience as positive as possible for our family. He always checked ahead of time to find out what papers, stamps, letters, money, etc. would be needed. He would even make preliminary visits, if that was acceptable, to start the process. But inevitably we would all need to show up one day to complete the process. That's when the "fun" would begin. Again, I credit Dale with the ability to face these challenging visits with such patience. I remember one day when Dale had to ask me to wait outside while he finished up the process, as I had become so frustrated that I offended the government official-----and that's not what you want to do when you're depending on them for your papers!
However, today for the first time, I was standing behind the government workers, able to see the facial expressions and body language of each citizen who approached with their requests. (My job was to make photocopies of paperwork that the people needed to complete the process.) Over the 5 hours, I learned the officials' names, and had opportunity for a little conversation. They were nice people. They treated each applicant with great respect. They got tired & thirsty, but my observation was that they patiently listened to peoples' stories, questions and requests, and did their best to fulfill the citizens's requests.
I had a change of perspective today. I got just a small taste of what it is like to be behind the government desk, facing hundreds of peoples requests. Instead of seeing the backs of applicants while I waited in line, I saw their faces as each one approached the tables of officials. Some were shy, some were nervous, some were very happy to have been saved a long drive to Detroit and the time off work that that would entail. Everybody had their own unique story, yet everyone came for the same reason---to get their papers updated.
I've had opportunity to change my perspective in the classroom this year as well. I'm privileged once again to mentor a student teacher this semester, and that necessarily involves many hours of modeling, teaching, releasing my teaching time to the student teacher, and then observing her as she assumes the leading role of Teacher. I love passing on my passion for Immersion education, the Spanish language, and the building of my relationships with impressionable first graders and their families. What changes my perspective? As I watch my student teacher work so hard to follow my suggestions, it's almost like watching a video taping of myself! I love seeing her be successful with proven techniques, but I also get the chance to see where I need to improve or clarify my teaching strategies. I also enjoy seeing these young teachers add their own personality and ideas to the classroom. I am inspired by what they bring to the classroom as well. I get to see myself from their perspective!
My perspective also changes as I'm able to walk around the room, observing students up close. I get to see the classroom from their vantage point, and that helps me plan better for class activities. I get to hear more of their casual conversation, and it helps me understand their struggles, humor, and friendships. And I get to see how hard or easy it is to sit still for the instructional time. If I'm having trouble staying seated & still, they will definitely need more "wiggle time"! I get to see 1st grade from my students' perspective!
Perspective...what a difference it can make! Do you need a new perspective? What can you do to get that new perspective? Take the risk! It's a valuable experience.
Just as a little P.S., enjoy this link to Erika de la Vega, a comedian/talk show host from Venezuela. She speaks here about visiting the government offices. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Erp6sIqxJ_0
~Sheryl René
However, today for the first time, I was standing behind the government workers, able to see the facial expressions and body language of each citizen who approached with their requests. (My job was to make photocopies of paperwork that the people needed to complete the process.) Over the 5 hours, I learned the officials' names, and had opportunity for a little conversation. They were nice people. They treated each applicant with great respect. They got tired & thirsty, but my observation was that they patiently listened to peoples' stories, questions and requests, and did their best to fulfill the citizens's requests.
I had a change of perspective today. I got just a small taste of what it is like to be behind the government desk, facing hundreds of peoples requests. Instead of seeing the backs of applicants while I waited in line, I saw their faces as each one approached the tables of officials. Some were shy, some were nervous, some were very happy to have been saved a long drive to Detroit and the time off work that that would entail. Everybody had their own unique story, yet everyone came for the same reason---to get their papers updated.
I've had opportunity to change my perspective in the classroom this year as well. I'm privileged once again to mentor a student teacher this semester, and that necessarily involves many hours of modeling, teaching, releasing my teaching time to the student teacher, and then observing her as she assumes the leading role of Teacher. I love passing on my passion for Immersion education, the Spanish language, and the building of my relationships with impressionable first graders and their families. What changes my perspective? As I watch my student teacher work so hard to follow my suggestions, it's almost like watching a video taping of myself! I love seeing her be successful with proven techniques, but I also get the chance to see where I need to improve or clarify my teaching strategies. I also enjoy seeing these young teachers add their own personality and ideas to the classroom. I am inspired by what they bring to the classroom as well. I get to see myself from their perspective!
My perspective also changes as I'm able to walk around the room, observing students up close. I get to see the classroom from their vantage point, and that helps me plan better for class activities. I get to hear more of their casual conversation, and it helps me understand their struggles, humor, and friendships. And I get to see how hard or easy it is to sit still for the instructional time. If I'm having trouble staying seated & still, they will definitely need more "wiggle time"! I get to see 1st grade from my students' perspective!
Perspective...what a difference it can make! Do you need a new perspective? What can you do to get that new perspective? Take the risk! It's a valuable experience.
Just as a little P.S., enjoy this link to Erika de la Vega, a comedian/talk show host from Venezuela. She speaks here about visiting the government offices. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Erp6sIqxJ_0
~Sheryl René
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Technology..."Gold & Glitches"
Welcome back to another great year of preparing students to be international citizens! I'm still working on writing my professional goals for the year. Some of these are being directed by the District, and others are left up to us to set. I feel driven to create more technological outlets for our students, as I continue to run into dead-ends on my PC. For example, our District spent huge sums of money a couple of years ago to update our PC labs, and now the few approved & installed Spanish programs that we did have are no longer compatible with the updated computers. Also, in order to protect our students from inappropriate viewings on youtube, we cannot access anything from this site on the student computers. The recommendation was to go to the teachertube, but when I did it wouldn't accept Spanish words for searches. So many of the songs & lessons I found on youtube are unavailable for my students to access during their computer lab time. And I am left with only English pre-approved programs on the computers.
Last year the parents of my class saw my interest in providing more technology learning activities for my students, and bought me an IPAD to use in the classroom. How exciting! I spent some exciting summer vacation days searching for Spanish learning activity apps. SUCCESS!! I will be able to use these in a learning center in my room, with 1-2 students at a time; but since our District does not support Apple products, I cannot use it for the entire classroom at one time.
Something will need to change, though. The new Common Core Curriculum has as one of it's main thrusts the use of technology for students to research, take notes, write, take tests, etc. Some of our buildings are piloting the use of portable computer labs, but again with PC computers. I know that from about 3rd grade on, one of the student goals could be to be able to research in English, but write their papers in Spanish. My own children did that when we lived in Venezuela. It's a little extra work, but definitely the kind of extra work that raises their Reading and Writing skills to a higher level. There still remains, however, the need for more opportunities for our Immersion students (whatever their target language is) to experience authentic learning activities in the target language.
This October our district will be hosting the WMAIE (West Michigan Alliance of Immersion Educators), and our theme is "Technology in the Immersion Classroom". We will be presenting our limited experience with using the target language online, but I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to hear from others of you as to what you do and use to make these educational goal a success.
Allow me to start off by listing the programs I have used to date:
www.milcuentos.com
http://www.spanishspanish.com/alfabeto_ipower.html
http://www.spanishspanish.com/colors/colors_beetles.html
http://www.spanishspanish.com/colors/colors_simon.html
http://en.childrenslibrary.org/
http://www.ahisd.net/spanimm/espanolsi.htm
http://www.storyplace.org/
http://www.codyscuentos.com/
http://www.childtopia.com/index.php?newlang=spa
http://www.senoradalman.com/voicethread.html
www.linguascope.com
www.scholastic.com/classmags
IPAD apps:
Leer y jugar
Aprender a leer
Aprender los animales con puzzles
Spanish Word Wizard
Mágico 1, Mágico 2
Fetch Spanish
Lectura mágica
Flash Cards from www.FUNFUNSOFT.COM
My First Alphabet
Flash 2 Spanish
Dragon Dictation
Try them out! Have lots of fun! And please add to the list. Or better yet, start writing your own, and then let us all know about it!
