Teaching Week 8: Christmas Lessons Continue

Monday was pretty chill; I just did some grocery shopping and Christmas lesson planning! 

Tuesday, I usually teach four classes but this time I only taught three. In the first class, I taught them Christmas vocabulary with flashcards. Then, we played a game where each kid got a flashcard and they had to ask around and find someone who had the same card as them. At the end of the lesson, I handed out color by number for them to do for homework, and they were super excited about it! In the second class, we went over a Christmas activity worksheet that the teacher had given them for homework. Then, I read them a little Christmas story, and the kids had to fill in the missing words from the story with words from a word bank. The teacher and I walked around and checked the students’ work. Some of the kids really didn’t have a grasp on the Christmas vocabulary quite yet. We are going to continue with Christmas next week so there is still time for them. Next came recess, which meant tea and cookies!

After recess, I taught my usual third class (which is a class of little kids 6-7years old). I stayed with them for the rest of the morning because my usual fourth class was having a presentation on pedestrian safety put on by the police. In my third class, we went over Christmas vocabulary using flashcards. Then, we played a memory game where the kids had to try to uncover matches of the Christmas vocabulary words that they had learned. I put the flashcards up on the board and held them in place with magnets. Then, I labeled the X and Y axis with numbers and letters so that the kids could tell me which image they wanted me to turn over. At first, we played this game all together, and then, I divided the class into two teams. The kids really enjoyed this game! 

After the morning school, I had lunch with Kim at the high school. The lunch today had to be one of my favorites! I got salmon, couscous, veggies, laughing cow cheese, bread, and Tiramisu! 

Such a good lunch!

After lunch, I had my two Skype classes. In my first Skype class, I had my little groups of 2-3 students. I had them review body parts and numbers by having them draw monsters. I had one student describe a monster that I had already drawn and the other had to draw it by just listening to their partner’s description. Then, I had them switch roles and I showed another monster. Next, we reviewed Christmas vocabulary with flashcards. At the end, I asked them questions and they had to respond with the correct vocabulary word. For example, “Where does Santa leave the presents?” and “What kind of decorations do you put on a Christmas tree?” 

For the second Skype class, I taught the entire class at once. I described a monster for the class to draw and after, a student came to describe another monster that I had drawn for the class to draw. This activity helped the kids review parts of the body as well as numbers. After that, I started talking to the class about Christmas and how to wish someone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Then, I introduced Christmas vocabulary to the kids with flashcards. I also taught them the song, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” The sound on Skype was being a little annoying toward the end of the lesson though... it kept going in and out which was a little annoying, but at least the majority of the lesson was problem-free! 

After class, I went to my french host family for dinner and we had Raclette. We melted cheese using a special electric table top grill. Everyone got their own special little pan to melt their cheese in. After the cheese was melted, we scraped it off onto our potatoes. We also had a variety of deli meats (hams and salami) that went along with the meal. It was very tasty! For dessert we had yogurt and truffles.

On Wednesday, I taught three classes. I did the same thing in the first two classes. I taught them Christmas vocabulary using my handy dandy flashcards. Then we played the game where the kids searched for the person with their same card. I gave them a vocabulary sheet with all of the words and pictures written to help them play the game. At recess, these kids were all about the Pokemon cards again. They were showing them off as well as trading with other kids. 

After recess, I taught a class of little kids (6-7 year olds). Usually, I am with the older kids, but the teacher wants me to help out in the younger classes sometimes. In this class, we reviewed the numbers 1-12. Then, we played a number bingo. The kids all had different game boards with four numbers written on them. They had to listen and cross off the numbers I called. After bingo, I went over Christmas vocabulary with the flashcards. Next, we played the memory game with the words. I split the class into two teams to make it interesting. The kids got really into the game... they got so excited when they found a match! 

After classes, I had lunch. Later in the afternoon, I went into town to buy some Christmas goodies and I had a Nutella crepe after doing some shopping. Yum!

On Thursday, I taught four classes. I taught three at the first school. In the first two classes (6-7 year olds), I taught Christmas vocabulary by using my flashcards, and after, we played the memory game with the words. Then came recess, so I had a cup of tea. This time in the teacher’s lounge, there was also some chocolate cake that i got to try. It was really good! Then, in the third class, I showed them a powerpoint of Christmas vocabulary words and pictures of houses decorated for Christmas. Next, we continued to review vocabulary by using flashcards. Then, we sang, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” and some other British Christmas Song about Father Christmas that I had never heard it before.

After class, I came home for lunch, and soon took a bus to my afternoon school. The class I work with Thursday afternoons is so sweet! Today, before the lesson started, two girls came up to me and gave me Taylor Swift posters. They told me that they remembered that I said I liked Taylor Swift. (side note: on my first day at the school, they asked me about favorite singers and I said that I like a lot of different singers and Taylor Swift is one of the ones I like). So these kids remember things I say! They are so thoughtful and nice! They also gave me a collage of the Christmas words that I taught them last week. Another girl brought a Christmas book from home so that she she could show me that one the author’s was Magdalena :). I joked around telling the kids that it was my book and they believed me! (After, I quickly told them that I was kidding though, lol).

I'm an author! lol

We started off the lesson by reviewing Christmas vocabulary. The kids knew pretty much all of the words! I was pleasantly surprised! I could tell that they reviewed them throughout the week. Then, we played a game where everyone received an image and had to find the person with their same image. Next, I taught them the song, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” even though most of them knew it already. I had the groups of 3-4 students come up and sing it for the class. Afterwards, we all sang the song together as a class. The kids enjoyed it so much, that I decided to teach them a verse to the song in addition to the chorus (which is the part they all knew). They liked learning something new and I am already looking forward to seeing them again next week!

After class, I stopped by a chocolate store called Révillon. The factory is actually here in Roanne as well, and it's a pretty well know chocolate brand in France. I ended up getting a few things for my family for Christmas. 

Révillon Store and the factory is nearby

Can’t believe that there are only twelve days left until Christmas Eve,

Magdalena