Los quehaceres con Sr. Español

Sr. Español is back, and this time he shows students how to do chores.




Think I ought to hire him out?

La Tortilla Española

In my Spanish 2 classes we are learning formal commands right now so we took advantage of dinner last night to create an activity for students to see commands in action. Anyone who has ever been fortunate enough to try Juan Carlos’ tortilla knows that it’s a special treat. So even if you don’t speak Spanish, here you can learn the secret to Juan Carlos’ tortilla española.

Love Ugly

 

I have been a teacher for a lot of years now. In movies and TV shows the female teachers are always wearing stylish clothes and dainty, beautiful shoes. Clearly television producers have no idea of the reality of teaching. Schools are fraught with corners and knobs and hooks that clothes can catch on. Schools are full of books and backpacks and lacrosse sticks that get left all over the floor and are regularly tripped over, usually by teachers trying to get somewhere fast. I have a computer that is permanently damaged since the day I tripped over a student backpack and threw it across the room. Then there is chalk, or overhead ink, or whiteboard ink, and spray cleaner and students running around with food…are you getting the picture here? School is the LAST place you wear your nice clothes, or your dainty shoes.

These are Dansko clogs, otherwise known by my students as “those ugly teacher shoes”:

 

You can see I am fond of them. And ugly though they may be, they are an absolute lifesaver if you have a job where you are running around all day. I can’t count the number of times they have saved me from a rolled ankle. A new pair of Danskos is a day of absolute delight. So you may think you can’t love ugly, but you’d be wrong.

What Not To Do On Sabbatical

Juan Carlos just finished a semester-long sabbatical during which he wrote a chapter of a book he is writing in collaboration with a colleague and translated a previously published article into English. Now, a sabbatical is usually considered a great thing because you can take the time to really concentrate on your work and not stress out about your teaching load, right? Well, not so much as it turns out. Here are the lessons I learned from Juan Carlos.

DO NOT:

• Spend all day every day sitting clenched in front of the computer. Especially do not do this when you are not actually writing anything.
• Keep going to school three times a week while you are on sabbatical. It’s a semester away.
• Decide that the perfect way to spend all this time is ironing the sheets and your wife’s pajamas.
• Wait until the last moment to put together the Powerpoint for your presentation, especially when you don’t really know how to use Powerpoint.
• Suddenly expect your wife to be a Mac/iPad expert when all she ever uses is PC/Android.
• Follow your wife around the house with your laptop for translating help while she is:
• cooking
• grading
•  showering, brushing her teeth or doing anything in the bathroom.
• Share with everyone the intimate details of your writing research or ask for translation help from (this includes but is not limited to): the Stake President, the car serviceman, the grocery store checkout person or your wife’s colleagues.

Anyone who knows Juan Carlos will not be surprised by any of this, but as you can see his semester away was not really a semester away. I will say that it was super nice to have all the laundry done, though. We talked about it and figured out some of the things you SHOULD do during a sabbatical. Juan Carlos managed a couple of these things, but alas, some he will be saving for next time.

DO:

• Take the dog for a walk every morning before you try to sit down and write.
• Hire an editor.
• Take a trip somewhere that is not for work. While on this trip do not think about work.
• Work for a certain period every day. If it’s not happening, go for a run or watch TV or something.
• Do laundry if it relaxes you, but leave the sheets and pajamas out of the ironing basket.
• Relax and recharge your batteries.

So as you plan for your sabbatical, keep these things in mind. And have a great one.

2013 and QR Codes

It's official, 2013 was the absolute worst blogging year for me since I started this blog in 2006. This year I aim to do better.
As I received all the Christmas and New Year's cards and accompanying letters with news of what my friends and family and all their children did in 2013, I decided I should compose one to describe what Juan Carlos and I did during 2013. Then I remembered why we don't do a Christmas letter, because every year it would look something like this:

So you see, you haven't missed out on much. And since we continue to be very predictable people who spend our lives teaching, this blog is going to change direction a little and I will write about teaching experiences and teacher tools. Maybe if things get more exciting I will turn my attention elsewhere, but the bottom line is that teaching is what we do, so I may as well write about it.

QR Codes. You've seen them. Maybe you've used them. They are a great way to link to information online or offline. I find them on boxes of food at the grocery store, at movie theaters and in books that I read. This past November Juan Carlos and I presented two sessions at the national convention for the American Council of Teachers of Foreign Languages, and instead of printing a handout we made a Google Doc and put a QR code on each table so people could scan it with their phones or iPods or tablets. Saves paper and plus you don't have to keep track of that paper. 

This week in our faculty department meeting we did a QR Code treasure hunt and talked about what QR materials are available online to help in teaching. Teachers hunted with their fellow language group (Spanish, French, Chinese) for clues around the school. The clues also told them where to go next. After finding the treasure at the end, we all returned to the meeting room and talked about how we could incorporate the codes into learning activities. This can be incorporated into all kinds of teaching, whether it be formal academic learning or not. For my LDS friends, this could totally be used in Seminary or a Sunday lesson. 

Lessons learned: 

• We already knew this, but it is now proven: Google Translate will not give you accurate translations. (Just ask the Chinese teachers)
• Where you put your clues matters. The cafeteria is not the best place.
• Remember that many students need parental permission to install apps on their phones. Plan for that.
• You can use some QR activities even if you don't have a data or internet connection. 