~Sheryl René
Last year the parents of my class saw my interest in providing more technology learning activities for my students, and bought me an IPAD to use in the classroom. How exciting! I spent some exciting summer vacation days searching for Spanish learning activity apps. SUCCESS!! I will be able to use these in a learning center in my room, with 1-2 students at a time; but since our District does not support Apple products, I cannot use it for the entire classroom at one time.
Something will need to change, though. The new Common Core Curriculum has as one of it's main thrusts the use of technology for students to research, take notes, write, take tests, etc. Some of our buildings are piloting the use of portable computer labs, but again with PC computers. I know that from about 3rd grade on, one of the student goals could be to be able to research in English, but write their papers in Spanish. My own children did that when we lived in Venezuela. It's a little extra work, but definitely the kind of extra work that raises their Reading and Writing skills to a higher level. There still remains, however, the need for more opportunities for our Immersion students (whatever their target language is) to experience authentic learning activities in the target language.
This October our district will be hosting the WMAIE (West Michigan Alliance of Immersion Educators), and our theme is "Technology in the Immersion Classroom". We will be presenting our limited experience with using the target language online, but I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to hear from others of you as to what you do and use to make these educational goal a success.
Allow me to start off by listing the programs I have used to date:
www.milcuentos.com
http://www.spanishspanish.com/alfabeto_ipower.html
http://www.spanishspanish.com/colors/colors_beetles.html
http://www.spanishspanish.com/colors/colors_simon.html
http://en.childrenslibrary.org/
http://www.ahisd.net/spanimm/espanolsi.htm
http://www.storyplace.org/
http://www.codyscuentos.com/
http://www.childtopia.com/index.php?newlang=spa
http://www.senoradalman.com/voicethread.html
www.linguascope.com
www.scholastic.com/classmags
IPAD apps:
Leer y jugar
Aprender a leer
Aprender los animales con puzzles
Spanish Word Wizard
Mágico 1, Mágico 2
Fetch Spanish
Lectura mágica
Flash Cards from www.FUNFUNSOFT.COM
My First Alphabet
Flash 2 Spanish
Dragon Dictation
Try them out! Have lots of fun! And please add to the list. Or better yet, start writing your own, and then let us all know about it!
~Sheryl René
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
What's in Your summer?
Some of us are at that stage of the year when parents are asking us, "What can I do to help my child over the summer?" Some have already crossed that bridge & are just chilling a bit to regain our sense of calm & control. I happen to be in the former group, and while I do have parents asking for camps, tutors and play groups for the summer, I want to focus just now on what I want to do to help ME. I get to this point every year, and every year there are some reccurring themes of "to do's". However, I nearly always have some new challenge each year, which moves me to reflect on how well (or not) I handled the situation, and what I could do differently should this situation occur again in my career (as is very likely).
Once in a while I actually pursue the study urges BEFORE the need occurs, as happened a couple of summers ago. I enrolled in the University of Minnesota's "Struggling Learners in the Immersion Classroom" class. It was definitely a theme that we had discussed in our school, but had never seen much research nor writing on how to approach the unique needs of struggling learners in our immersion classrooms. I did have a vague idea that I would be needing the advice in this class, as I knew of a student who would be coming to my class 2 years afterward. I just completed the year with this student. One of the issues that was discussed in the class was, When or How do you know if Immersion education is not right for your child? I cannot go into the specifics of my particular student, as we are still in that decision making process, but I am so thankful to have had the preparation for having this discussion. (By the way, I highly recommend Carla Summer Institute at the University of Minnesota for your continuing Immersion education!)
My colleague, Megan, has been working on her Masters' with a heavy emphasis on technology in the Immersion classroom---another great theme! What would you like your immersion students to be able to do or find on the internet in the target language? Or how about interventions? Although this is mandated now for all schools, some are incorporating "Response to Interventions" more rapidly and universally than others. Another colleague, Amanda, is making a move this year from our one-way immersion program to a two-way or dual immersion program. I have recommended a very helpful book for her to read over the summer, Dual Language Instruction, by Nancy Cloud, Fred Genessee, and Else Hamayan. Some of us may just need to spend some time reading for our own growth & enrichment in our target language. After teaching 1st grade for so many years, I find that even reading a 3rd or 4th grade novel helps refresh my vocabulary! Some of my colleagues are traveling overseas this summer! (So jealous!!) What a terrific way to immerse ourselves and experience again what it is like to be the learner! Better yet, why not consider visiting a country to experience immersion in a third language!
Teachers and administrators, give us your ideas! Maybe we'd like to follow your lead! Share, share, SHARE! What's in your summer?
~Sheryl René
Once in a while I actually pursue the study urges BEFORE the need occurs, as happened a couple of summers ago. I enrolled in the University of Minnesota's "Struggling Learners in the Immersion Classroom" class. It was definitely a theme that we had discussed in our school, but had never seen much research nor writing on how to approach the unique needs of struggling learners in our immersion classrooms. I did have a vague idea that I would be needing the advice in this class, as I knew of a student who would be coming to my class 2 years afterward. I just completed the year with this student. One of the issues that was discussed in the class was, When or How do you know if Immersion education is not right for your child? I cannot go into the specifics of my particular student, as we are still in that decision making process, but I am so thankful to have had the preparation for having this discussion. (By the way, I highly recommend Carla Summer Institute at the University of Minnesota for your continuing Immersion education!)
My colleague, Megan, has been working on her Masters' with a heavy emphasis on technology in the Immersion classroom---another great theme! What would you like your immersion students to be able to do or find on the internet in the target language? Or how about interventions? Although this is mandated now for all schools, some are incorporating "Response to Interventions" more rapidly and universally than others. Another colleague, Amanda, is making a move this year from our one-way immersion program to a two-way or dual immersion program. I have recommended a very helpful book for her to read over the summer, Dual Language Instruction, by Nancy Cloud, Fred Genessee, and Else Hamayan. Some of us may just need to spend some time reading for our own growth & enrichment in our target language. After teaching 1st grade for so many years, I find that even reading a 3rd or 4th grade novel helps refresh my vocabulary! Some of my colleagues are traveling overseas this summer! (So jealous!!) What a terrific way to immerse ourselves and experience again what it is like to be the learner! Better yet, why not consider visiting a country to experience immersion in a third language!
Teachers and administrators, give us your ideas! Maybe we'd like to follow your lead! Share, share, SHARE! What's in your summer?
~Sheryl René
Thursday, May 10, 2012
They say I'm a "digital immigrant"...
That's what my co-worker informed me recently. I won't even take you back as far as my first typing class in High School; I might have to explain too many of the terms from that era! (lol!) However, even just as far back as 1993, I remember going to my children's elementary school to work in the publishing center. Moms brought in their sewing machines, books of wall paper samples, slices of heavy-weight cardboard, and typewriters!!! The 2nd grade students brought their handwritten stories to us and we typed them up. Mistakes were corrected with correction tape or "whiteout". We then sewed the pages together, and glued them into a homemade "hard cover" book. We were all so proud of our young authors! They returned to their classrooms to read aloud their books to their fellow students, then brought the books home to share with their parents.
Fast forward to my first grade Spanish Immersion classroom. It's been my dream for several years now to find a way to get my students' writing published online. My passion for publishing was two-fold: I wanted to highlight my students' successes in writing, and I wanted to provide more Spanish books for my students to read. While our district has done a terrific job of purchasing Spanish books for our library and classroom libraries, it is still a slim reflection of what the traditional English programs and public libraries have available for their students. Neither have the local bookstores caught on yet to the market that is blossoming in West Michigan for Spanish children's books. And taking trips to Spanish speaking countries to buy Spanish books is a little cost prohibitive. So I set out to find an economical way to contribute to my students' personal libraries.
