Nichts neues...

Everything feels the same.

I was really enjoying that feeling of "something different"...

And now it's just back to the same.

however I will still keep up the "Deutsch Donnerstag" and "Foto Freitag"

That is at least one right step. (Can you tell I'm feeling a bit down?)

(But I am excited about maybe seeing some of my superstars in the talent show tomorrow night!)

In der Sprache...

Yesterday we had done some "practice immersion" time in German 3. During that time, I asked if they would rather talk (today) for 30 minutes or 45 minutes. The vote was 6 to 13... in FAVOR of the 45 minutes! That is awesome!

So today I began with D2... we went for an "in building field trip" where we talked only in German as we walked around a bit of the school (and outside) talking about the different classes, teachers and nature. It was good. When we returned, I asked how many enjoyed it. At least 75% raised their hands. Then I asked who thought it was beneficial (whether or not they enjoyed it). 100% raised their hands!

So then on to D3... We began the hour with the 45 minutes of German. Some times were tough when we were trying to fully describe everything... and hope that everyone understood. But it was really pretty good! Only a couple kids were doing the English thing... and some of the time because they didn't even realize they were doing it.

The fantastic time came at the end of it... when we went over all of the stuff to be sure they understood... and Karsten (who had been advocating this when we first voted as well) said that next time we should just do it the whole time. The majority agreed with him! Saying things like "It can only help!" I agreed and told them how excited I was that they were excited about this. I did, however also explain the brain frying that sometimes happens... so we'll have to watch that carefully and not go so long that everyone's brain just fries. Because then it's not just not positive. It's negative.

They got it.

Overall: Exciting! I can do this! I AM doing this! Cool.

All wet...

So today I was sitting, minding my own business, when KT came in and asked, "How much would you cry if I told you that you were in the top two for the dunk tank (for Homecoming)?"

I didn't believe her.

I didn't want to believe her.

But then it struck me.

So I ran into her and Biener after German Club and asked who I need to bribe and what kind of lie I need to create in order to get out of this...

They said that the amount of change the kids had dropped on me so far (and today was the first day of voting) was going to be hard to overcome.

I was a wreck. An anxiety-filled wreck.

I called Liesl.

She helped talk me down a bit... also felt sorry for me... and really helped me pinpoint what the scariest part was for me: having a group of teenagers see wet clothes clinging to my body.

It's a crazy high school self-esteem thing... but it's there.

So she had to go and I called my mom. (In all fairness, with the words, "I need someone to talk me off the cliff.") And she said that she couldn't help me out because she thought I should be honored... and definitely not feel badly about my body. Thanks for the sympathy, mom.

Next it was off to Laura (do you feel that I was going a bit overboard here?). She laughed. And she laughed. And she laughed some more. She tried to hide and stop her laughter... but she just kept laughing. She apologized for laughing. But she just kept laughing. I told her it was the epitome of Schadenfreude. She told me she felt bad for me... and is also trying to help me figure out what clothes I will have to wear if, in fact, this nightmare does come true.

So here's to hoping that, by Friday, I won't even be in the race anymore.

But that probably won't happen...

So here's to having fun with what you've got.

Side note: the UbD is not on schedule... I'm stressed at the lack of "push" in especially my German 3 class. Ugh.

Ich liebe meine Schülern...

Today in German 1 we had yet another amazing discussion... and a real connecting point with the kids. It was amazing.

We began with the geese (which the vast majority of THIS class actually had done...) and then, while we were still in a circle, moved on to "Wie Geht's" and how, in Germany, you only ask that question if you really want to know. It's not a shallow/polite thing to say just as passing conversation.

I then tell them the Cora story (about having an awful morning and someone in passing time asks how she is, but doesn't stick around to hear how she actually is... so she just ends up there in the hallway... talking to absolutely no one... before she realizes that person is gone).

This time we discussed the downfall of this in our society... and how they should try a social experiment and when someone asks... they need to answer "awful" (or really, just something other than "good")... and see what happens.

