Bienvenue!
Bienvenue à mes élèves de Cheval Blanc, Maubec, et Taillades! Je suis contente que vous avez trouvez mon site! Sentez-vous libre de me laisser des mots ici si vous voulez... en anglais ou en français. :o)
Pour voir mes photos,
cliquez ici.
Vous me manquez déjà!!
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Just a little note welcoming my kiddos -- I mean, my students. I had my second of three "last days" today (three since I have three schools). Today I thought to put my blog up with my contact info, and they all thought that was mighty cool. We'll see how many actually make it here. :o)
My kids are so, so sweet. They've all been giving me presents, lots of sticky/slobbery/what-have-you
bises (kisses -- they do three in Provence: go R, L, R), and some even cried: aww!
Ready or not, here it comes!
The end is upon me.That is to say, my time here in France is drawing to a close at an alarmingly quick rate!
So many lasts. So many things I’ve wanted to do, but didn’t (more in terms of poor communication than of missed experiences). So many things to decide -- and quickly, because my Internet access is going spotty as the household here is going to change servers AND because Anne and I embark on our French adventure (Adfrenchure, if you will) next Thursday/Friday! And, too, so many posts about my experiences here that I never had time to put up. :o)
In honor of the fact that I’ll be spending more time than usual on foreign computers in my hunt for Internet sources, I’ll post an entry that’s been waiting in the queue all year for a good time to be posted:
Eet Eez Nut Beecuz Yoo Ah(r)
One of my favorite things about coming to France has been the increase in my exposure to well-crafted
franglais, particularly of the French variety (meaning it's "in English", but with a heavy French accent and French vocabulary thrown in for the more complicated stuff, making it more fun for the Francophone than the Anglophone). Many of the hard laughs I’ve had this year have been from films in which there are some choice franglais excerpts. What can I say? It gets me!
In my opinion, to
appreciate franglais, you need only a basic understanding of the other language, although the more you know, the more you tend to catch and enjoy. To succeed in
speaking franglais, you really don’t need anything save a good/bad ear and a student's understanding of the other language. “Good or bad?”, you ask. Well, if you’re good in the other language you need a really good ear (so you can choose to revert back to bad pronunciation), and if you’re bad in the other language you’re set! (Because the whole point is to speak the other language as a foreigner does, to comedic effect.) The hardest, in my opinion, is
crafting comedic franglais. It helps to have a really good ear and a good knowledge of your own language and of the other, though it more from a student’s perspective. Mediocre franglais is easy to create, but quality, comedic franglais is an art. Says me. :o)
Recently, I’ve been to several BBQs at my German friend’s apartment. She, an American guy, and three French brothers sit around with guitars and sing together frequently. One of their staple songs made me laugh pretty hard the first time I heard them all perform it. It still makes me grin every time. The guys do a great job with it -- even the American, who’s got a pretty good ear for the French accent. The song is...
It is Not Because You Are(Words and music by RENAUD)
When I have rencontred you,
you was a jeune fille au pair,
and I put a spell on you,
and you roule a pelle to me,
Together we go partout,
on my mob it was super,
it was Friday on my mind,
it was a story d'amou-our.
Refrain:It is not because you are,
I love you because I do
c'est pas parc'que you are me,
qu'I am you, qu'I am you“fin of the refrain”[
click here, then click "clique pour écouter un extrait" in the middle of the page to listen to the next verse]
You was really beautiful
in the middle of the foule
Don't let me misunderstood
Don't let me sinon I boude
My loving, my marshmallow,
you are belle and I are beau
you give me all what you have
I said thank you, you are bien brave
(refrain)[
click here, then choose #14's "preview", third from the bottom, to hear the next little bit of the song]
“this is the musical bridge”I wanted marry with you
and make love very beaucoup
to have a max of children
just like Stone and Charden
But one day that must arrive
together we disputed
For a stupid story of fric
we decide to divorced
(refrain)You chialed comme une madeleine
not me, I have my digniti
you tell me: you are sale mec!
I tell you: poil to the bec!
That's comme ça that you thank me
to have learning you English?
Eh! that's not you qui m'a appris,
my grand-father was rosbeef.
(refrain)Anyway, I laughed.
That said, it's lamentable that nothing wipes the smile off my face faster than inferior franglais. If your accent stinks, I'll have to force a laugh, and I hate to do that. Quelle snob, I know. I myself rarely attempt it, and don't make a big deal of it when I do. It just doesn't flow for me. Darn! :o)
My Kids Are CUTE!
[“My kids” meaning my
students, not
my kids.]
So, there are certain things that I’ve come to do at the beginning of every class, and in a certain order.
NOTE: As I wasn’t (entirely) trained as a teacher, there are bound to be easy ways to improve upon my methods, but with only three weeks left, I don’t really want to know what I’ve been doing wrong all along. :o)
(I fly home in exactly a month!!!!!)1) I enter the room. Duh, right? I mention this step because one class always stands when a teacher enters the room, and I always have to tell them to sit down again because they won’t do so until they’re “permitted” by the authority figure!
2) Once I’ve put my stuff down and the teacher gives me the go-ahead, I begin with a “Good morning!” or “Good afternoon!”
3) That is directly followed by “How are you?”, which often begets an “I’m fine” though occasionally they’ll answer by saying “I’m good” or “I’m so-so” or, if they’re really clueless, they’ll repeat “How are you?” -- not out of politeness, but because they don’t know what it means and think we’re working pronunciation. *sigh* Some have started asking me how
I am on their own, but usually I have to coax it out of them. (Last month one kid asked me, “How do you do?” which was so far from anything I expected that I thought he was mispronouncing “How old are you?” I was glad to be corrected!)
4) After that I ask them, “What’s the date today?” to which, if they answer in French (and they often do!!), I’ll add a mock-exasperated
“…in ENGLISH!” As a student feeds me the information, I write it up on the board (for example), “Tuesday, June 6th, 2006” and once it’s complete, I have them repeat each piece after me. (They’re getting pretty good at “tyoo-fowzund-seeks”. Really though, some even pronounce it right!) Of course, it’s always good to work on numbers and the “th” rules (as in 6th, 1st, 12th), as well. It’s a shame the “th” rule matters, because it ain’t easy!!
And then I get on with the lesson. :o)
The funny thing about this is that now they’ve started not waiting for me to commence my spiel. Instead, they pelt me with “Hello!”, “I’m fine!”, etc. just as soon as I walk in the door! While I find this endearing, I put on my best poker face and wait for such efforts to subside before I start things up the “correct” way.
Lo and behold, last week I entered one of my classes and they,
as a class, beat me to the “How are you?” and what’s more, had already written the date up on the board! Definitely the teacher’s idea. Definitely a child’s writing. Aww! I was so proud -- and they’re one of the younger classes, too, at 8(?) years old. And they’re a GREAT class, too: well-behaved and
darling!Some of the only pictures that exist of me teaching are from when Mom, Bess, and Aunt Amy visited me in April.
Here's Bess's set and
Here's a starting point in Mom's France set. And here's one including the date, just for kicks.
Prominently Featured on the List of Things the French Need to Learn:
Gates only keep honest people out.