After several failed attempts at finding an economic medium for publishing, I was introduced to VoiceThread in a grad class. Being the "digital immigrant" that I am, I definitely needed help learning to use VoiceThread, and called on my computer savy friend to come to my aide, which he graciously did. The result is a quickly growing list of my 1st graders' Spanish stories. It has become not only an outlet to "shine", but a natural motivator to write more. The students have practice writing, revising, editing, and in addition refining their oral language skills in order to record the books. They may read these books at school, at home, at their friends' homes, on vacation, in the hospital, you name it!
I invite you to visit my website http://www.senoradalman.com/ and click on "Related Links", then VoiceThread and select some stories to listen to. Some stories are written collaboratively, others are individual student authors. I look forward to adding to this list year after year. If you teach upper elementary students or Middle or High School students, there are so many more complex options in VoiceThread that you can access to build more depth into the writing experience. Check it out! Let us all know when you have books for us to read, too. I would LOVE to see an explosion of new stories for our immersion students to read!
I can't wait to see where these "digital native" students will take us someday!
~Sheryl René
Fast forward to my first grade Spanish Immersion classroom. It's been my dream for several years now to find a way to get my students' writing published online. My passion for publishing was two-fold: I wanted to highlight my students' successes in writing, and I wanted to provide more Spanish books for my students to read. While our district has done a terrific job of purchasing Spanish books for our library and classroom libraries, it is still a slim reflection of what the traditional English programs and public libraries have available for their students. Neither have the local bookstores caught on yet to the market that is blossoming in West Michigan for Spanish children's books. And taking trips to Spanish speaking countries to buy Spanish books is a little cost prohibitive. So I set out to find an economical way to contribute to my students' personal libraries.
After several failed attempts at finding an economic medium for publishing, I was introduced to VoiceThread in a grad class. Being the "digital immigrant" that I am, I definitely needed help learning to use VoiceThread, and called on my computer savy friend to come to my aide, which he graciously did. The result is a quickly growing list of my 1st graders' Spanish stories. It has become not only an outlet to "shine", but a natural motivator to write more. The students have practice writing, revising, editing, and in addition refining their oral language skills in order to record the books. They may read these books at school, at home, at their friends' homes, on vacation, in the hospital, you name it!
I invite you to visit my website http://www.senoradalman.com/ and click on "Related Links", then VoiceThread and select some stories to listen to. Some stories are written collaboratively, others are individual student authors. I look forward to adding to this list year after year. If you teach upper elementary students or Middle or High School students, there are so many more complex options in VoiceThread that you can access to build more depth into the writing experience. Check it out! Let us all know when you have books for us to read, too. I would LOVE to see an explosion of new stories for our immersion students to read!
I can't wait to see where these "digital native" students will take us someday!
~Sheryl René
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Don't give up!
I was,... I mean I am,... well actually I'm supposed to be on the Weight Watchers program. I started over the winter & was doing well till I started getting pains in my leg. First I tried my own remedies, like walking longer and harder to "work through" the pain. That ended the day I actually had to walk backwards in order to make it home painfree! Then I had a doctor's prescription for physical therapy. The therapists did their best, gave me stretches to do at home, deep massages, asked many questions to help pinpoint the source of the pain; but I usually walked away from there with the same pain I walked in with. About the same time I signed up for yoga classes to see if they would help (again my own remedy.) Then we took tests like x-rays and MRIs. What they finally discovered is that I have arthritis in my hip. I'm waiting now to see the orthopedic specialist & find out what course of action he has for me.
I'm thinking, this has been all winter (about 6 months now) and I don't SEEM to be any further along than I was in November. However, we have tried various interventions, and at least we ruled out what would NOT work. I suppose there could be some other underlying issues besides arthritis, but I'm hoping that's where the expertise of the orthopedic specialist comes in.
What this brings me around to are my students, especially my strugglers. I have students who struggle academically, physically and socially. While most have made steady progress all year, others have struggled to achieve each new level of reading, each new concept of Math, and each new depth of writing. Some have held their ground on a Reading level for so long, they wonder if they'll ever move on to the next level! We have implemented the Response to Intervention plans, and these students receive additional small group support. I have faith, as I have seen this happen in past years, that these students will also succeed. We just need to be patient. I have often seen a student who has held on at one Reading level for several months, only to find that they jump 2-4 levels at the end of the year. Something finally clicked for them.
Did I do anything wildly different? Not usually. We use best practices, assessments and interventions that are scientifically based, and teachers, interventionists and Reading specialists who develop strong encouraging relationships with these students to gently push them toward success. And they do succeed! Some of our students need the help of additional professional specialists, and as I've mentioned before, our specialists do a great job of helping our students, inspite of not being bilingual. The rest of us, teachers and parents, sometimes need to just be patient, looking toward the end goal, and continuing to be our students{ best cheerleaders! I know sometimes I forget that part in all the stress of doing, doing, doing. That's when I just stop and say to my kids, "Did you know, I really like you a lot!" (¿Sabías que yo te quiero mucho?). Sometimes they say yes, and sometime they say no. That's when I realize my approach to teaching has gone out of balance. I need to stop & say it again, (¡TQM!), followed by a big hug.
We'll get there. Your child will get there. Remember the tortoise & the hare? Slow and steady....oh and don't forget to practice those flashcards!
~Sheryl René
I'm thinking, this has been all winter (about 6 months now) and I don't SEEM to be any further along than I was in November. However, we have tried various interventions, and at least we ruled out what would NOT work. I suppose there could be some other underlying issues besides arthritis, but I'm hoping that's where the expertise of the orthopedic specialist comes in.
What this brings me around to are my students, especially my strugglers. I have students who struggle academically, physically and socially. While most have made steady progress all year, others have struggled to achieve each new level of reading, each new concept of Math, and each new depth of writing. Some have held their ground on a Reading level for so long, they wonder if they'll ever move on to the next level! We have implemented the Response to Intervention plans, and these students receive additional small group support. I have faith, as I have seen this happen in past years, that these students will also succeed. We just need to be patient. I have often seen a student who has held on at one Reading level for several months, only to find that they jump 2-4 levels at the end of the year. Something finally clicked for them.
Did I do anything wildly different? Not usually. We use best practices, assessments and interventions that are scientifically based, and teachers, interventionists and Reading specialists who develop strong encouraging relationships with these students to gently push them toward success. And they do succeed! Some of our students need the help of additional professional specialists, and as I've mentioned before, our specialists do a great job of helping our students, inspite of not being bilingual. The rest of us, teachers and parents, sometimes need to just be patient, looking toward the end goal, and continuing to be our students{ best cheerleaders! I know sometimes I forget that part in all the stress of doing, doing, doing. That's when I just stop and say to my kids, "Did you know, I really like you a lot!" (¿Sabías que yo te quiero mucho?). Sometimes they say yes, and sometime they say no. That's when I realize my approach to teaching has gone out of balance. I need to stop & say it again, (¡TQM!), followed by a big hug.
We'll get there. Your child will get there. Remember the tortoise & the hare? Slow and steady....oh and don't forget to practice those flashcards!
~Sheryl René
Monday, April 16, 2012
T-H-E.....Who knew?
I love that our Immersion program is so well supported by some terrific specialists who work so hard to help our students who struggle. These specialists are our Resource Room teacher, psychologist, Occupational Therapist, Speech Therapist and Social Worker. They are not Spanish speakers, so their time is limited for working with our students; but they have done a heroic job of being available to confer with us, to listen to our frustrations, concerns, and questions, and to offer us advice, with full knowledge that it may or may not be applicable to our Spanish Immersion setting.
I am thankful for "teachable moments" as one professional to another. Just this week I was talking with our Resource Room teacher, and she mentioned her concern that our Spanish Immersion students tend to get stuck spelling 'the' as 'thu'. She was so perplexed as to how these students came up with 'u', until I explained that with Spanish the vowels have only one sound, and that sound is spelled just like it's name says. So for these kids, when they hear someone say 'the' in English they go directly for the letter that they've been taught that makes the "uh" sound in English.....the letter u! (Good ole' short vowels!!) These students are actually employing great transfer skills from one language to another, only those skills aren't always univeral.
