Chez Renée

Today was the first day of classes!  My French I students were introduced to our classroom mannequin named Jacques DUBOIS.  I told them that they'd be hearing a lot more about Jacques' life as the year goes on.  Jacques also has a girlfriend named Suzette, but students don't get to see her until French II which helps to create a sense of anticipation as they go on to the next level of language study.  My students truly adore Jacques, and I find that I have an easier time getting their attention when I use him to teach something new.  Here is a photo from today's class.  You can see that Jacques has recently been in the Tour de France :). Are you wondering where I got Jacques?  Years ago, JC Penney donated him to my French classroom when a student asked if they'd be willing.  Suzette was purchased from an antique store for about $150.  Stay tuned for more ideas about how I use Jacques in class!

The beginning of a new school year is a good time to remind yourself why you're in this job to begin with.  I'm sure you all have your reasons.  In case you're interested, here are mine:  #1  I love speaking French and France.   This is definitely one of my passions, so it's enjoyable to share it with others and easy to be enthusiastic about it.  I learned French in France, but when I arrived, I could barely say or understand a thing.  I was part of an incredible university program which offered 65 different levels of French to students from all over the globe.  The only language used in my classes was French, so I learned through immersion.  I understand what it takes to go from not understanding a language to becoming fluent.  It's not an easy process, but it is possible and it's fascinating.  Here's a picture of the city where the university is located.  #2  My students make me laugh.   I really enj...

Make your classroom a place of surprises by rewarding your students often.  I like to use French products as rewards so that students can learn about them.  Most of these items were purchased at local grocery stores (Busch's and Heartland Marketplace). The favorite prize seems to be the limonade. I try to give away several prizes in each class at the beginning of the year in order to set a positive tone.  Sometimes I give prizes at random ( for example, I might hide a sticker under a random desk before class starts and give the prize to whoever chooses that desk).  Sometimes I ask a difficult question that I know not everyone will be able to answer, and award the prize to the student who answers correctly.  This is a relatively easy way to motivate students without having to give something to each person, and I'm always amazed at how much interest and enthusiasm it generates.  The only item not purchased locally is the box of Bonne Maman T...