Blog 3

 On the first day of the project, I was really nervous about if the students were going to be apprehensive about seniors sitting in on their classes and planning some of their classes. The students were very welcoming and seemed excited to meet us. I was also worried about whether M Nyborg would be communicating with us in French or in English, and if I would have to be prepared to effectively speak in French with a native speaker. However, upon arrival, the three of us worked out a plan to always communicate in a balanced mix of French and English, which allows Rithika and I to practice our comprehension and speaking skills while still allowing either of us to elaborate on something in English if we need to. I initially expected to be sitting in the back of the classroom and letting M Nyborg teach the class while we observe, however he places us near the front of the room to fully immerse ourselves in his classes. Our seating arrangement allows for Rithika and me to achieve a whole new learning experience in which we are more easily able to interact with the students and get a glimpse from their perspective, which aids us in planning the relative activities for each of our classes. I was most surprised by the vivacity and excitement of the students we are in class with and the workload of a typical teacher. It is quite a feat to be able to remember 50+ names, plan coursework and material for 5 classes as well as find a balance between work life, social life, and home life, all of which seem like a daunting task for merely one person. So far, a challenge for me has been thinking of class activities for the younger students that will be equally engaging and beneficial for them. The younger students have a poor attention span, so it has become a bit of a challenge in helping them pay attention and providing them with fun activities in class. I have been in contact with Madame Brennan at the Upper School who has provided us with French 1 worksheets that apply to the material that the French 6 and 7 classes are learning. I am looking forward to the next few classes with the lower-level students as we have some fun activities planned for them that Rithika and I did in middle school. 

French 6 class