I was so encouraged that day when the Resource Room teacher not only accepted my explanation, but expressed her thanks for that mini lesson in Spanish phonetics. Now she has new understanding to help these students make the transition back into English, either as part of the reintegration of English into the Immersion classrooms, or for students who are transferring out of the Immersion program and back into the traditional classroom. LIkewise this same Resource Room teacher has given me many helpful ideas to help my student who has cerebral palsy. Thank you!
Do you have auxiliary staff who have been particularly helpful in your Immersion program? I encourage you to take time today to let them know how much you appreciate them! I think we all realize that there will not be an overabundance of bi-lingual specialists anytime soon in our schools. So what can we all do to better service our struggling immersion students and continue to involve our specialists? Let us know how you tackle these issues!
~Sheryl René
I am thankful for "teachable moments" as one professional to another. Just this week I was talking with our Resource Room teacher, and she mentioned her concern that our Spanish Immersion students tend to get stuck spelling 'the' as 'thu'. She was so perplexed as to how these students came up with 'u', until I explained that with Spanish the vowels have only one sound, and that sound is spelled just like it's name says. So for these kids, when they hear someone say 'the' in English they go directly for the letter that they've been taught that makes the "uh" sound in English.....the letter u! (Good ole' short vowels!!) These students are actually employing great transfer skills from one language to another, only those skills aren't always univeral.
I was so encouraged that day when the Resource Room teacher not only accepted my explanation, but expressed her thanks for that mini lesson in Spanish phonetics. Now she has new understanding to help these students make the transition back into English, either as part of the reintegration of English into the Immersion classrooms, or for students who are transferring out of the Immersion program and back into the traditional classroom. LIkewise this same Resource Room teacher has given me many helpful ideas to help my student who has cerebral palsy. Thank you!
Do you have auxiliary staff who have been particularly helpful in your Immersion program? I encourage you to take time today to let them know how much you appreciate them! I think we all realize that there will not be an overabundance of bi-lingual specialists anytime soon in our schools. So what can we all do to better service our struggling immersion students and continue to involve our specialists? Let us know how you tackle these issues!
~Sheryl René
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Baseball--béisbol--yakyuu
Spring Training is officially over. The Big Leagues have chosen who will be in "the Big Show", and who needs more preparation, rehabilitation or just maturation. For those of you who are in Spanish or Japanese Immersion, this season offers you a new theme to build your lessons around, as baseball is a passion in many Spanish speaking countries, Japan, and of course the USA! Baseball and Spanish are very close to my heart. Our son, Caleb, started playing baseball in Venezuela at age 6, and let me tell you in Venezuela they are SERIOUS about their 6 year old baseball players! No T-ball for them! Give them just a few weeks of coach pitch, and send them out there like the big boys! They practice 2-3 hours on each of their practice days. I remember many times seeing Caleb eat supper with his eyes closed, and his head just about falling into his plate, he was so tired. But he never wanted to give it up! With no worries about Winter weather in Latin America, the kids play baseball almost the entire school year. If they are a winning team and make it to national playoffs, they can be playing 12 months out of the year! That's one reason why you see so many Latin players in the Big Leagues these days: they've been training for this since they were 6 years old!
Many children in Latin America who do not have access to "little league" baseball, play their own version of street ball using broom sticks (palos) and metal bottle caps (chapas). What terrific training for finding that "sweet spot" on both the bat and the ball! Another thing that I always appreciated about raising our children in Venezuela was the "single sport focus"; that is, the parents weren't as driven to put their children into every sport available. You just picked one (for the most part) and stuck with it. While that might seem very limiting to us in the US, I saw how it helped our own children focus on a particular activity, and to hone their skills in that area. I truly believe that that ability to focus on one thing, and do it well, is an invaluable life skill, especially in light of our world of multi-tasking/multi-distractions.
That leads me back to the start of the 2012 Baseball season. We are so fortunate to have a minor league team, the West Michigan Whitecaps (part of the Detroit Tigers organization) right here in Grand Rapids! These players are just starting their professional baseball careers. They're fired up, nervous, over-confident, shy, and many of them do not speak English. We have had players in Grand Rapids from Japan, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Panama, and Mexico. If you're fortunate enough to live near a minor league team, such as the WhiteCaps, I highly recommend that you check with their business office to invite a player to your classroom. I've had players from Venezuela, the DR, and Puerto Rico in our Immersion program. We usually have them visit individual classrooms to speak to the students in Spanish about their life as a baseball player, their favorite foods, colors, etc. and always end with a time for the players to give the students their signatures. While it doesn't take much time from either your day or the players' lives, it reaps rich dividends in "real life" interaction in the target language, and sometimes begins some very special relationships between the players and the kids. I think we've actually helped ticket sales because of the visits! :)
I'll leave you with this commercial that highlights playing baseball in Venezuela with "chapas y palos":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-ztZ2ww6zg
Play ball!
~Sheryl René
Many children in Latin America who do not have access to "little league" baseball, play their own version of street ball using broom sticks (palos) and metal bottle caps (chapas). What terrific training for finding that "sweet spot" on both the bat and the ball! Another thing that I always appreciated about raising our children in Venezuela was the "single sport focus"; that is, the parents weren't as driven to put their children into every sport available. You just picked one (for the most part) and stuck with it. While that might seem very limiting to us in the US, I saw how it helped our own children focus on a particular activity, and to hone their skills in that area. I truly believe that that ability to focus on one thing, and do it well, is an invaluable life skill, especially in light of our world of multi-tasking/multi-distractions.
That leads me back to the start of the 2012 Baseball season. We are so fortunate to have a minor league team, the West Michigan Whitecaps (part of the Detroit Tigers organization) right here in Grand Rapids! These players are just starting their professional baseball careers. They're fired up, nervous, over-confident, shy, and many of them do not speak English. We have had players in Grand Rapids from Japan, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Panama, and Mexico. If you're fortunate enough to live near a minor league team, such as the WhiteCaps, I highly recommend that you check with their business office to invite a player to your classroom. I've had players from Venezuela, the DR, and Puerto Rico in our Immersion program. We usually have them visit individual classrooms to speak to the students in Spanish about their life as a baseball player, their favorite foods, colors, etc. and always end with a time for the players to give the students their signatures. While it doesn't take much time from either your day or the players' lives, it reaps rich dividends in "real life" interaction in the target language, and sometimes begins some very special relationships between the players and the kids. I think we've actually helped ticket sales because of the visits! :)
I'll leave you with this commercial that highlights playing baseball in Venezuela with "chapas y palos":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-ztZ2ww6zg
Play ball!
~Sheryl René
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Built up and Blessed!
I was reminded again tonight about how fortunate I am to work in an Immersion school in West Michigan. I just got home from the West Michigan Alliance of Immersion Educators. This alliance was started about 4 years ago as an attempt to give Immersion educators more support. We usually meet two times during the school year, with different schools hosting the group. Ada Vista Elementary in Ada, MI and Zeeland Christian in Zeeland, MI have been the two schools/districts that have hosted most of the meetings. We have teachers and administrators from public and private schools; from Spanish Immersion, Chinese Immersion, and two-way Immersion schools in attendance.
Each time we get together the host school invites a speaker to give us new food for thought. Tonight we were very fortunate to have Dr. Myriam Met, an expert educator in foreign language immersion. It is so refreshing to have a presentation specifically designed for us immersion teachers. It makes us feel like we're "home", knowing that this presenter has been where we are, and can empathize with our challenges and keep us focused on best practices for immersion. Thank you, Dr. Met!