Then I challenged them. I challenged them to be more like the Germans. To not have meaningless or heartless conversations with others... to not ask if they don't care... and, if they ask, to stop, listen, and care. Because, as I said, we are all humans, and we all just want to be loved. Then the kids brainstormed what it meant to "actually care" and really found some meaningful answers. Simply put (according to the kids): Stop not caring, start caring, don't ask if you don't care, and be ready to listen with care if you do.

Then we practiced our "Wie geht's" question around the circle(and this is where, in the past, there has been a disconnect)... and we agreed that if people said so-so or not good or bad, we should ask why (so they learned the word "Warum")... and really listen. So we did. We also asked "warum" even when kids said that they were doing awesome! Because we wanted to know! But we allowed people, if they weren't feeling brave, to just say "good" and we wouldn't ask any more.

It was such an amazing connecting point. I heard students who had bad mornings, others who are having major problems with friends, others who bombed tests, yet others whose bones hurt because it is going to rain and even those who just "have a case of the Mondays". The fantastic thing is it gave the students an opportunity to care. Sometimes it's not "cool" to just start caring... and giving them this opportunity gave them the chance to care openly and not feel like they shouldn't ask or know. It felt amazing.

I just need to be sure to build on this and keep it up again tomorrow.

If I can't teach my old dogs new tricks... I can sure as hell teach the new dogs some pretty amazing ones.

What a great day.

Vision Statement

The German classroom is a place where students are cared for and find meaningful learning experiences as they strive toward excellence in fluency.

It doesn't have to be hard...

Today we played the "Ich mag Leute..." game and again they LOVED it. It's always a little loud, but also a lot of fun. And best of all? The kids are speaking, listening and responding to the language!

Today I also started the routine of "Foto Freitag"... where I will bring in Fotos... and it could go anywhere from there. Today I described what the fotos were... then the kids had to guess, and then it came up on PowerPoint once they guessed it! So they were listening to the German, getting meaning, and remembering vocabulary. I think I will also bring in fotos for them to use to tell a story or to tell what is happening (I got an idea from Kate that I could bring in Fotos from my youth and then they could tell the story of what was happening... I love it!)

What's important here is that there is just more language happening. I need this. I love this. And I especially love how easy and fun it can be. It does NOT have to be hard. It should be fun. (Unsere geheimnisse Sprache...) now I just need to be sure that we reinforce that usage!

It is the baby steps of a big and exciting change. Baby steps that I need... not because I can't handle the big steps, but because I can get overwhelmed and depressed about the big steps... and really, the kids need the scaffolding just as much as I do.

So here's to baby steps. PROST!

Podcasting 101

Not enough front loading with 4th hour.

I just sent them on their way with minimal explanation. I need to remember that these kids won't know it unless you spell it out for them. So AFTER we got back from the computer lab, I had this discussion with them:

• Remember everything we've been learning about learning styles for the past week and a half? Do you know how beneficial this knowledge is for you? You get to share it with others.
• You are going to take your learning style and look more in-depth into it... then share that information with others.
• This information is beneficial for EVERYONE! It can help anyone with anything!
• Hopefully we can get people across the district (and maybe even around the world) listening to our podcast... so let's make them amazing!

I think they got it then.

I must have done something different with first hour, because they got it. I think the frontloading from yesterday (that 4th hour didn't get) made a ton of difference. Some of the more thoughtful discussions have come from 1st hour as well. I just end up sharing them with 4th hour.

And then I got to pay for some "sins"...

Yesterday I had told my 1st hour kids that they had done a better job with their speeches than my 4th hour kids... so I told my 4th hour kids that I shared that information with 1st hour.

TODAY a number of kids kept saying that they were hearing from their 1st hour friends that I said that they were "better than" the 4th hour kids. I told them that I was just talking about the speeches and that I had told 4th hour that I said that yesterday.

They seemed quietly down about it.

I need to figure out what to say/do to figure out how to make it not personal for them. It's true. First hour's speeches were better... Fourth hour didn't push themselves like first hour did. But that means nothing about who is "better". Maybe simple clarification will work. Hm.