Dr. Met will also be speaking at the MABE (Michigan Association of Bilingual Educators) conference in Detroit, Michigan May 10-11. If you've never been to MABE, I encourage you to attend this year. If you're from another state, I encourage you to seek out a similar Immersion association for further professional development and collegiality. (We also throw in a pretty yummy meal each time!)
Here's hoping all you immersion educators find those special groups and moments to build up and bless each other!
~Sheryl René
Each time we get together the host school invites a speaker to give us new food for thought. Tonight we were very fortunate to have Dr. Myriam Met, an expert educator in foreign language immersion. It is so refreshing to have a presentation specifically designed for us immersion teachers. It makes us feel like we're "home", knowing that this presenter has been where we are, and can empathize with our challenges and keep us focused on best practices for immersion. Thank you, Dr. Met!
Dr. Met will also be speaking at the MABE (Michigan Association of Bilingual Educators) conference in Detroit, Michigan May 10-11. If you've never been to MABE, I encourage you to attend this year. If you're from another state, I encourage you to seek out a similar Immersion association for further professional development and collegiality. (We also throw in a pretty yummy meal each time!)
Here's hoping all you immersion educators find those special groups and moments to build up and bless each other!
~Sheryl René
Monday, March 5, 2012
Is it really just generational?
As a baby boomer, I've seen music go from LPs, & 45s to cassette tapes, CDs, digital voice and personlized radio stations. The changes and updates are coming faster and faster. I discovered this just recently when my husband bought me a docking station for my ipod. However, even my ipod was so antiquated that the docking station did not have the inner workings to support my old ipod. OLD???? How can an ipod be old? Really?
Or what about when we decided to buy our first cell phone? We were living in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, and were perfectly happy to continue using our landlines. However, our oldest daughter, Ashley, was participating in the Orquesta Infantil de Lara, and frequently went on road trips with the orchestra. With traffic being so unpredictable, we never knew when they would arrive, and so with her safety in mind, we purchased our first cell phone for her! It just made phone calls. Imagine that! No videos, no texting, no games, no camera, no video, no itunes! Ashley could now alert us to her arrival in time for us to be there waiting when she arrived on the bus.
But there was an unforeseen advantage to this cell phone purchase. Ashley started getting more phone calls from her friends, more invitations to parties, and in general a more lively social life. We had no idea that this would happen! We had actually been living on a totally different social plane up to this time.
So warp speed ahead to 2012 and let's look at all the technological options out there for us to use, in education specifically. Broadband brings so many cloud options into our classrooms. We can read books, listen to music, watch the news or a movie, or even watch the latest whimsical, homemade youtube video that ends up going viral & snagging big bucks! We can chat immediately with our closest friends, or our oldest, most distant acquaintance, through Facebook. We can upload photos immediately, and our former principal and his family, now living in Italy, can live the moment with us. We can Google the earth, and zoom in close enough to wave to our neighbors across the country! For those of us who may have dreamed of becoming authors, we can start writing our thoughts on a public blog and see if they resonate with others.
Technology is a wonderful gift! And while I warm up to each new venture a little hesitantly, I do eventually find someone who will help me learn the intricacies of using it; and I feel more connected to my culture, the 21st century, and to education in general. But quite honestly, I still love sitting in my old gold, stuffed chair, with my first graders gathered close, leaning in to hear what happens next to Jorge el curioso (Curious George) as he stumbles into one more new adventure. I love looking into their eyes, I love seeing the surprise, laughter, and tenderness on their faces as they feel the moment with me. I'm reading to these impressionable 6 &7 year olds. I have their undivided attention. And I'm using a book. I don't know if I'll ever be able to totally give up my books for technology. Hopefully, they'll be able to co-exist amicably in my world.
~Sheryl René
Or what about when we decided to buy our first cell phone? We were living in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, and were perfectly happy to continue using our landlines. However, our oldest daughter, Ashley, was participating in the Orquesta Infantil de Lara, and frequently went on road trips with the orchestra. With traffic being so unpredictable, we never knew when they would arrive, and so with her safety in mind, we purchased our first cell phone for her! It just made phone calls. Imagine that! No videos, no texting, no games, no camera, no video, no itunes! Ashley could now alert us to her arrival in time for us to be there waiting when she arrived on the bus.
But there was an unforeseen advantage to this cell phone purchase. Ashley started getting more phone calls from her friends, more invitations to parties, and in general a more lively social life. We had no idea that this would happen! We had actually been living on a totally different social plane up to this time.
So warp speed ahead to 2012 and let's look at all the technological options out there for us to use, in education specifically. Broadband brings so many cloud options into our classrooms. We can read books, listen to music, watch the news or a movie, or even watch the latest whimsical, homemade youtube video that ends up going viral & snagging big bucks! We can chat immediately with our closest friends, or our oldest, most distant acquaintance, through Facebook. We can upload photos immediately, and our former principal and his family, now living in Italy, can live the moment with us. We can Google the earth, and zoom in close enough to wave to our neighbors across the country! For those of us who may have dreamed of becoming authors, we can start writing our thoughts on a public blog and see if they resonate with others.
Technology is a wonderful gift! And while I warm up to each new venture a little hesitantly, I do eventually find someone who will help me learn the intricacies of using it; and I feel more connected to my culture, the 21st century, and to education in general. But quite honestly, I still love sitting in my old gold, stuffed chair, with my first graders gathered close, leaning in to hear what happens next to Jorge el curioso (Curious George) as he stumbles into one more new adventure. I love looking into their eyes, I love seeing the surprise, laughter, and tenderness on their faces as they feel the moment with me. I'm reading to these impressionable 6 &7 year olds. I have their undivided attention. And I'm using a book. I don't know if I'll ever be able to totally give up my books for technology. Hopefully, they'll be able to co-exist amicably in my world.
~Sheryl René
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Happy hunting!
It's getting close to that time of year again. Parent-teacher conferences are looming, grade cards are being printed, we're just about over the hump of Winter, and pretty soon you'll start seeing postings for teaching positions, as well as "kindergarten round-up" meetings, all over the internet. Whether you are in a program that is still growing, adding a new grade level each year, or are in a seasoned Immersion program, I'm pretty sure you'll need someone new this year. How will we find each other?
Some of our districts are accustomed to being "the best" and consequently have teachers clamoring to get their resumes in first. Other districts struggle to woo teachers into their district. Either way, I find that with each passing year, the funnel of applicants gets narrower. In Michigan it didn't help that the State decided to eliminate the elementary certification with a foreign language major. Really? What were they thinking? We have seen a groundswell of Immersion programs in West Michigan, and yet the State discouraged students from pursuing these teaching opportunities. In order to teach in our schools now, they will need double majors: elementary education and Spanish.
If you're a competent language teacher looking for a job, or if you're a concerned administrator looking for a new teacher to complement your Immersion program, how will we find each other? Teachers, get your name out there! Talk to EVERYONE you know! I know it's hard today to get "face time" with HR people; most schools now require that you apply online first. But call and ask to visit our schools! Talk to other teachers you know who are in an Immersion program. Tell your friends, your mom's friends, your doctor, your counselor, your pastor, your bus driver....get the word out! Let everyone know you'd love to teach in an Immersion program! If you're still looking for a school in which to do your student teaching, request an Immersion program!
If you're an administrator, and you KNOW you're going to need a new teacher in your Immersion program, start talking to colleges now. Don't limit your calls to in-state colleges. Contact heads of language departments and education departments at the colleges to let them know exactly what kind of teacher you're looking for. Give yourself some breathing room--don't wait till the last minute to start the interview process. The funnel is smaller for Immersion, so make your contacts before your competitor does. It is such an encouragement to your current staff to see your proactive search to complete and enhance your teaching team.
If you're a seasoned teacher, please offer your services to a student teacher. Let them come to your classroom, learn from you, work out their bugs, spread their wings, and catch the Immersion fever! I try to encourage High School students who are preparing to enter college to consider Immersion education. Hey, I even encourage my first graders to consider being a teacher one day! I figure it's never too early to start recruiting!
Happy hunting, everyone! I look forward to meeting our new 7th grade Immersion teacher, and my new student teacher! ¡Bienvenidos!
~Sheryl René
Some of our districts are accustomed to being "the best" and consequently have teachers clamoring to get their resumes in first. Other districts struggle to woo teachers into their district. Either way, I find that with each passing year, the funnel of applicants gets narrower. In Michigan it didn't help that the State decided to eliminate the elementary certification with a foreign language major. Really? What were they thinking? We have seen a groundswell of Immersion programs in West Michigan, and yet the State discouraged students from pursuing these teaching opportunities. In order to teach in our schools now, they will need double majors: elementary education and Spanish.
If you're a competent language teacher looking for a job, or if you're a concerned administrator looking for a new teacher to complement your Immersion program, how will we find each other? Teachers, get your name out there! Talk to EVERYONE you know! I know it's hard today to get "face time" with HR people; most schools now require that you apply online first. But call and ask to visit our schools! Talk to other teachers you know who are in an Immersion program. Tell your friends, your mom's friends, your doctor, your counselor, your pastor, your bus driver....get the word out! Let everyone know you'd love to teach in an Immersion program! If you're still looking for a school in which to do your student teaching, request an Immersion program!
If you're an administrator, and you KNOW you're going to need a new teacher in your Immersion program, start talking to colleges now. Don't limit your calls to in-state colleges. Contact heads of language departments and education departments at the colleges to let them know exactly what kind of teacher you're looking for. Give yourself some breathing room--don't wait till the last minute to start the interview process. The funnel is smaller for Immersion, so make your contacts before your competitor does. It is such an encouragement to your current staff to see your proactive search to complete and enhance your teaching team.
If you're a seasoned teacher, please offer your services to a student teacher. Let them come to your classroom, learn from you, work out their bugs, spread their wings, and catch the Immersion fever! I try to encourage High School students who are preparing to enter college to consider Immersion education. Hey, I even encourage my first graders to consider being a teacher one day! I figure it's never too early to start recruiting!
Happy hunting, everyone! I look forward to meeting our new 7th grade Immersion teacher, and my new student teacher! ¡Bienvenidos!
~Sheryl René
Friday, February 24, 2012
Lessons from the ditch
It's a snowy, blowy day in GR, but I'm trying to not be wimpy, and show up for my dental appointment anyway. However, as I follow the curve on the entry ramp to I-131, my car goes into a spin and off the road... pluf! No injury to me or the car, just immobilized in a ditch filled with snow. In spite of my mature years I tend to rely on my husband for a lot of help, but I decided, "no, I'm calling AAA before I ever let my husband know that I'm in a ditch." I called AAA and they were very polite, efficient, and let me know it would be about an hour before the local tow truck could get to me. OK, good thing I brought along a book to read.
What do you do when you're stuck? There was no point in getting out of the car; I was warmer staying inside the car. Thankfully the tank was full of gas, so I had no fear of running out of gas. I admit, after calling AAA, I did call my husband. He advised me to keep the car engine running if I could see the smoke from the exhaust (just making sure that the exhaust pipe was not blocked). I felt much better just knowing that the one who loves me the most, was well aware of my situation, and praying for my safe "rescue".
It wasn't long before a tow truck came. He stopped, got out of the truck & came to offer his services, but unfortunately he wasn't the AAA representative, so after making sure I was ok, he went on his way. A few minutes later a fire engine and ambulance arrived with lights flashing. As the fireman got out of his truck, I lowered the window & let him know I was alright. He looked over the car inside & out, making sure I wasn't hurt. I let him know that I hadn't dialed 911, to which he replied, "No, but a concerned passerby did." Later a woman in a mini-van stopped, lowered her window and asked if I needed help (probably knowing all the time about the only thing she could have done would be to make a phone call or just hold my hand). She too left when I let her know I was fine & just waiting for AAA to show up.
Then a policeman arrived. He got out of his car, politely asked about me first, then just as politely asked to see my car registration. I told him I had no idea what happened. He quickly responded, "I do. You were driving too fast." "Apparently" I said, "but I didn't think I had been driving too fast." He, too, went on his way once he had confirmed my registration, and found that I had everything under control.
My total wait time was actually under the estimated hour, during which I read and reassured those who stopped that I was just fine. When the AAA driver arrived, he hooked up my car to his towing engine, gave me some simple but necessary instructions, and then skillfully pulled the car (& me) out of the ditch. Even as strong as his engine was, there was a small "hitch" when the snow piled up around the hook, which actually caused it to fall off. But my skilled AAA driver also knew how to corrrect this problem & rehooked the cable to the car to finish off the tow. As he unhooked the cable, he said to me "You were my best rescue today! It's so much easier when the stranded driver can handle the car."
As an immersion teacher I get stumped or "stranded" sometimes. I need to use all the resources that I've been given (books, training, experience, intuition), but many times I still need to call in other help. I frequently have many people who want to help, people who are gifted, generous, kind; but they're not always the people I need at that time. I sometimes have to wait for, or look for just the right person to respond to my need. Sometimes the people who come to help me are the ones who just hold up the mirror to help me see what I really need or am really doing. They're not being critical, they're just telling me the obvious, what they really see happening. What a gift that is! I often wish I could "watch myself" in action. Either what I'm doing is not effective, or what I'm doing is not what I think I'm doing, and therefore still not effective. What a joy it is when I find the person who has just the right answer/tip/resource to help me with the issue at hand! I return to my classroom so excited about trying out this new idea and anticipating how my students will respond!
I was so relieved when the AAA driver was respectful and helpful, without making me feel stupid for ending up in a ditch. And that final message "you were my best rescue all day" so reminds me how important it is to let my kids know how each and every one of them is so special and important to me. Please forgive me for those days when I forget to tell you or show you that. You are very special and important to me! ¡TQM!
Sheryl René
What do you do when you're stuck? There was no point in getting out of the car; I was warmer staying inside the car. Thankfully the tank was full of gas, so I had no fear of running out of gas. I admit, after calling AAA, I did call my husband. He advised me to keep the car engine running if I could see the smoke from the exhaust (just making sure that the exhaust pipe was not blocked). I felt much better just knowing that the one who loves me the most, was well aware of my situation, and praying for my safe "rescue".
It wasn't long before a tow truck came. He stopped, got out of the truck & came to offer his services, but unfortunately he wasn't the AAA representative, so after making sure I was ok, he went on his way. A few minutes later a fire engine and ambulance arrived with lights flashing. As the fireman got out of his truck, I lowered the window & let him know I was alright. He looked over the car inside & out, making sure I wasn't hurt. I let him know that I hadn't dialed 911, to which he replied, "No, but a concerned passerby did." Later a woman in a mini-van stopped, lowered her window and asked if I needed help (probably knowing all the time about the only thing she could have done would be to make a phone call or just hold my hand). She too left when I let her know I was fine & just waiting for AAA to show up.
Then a policeman arrived. He got out of his car, politely asked about me first, then just as politely asked to see my car registration. I told him I had no idea what happened. He quickly responded, "I do. You were driving too fast." "Apparently" I said, "but I didn't think I had been driving too fast." He, too, went on his way once he had confirmed my registration, and found that I had everything under control.
My total wait time was actually under the estimated hour, during which I read and reassured those who stopped that I was just fine. When the AAA driver arrived, he hooked up my car to his towing engine, gave me some simple but necessary instructions, and then skillfully pulled the car (& me) out of the ditch. Even as strong as his engine was, there was a small "hitch" when the snow piled up around the hook, which actually caused it to fall off. But my skilled AAA driver also knew how to corrrect this problem & rehooked the cable to the car to finish off the tow. As he unhooked the cable, he said to me "You were my best rescue today! It's so much easier when the stranded driver can handle the car."
As an immersion teacher I get stumped or "stranded" sometimes. I need to use all the resources that I've been given (books, training, experience, intuition), but many times I still need to call in other help. I frequently have many people who want to help, people who are gifted, generous, kind; but they're not always the people I need at that time. I sometimes have to wait for, or look for just the right person to respond to my need. Sometimes the people who come to help me are the ones who just hold up the mirror to help me see what I really need or am really doing. They're not being critical, they're just telling me the obvious, what they really see happening. What a gift that is! I often wish I could "watch myself" in action. Either what I'm doing is not effective, or what I'm doing is not what I think I'm doing, and therefore still not effective. What a joy it is when I find the person who has just the right answer/tip/resource to help me with the issue at hand! I return to my classroom so excited about trying out this new idea and anticipating how my students will respond!
I was so relieved when the AAA driver was respectful and helpful, without making me feel stupid for ending up in a ditch. And that final message "you were my best rescue all day" so reminds me how important it is to let my kids know how each and every one of them is so special and important to me. Please forgive me for those days when I forget to tell you or show you that. You are very special and important to me! ¡TQM!
Sheryl René
Monday, February 20, 2012
I'm no Whitney Houston...
I'd LOVE to have her range, but it'll never happen this side of heaven! However, I do love to sing, and I love to learn new things through music. I still remember the jingle my 5th grade teacher taught me so I could remember the "helping verbs!" Am is are, was were be, being been has have; had do done, did may might, can could shall should will would must..(all to the tune of Jingle Bells). I've learned the books of the Bible, Bible verses, and even how to remember a 3rd or 4th in a musical chord by associating it with a familiar song, like "Here Comes the Bride". So it only seemed logical to use music in my Immersion classroom as well.
Sometimes I make up my own little jingles...who cares if they never make it to the Top 10? What matters is that your students remember and apply the new knowledge to their language skills. I have translated songs from English to Spanish, & adapted them to better fit the rhythm of the 2nd language. I sing songs to sit down, line up, greet the students, and to send them off at the end of the day. During Writing Workshop, the students know that when the classical music is on, it's time to put on their thinking caps & start some serious writing. My student teacher last year got so inspired by the musical atmosphere, that she wrote her own version of a couple of familiar songs to go along with our Writing Workshop: "Somos Detectives" that lines up with the Lucy Calkins writing curriculum; and "Es Tiempo de Venir" which uses the Adam's family tune to call students to the rug to listen to their friends' stories. My colleague, Megan, was also inspired to use music in her classroom to help with grammatical understanding. Her idea to help students who struggle to use "Me Gusta" instead of "yo me gusta", is to use Beethoven's 5th with these lyrics: A-A-A-A, mi-mi-mi-mi, me-me-me-me....gusta.
However, when it comes to teaching my students more about the language and culture, I work hard to find typical children's Spanish songs. I call on my memory from when my children were in school in Venezuela, the birthday party songs, and the recess playtime jingles. I hunt down CDs from Spanish speaking countries. And I totally accept offers from parents who vacation in Spanish speaking countries to bring back CDs from their vacation destination! I also make sure the students have a songs folder, which they use to sing, but also to read...Yea! more application!!!
I'm kind of picky, though. I won't use bi-lingual CDs, as I am a firm believer in keeping the instruction in the target language. I've also found that not all translators are as finicky as I am about words fitting the rhythm of the music, and the music fitting the rhythm of the words. These days there is so much available on youtube as well. Check it out under your Immersion language! Take the plunge! Start your day with some music, end your day with some music, teach new vocabulary with some music!
¡A-A-A-A, mi-mi-mi-mi, me-me-me-me, gusta!
Sheryl René
Sometimes I make up my own little jingles...who cares if they never make it to the Top 10? What matters is that your students remember and apply the new knowledge to their language skills. I have translated songs from English to Spanish, & adapted them to better fit the rhythm of the 2nd language. I sing songs to sit down, line up, greet the students, and to send them off at the end of the day. During Writing Workshop, the students know that when the classical music is on, it's time to put on their thinking caps & start some serious writing. My student teacher last year got so inspired by the musical atmosphere, that she wrote her own version of a couple of familiar songs to go along with our Writing Workshop: "Somos Detectives" that lines up with the Lucy Calkins writing curriculum; and "Es Tiempo de Venir" which uses the Adam's family tune to call students to the rug to listen to their friends' stories. My colleague, Megan, was also inspired to use music in her classroom to help with grammatical understanding. Her idea to help students who struggle to use "Me Gusta" instead of "yo me gusta", is to use Beethoven's 5th with these lyrics: A-A-A-A, mi-mi-mi-mi, me-me-me-me....gusta.
However, when it comes to teaching my students more about the language and culture, I work hard to find typical children's Spanish songs. I call on my memory from when my children were in school in Venezuela, the birthday party songs, and the recess playtime jingles. I hunt down CDs from Spanish speaking countries. And I totally accept offers from parents who vacation in Spanish speaking countries to bring back CDs from their vacation destination! I also make sure the students have a songs folder, which they use to sing, but also to read...Yea! more application!!!
I'm kind of picky, though. I won't use bi-lingual CDs, as I am a firm believer in keeping the instruction in the target language. I've also found that not all translators are as finicky as I am about words fitting the rhythm of the music, and the music fitting the rhythm of the words. These days there is so much available on youtube as well. Check it out under your Immersion language! Take the plunge! Start your day with some music, end your day with some music, teach new vocabulary with some music!
¡A-A-A-A, mi-mi-mi-mi, me-me-me-me, gusta!
Sheryl René
Friday, February 17, 2012
What good is it?
My youngest daughter, Erica, was recently invited by the non-profit organization, First Hand Aide, to accompany them to Cuba. Because she is totally bilingual, she was a tremendous asset to the group. She was called upon to translate between doctors, lawyers, dignitaries and just plain ole' good folk. She even got a chance to dance a little merengue and salsa with a well known retired Cuban baseball player, Pedro Medina.
I know people go on mission trips, business trips or vacations all the time without knowing the language of their destination country. I have, too. But it is so much more enjoyable and enriching when you can interact with the culture you're visiting or living in. Without knowing Spanish, Erica could have traveled with First Hand Aide to help deliver the medical supplies that the hospitals so desperately need, enjoyed the local food, and gotten in some sight-seeing. But with the knowledge of Spanish, Erica was able to hear the heart of the people she met, able to feel the pulse of what's happening in that part of the world, as well as impart her blessings to lovely people she came in contact with.
What good is it? What good is knowing a 2nd or 3rd language? I don't know; what good is knowing a first language?! What good is knowing Math, Chemistry, Art, Biology, Computer technology, Auto mechanics, etc., etc., etc.? I am so thankful for our time living in Venezuela. I am so thankful that we decided to enroll our children in Venezuelan schools. I am so thankful that all 3 of our children view themselves as world citizens. And I'm very thankful that 4 of the 5 people in our immediate family are gainfully employed full time, in part because we are bilingual. Doesn't that seem like a good thing?
Sheryl René
P.S. (Actually, child #3 is also employed part-time, using her bilingual skills; she's a full-time college student, where she also uses her bilingual skills.)
I know people go on mission trips, business trips or vacations all the time without knowing the language of their destination country. I have, too. But it is so much more enjoyable and enriching when you can interact with the culture you're visiting or living in. Without knowing Spanish, Erica could have traveled with First Hand Aide to help deliver the medical supplies that the hospitals so desperately need, enjoyed the local food, and gotten in some sight-seeing. But with the knowledge of Spanish, Erica was able to hear the heart of the people she met, able to feel the pulse of what's happening in that part of the world, as well as impart her blessings to lovely people she came in contact with.
What good is it? What good is knowing a 2nd or 3rd language? I don't know; what good is knowing a first language?! What good is knowing Math, Chemistry, Art, Biology, Computer technology, Auto mechanics, etc., etc., etc.? I am so thankful for our time living in Venezuela. I am so thankful that we decided to enroll our children in Venezuelan schools. I am so thankful that all 3 of our children view themselves as world citizens. And I'm very thankful that 4 of the 5 people in our immediate family are gainfully employed full time, in part because we are bilingual. Doesn't that seem like a good thing?
Sheryl René
P.S. (Actually, child #3 is also employed part-time, using her bilingual skills; she's a full-time college student, where she also uses her bilingual skills.)
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Why Would Anyone Do That?
That's what a family member asked me when I was explaining to her what an immersion program was all about. Even though I had told her about my job many times before, apparently this was the first time that she really understood that my students are native English speakers, and that their parents had opted to enroll their child in the Spanish language immersion program! I could describe this family member to you, but it really wouldn't matter. There are many people who have asked this question. Their tone of voice ranges from highly curioous, to very condescending.
When our children started school in Venezuela, the common practice for "missionary kids" was to either be homeschooled or attend a mission sponsored school. In our case, to choose the mission school would mean that we would have had to send our children 6 hours away to a boarding school. Our personal feeling was that we wanted to enjoy every moment of our children's lives, and to be available for all those structured lessons, as well as the random teachable moments. At that time in Venenzuela, we were the only family from our mission who chose to send our children to Venezuelan schools for most of the 15 years that we lived there. Instead we enrolled our children in Venezuelan schools where they learned to read in Spanish first. Not only that, but because they were in Venezuelan schools, they not only learned the language, but were trained in the Venezuelan culture as well----not with specially designed lesson plans, power points, or special apps; rather they soaked it in from their teachers, friends, and friends' parents.
I realize our immersion experience is "to the max" so to speak, but the motivation remains the same. We immersed our family in a 2nd language because we wanted to really expand our horizons. We wanted to have friendships that we never could have had with just 1 language. We wanted our children to learn to accept and appreciate other cultures. We wanted to be effective communicators. We wanted to learn from others in ways that would stretch us.
So if you're in an immersion program, why? Why would you do that? Tell us!
~Sheryl René
When our children started school in Venezuela, the common practice for "missionary kids" was to either be homeschooled or attend a mission sponsored school. In our case, to choose the mission school would mean that we would have had to send our children 6 hours away to a boarding school. Our personal feeling was that we wanted to enjoy every moment of our children's lives, and to be available for all those structured lessons, as well as the random teachable moments. At that time in Venenzuela, we were the only family from our mission who chose to send our children to Venezuelan schools for most of the 15 years that we lived there. Instead we enrolled our children in Venezuelan schools where they learned to read in Spanish first. Not only that, but because they were in Venezuelan schools, they not only learned the language, but were trained in the Venezuelan culture as well----not with specially designed lesson plans, power points, or special apps; rather they soaked it in from their teachers, friends, and friends' parents.
I realize our immersion experience is "to the max" so to speak, but the motivation remains the same. We immersed our family in a 2nd language because we wanted to really expand our horizons. We wanted to have friendships that we never could have had with just 1 language. We wanted our children to learn to accept and appreciate other cultures. We wanted to be effective communicators. We wanted to learn from others in ways that would stretch us.
So if you're in an immersion program, why? Why would you do that? Tell us!
~Sheryl René
Monday, February 13, 2012
Where did I start?
I started learning Spanish at age 32! My husband and I and our first daughter moved to San José, Costa Rica to study Spanish at the Instituto de lengua española for 1 year. We actually ended up leaving after about 10 months, and continued our learning in Caracas, Venezuela. The motivation for learning Spanish was our vocation as missionaries. We were convinced that if we were to be effective as missionaries, we needed to have a good command of the language. Our first experience with Immersion was in Costa Rica. Our teachers NEVER used English with us. I would sit there day after day watching their mouths move, and the expressions on their faces. They were actually communicating something important to me, but I had no idea what it was.
Then I started catching a few patterns. For example, I caught the grammar pattern of I, you, he/she/it, we, you, they. But then I was really blown away by how many words there were for the same verb! And all in the present tense!! I remember feeling the embarrassment of not understanding. After all, I was an intelligent human being with an advanced education, and now I was reduced to a range of vocabulary that rivaled my 1 year old!
However, in any classroom, there's always someone who has just a little more experience than you do. I had studied Latin & French in High School, but that had been soooo long ago. There were a few others in the class who had studied Spanish before coming to Costa Rica. Even though they were surprised by their lack of fluency and understanding, they had enough of a base that they could help us total novices understand a few things. This was was my first experience with one of the key strategies in Immersion Education: students can interpret for students, but teachers must always maintain communication in the target language.
We chose Immersion education for ourselves partly because it was recommended by our Mission board, and partly because we were learning the language in a natural environment. We are so grateful for that opportunity. We never regretted that decision. What about you? Where did you start?
Then I started catching a few patterns. For example, I caught the grammar pattern of I, you, he/she/it, we, you, they. But then I was really blown away by how many words there were for the same verb! And all in the present tense!! I remember feeling the embarrassment of not understanding. After all, I was an intelligent human being with an advanced education, and now I was reduced to a range of vocabulary that rivaled my 1 year old!
However, in any classroom, there's always someone who has just a little more experience than you do. I had studied Latin & French in High School, but that had been soooo long ago. There were a few others in the class who had studied Spanish before coming to Costa Rica. Even though they were surprised by their lack of fluency and understanding, they had enough of a base that they could help us total novices understand a few things. This was was my first experience with one of the key strategies in Immersion Education: students can interpret for students, but teachers must always maintain communication in the target language.
We chose Immersion education for ourselves partly because it was recommended by our Mission board, and partly because we were learning the language in a natural environment. We are so grateful for that opportunity. We never regretted that decision. What about you? Where did you start?
Saturday, February 11, 2012
My first thoughts...
Greetings from Rockford, Michigan, where I am a 1st grade teacher in a Spanish Immersion program. I love the program, I love the students, and I love the parents. But that doesn't mean that I don't encounter lots of challenges. So I'm opening up my learning, teaching and my best thoughts to share with all of you. I'm sure hoping you'll do the same. Welcome to "The World of Immersion".
My question this month is, "Why did you choose Immersion Education?" As a teacher, I chose Immersion Education as a result of my experience of living overseas for 16 years. I started studying Spanish at 32 years of age in Costa Rica, and then honed my language skills over the next 15 years while living in Venezuela. My husband and I were committed to learning the language of the country we were living in, and teaching our children to appreciate both the language and the culture. That has proven to be an invaluable life skill for our family. I teach in a Spanish Immersion school, my husband pastors a Hispanic congregation, and our 3 children use their Spanish and their understanding of the Latin culture every day in their jobs and education.
As a matter of fact, our bilingual skills have been key to maintaining our jobs in a shifting world of employment.
I can't wait to hear from you! Why did you choose Immersion Education? Are you glad you did? What advantages have you seen from making this choice? What kind of immersion program are you involved in?
~Sheryl René
My question this month is, "Why did you choose Immersion Education?" As a teacher, I chose Immersion Education as a result of my experience of living overseas for 16 years. I started studying Spanish at 32 years of age in Costa Rica, and then honed my language skills over the next 15 years while living in Venezuela. My husband and I were committed to learning the language of the country we were living in, and teaching our children to appreciate both the language and the culture. That has proven to be an invaluable life skill for our family. I teach in a Spanish Immersion school, my husband pastors a Hispanic congregation, and our 3 children use their Spanish and their understanding of the Latin culture every day in their jobs and education.
As a matter of fact, our bilingual skills have been key to maintaining our jobs in a shifting world of employment.
I can't wait to hear from you! Why did you choose Immersion Education? Are you glad you did? What advantages have you seen from making this choice? What kind of immersion program are you involved in?
~Sheryl René
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