It wouldn't be a QR post without a QR code now, would it? So here is one that will take you to a webpage of one of my favorite tech integrationists, Kathy Schrock. I attended a workshop with her many years ago and she always has good ideas and regularly asks teachers to contribute effective examples of how technology can work in the classroom.   If you want to know more, scan this code!

January So Far

Happily 2013 has started out much  better than 2012 ended. Last week I had possibly the most wonderful choral experience of my life singing the Verdi Requiem with the Boston Symphony. I have sung several Requiems and honestly enjoyed them all, but this one was exceptional. I don’t know if it’s because Verdi make religious music lyrical and interesting to listen to, or if it’s just because it’s gorgeous, or if it’s because I first sang it under the baton of the amazing and talented Daniele Gatti. He brought some powerhouse Italian soloists with him which added an extra dimension of fabulousness. This piece is on the program this summer at Tanglewood, and I can only hope to be on that roster as well.

Here’s a little taste of our bass soloist…mmm, so looooow.

Where I've Been Part 2

Hello again, friends....

So, to continue:

The other place I have been is in a whole lot of doctor's offices. After going back to Rhode Island my doctor had me go for a CT scan to see what was going on with the kidney stones and lo and behold, the kidney without the stones in it was completely non-functional and had been for many many years. Who knew? Anyway, it's up to all kinds of mischief in there, so they want to take it out. So then I get to live with one kidney that likes to make stones! But at least it works, so I am grateful for that.

Thus, the rest of 2012 looks to be pretty eventful, and I hope to be better at documenting it. Christmas vacation will come soon thereafter, and that means time for my Christmas present...even surgery keep can't keep me away. Till next time!

Where I've Been Part 1

I haven't done too well this year with keeping up with this blog. I have been a little better with Facebook, but even there I have dropped the ball sometimes. So here's a quick review.

Summer:
Graded lots of AP Exams. Sang at Tanglewood for the 75th Anniversary Gala. Andris Nelsons is my new favorite conductor.

Went to Moon Lake in the High Uintahs with my family. Passed two kidney stones while 200 miles from any health services or cell phone tower. Discovered that narcotics, are, in fact, bad. I knew this already, but now I know from experience. Even so, it was the best week of the year so far. Then sang a bunch more at Tanglewood.

Sang Porgy and Bess with the Boston Symphony. Am in love with Alfred Walker. Juan Carlos doesn't mind.

Started school. Yet again, I have the most awesome ninth graders ever. As my division head put it earlier this year, they definitely get me out of bed every morning.

Stay tuned for part 2, in which you find out a whole lot more about me than you ever wanted to know...

Señor Español

I am very fortunate that I am married to a guy who is also a Spanish teacher—and who hates to be bored in class as much as I do. Juan Carlos often Skypes into my classroom to talk to students about various topics that mysteriously have something to do with what we learn in class. Well, as you can imagine, Señor Español is a big hit whenever he calls. So you can imagine the reaction when he came to class this week:

We were practicing understanding and using commands in Spanish, so Juan Carlos told students to go certain places to find instructions on how to make gazpacho. Then they had to tell him what to do.

In the end the gazpacho was made and consumed…with varying degrees of pleasure!

So if you want to be a rock star, don’t worry about agents and playing an instrument or singing or whatever. Just know your way around a blender and be Señor Español.

Catch-Up

I meant to write a bit more this year but January got completely away from me, and obviously half of Feburary. Juan Carlos gave me a lovely camera for Valentine’s Day this year so today we walked around the neighborhood and took some pictures that I thought I would share. (I believe most of them will just make you glad you don’t live where we do. Well, maybe not if you like baseball.)

This is McCoy Market, which we call Don Vicente’s. We call it that because Juan Carlos had a small store like this next door to his house growing up and his neighbor’s name was Don Vicente. So Don Vicente lives on here in Pawtucket.

Now this is a diner that is literally across the street from where we live. Sadly enough we have never been there. I bet the Hot Wieners are a real draw…what is wrong with us!?

We live next to (and I do mean next to) a baseball stadium. We watch the fireworks outside our bedroom window. We don’t even have to pay for tickets because we hear the whole game just sitting in our living room. The Pawsox is the feeder team for the Boston Red Sox so sometimes we get a famous pitcher in for a game or two. The stadium, streets and parking lots are all packed when there are games going on.

    

The stadium parking lot does make a good place for Luna to run around, and play tug-of-war with her daddy. Here’s to my two beautiful loves!

When I actually learn how to use this camera you will probably hear from me again. Let’s all of us hope that is not next year sometime.

2012

So last year this scripture was my focus:

"Do not run faster or labor more than you have strength and means provided to enable you...but be diligent unto the end."
D&C 10:4

Well, without going into all the details, there was a lot more labor in our lives this year. And this coming year there will be more. Surprisingly, although it shouldn’t be, there was also more strength and more means. Interesting how it works out that way. My husband and I both agreed that the best thing we did this year was go to Moon Lake with my family for a reunion. It was truly the most happy and magical week of 2011, and I am so grateful for it.

 

This year I have chosen a more simple focus.

James 5:11 “Behold, we count them happy which endure.”

This year I only have a couple of goals.

1. I want to write a little more often in this blog.

2. I want to keep on keeping on. And I want to do it without falling to pieces. That’s where the endurance/happiness comes in.

May 2012 bring you many fulfilled hopes and dreams.

Proud To Be An American

Today Juan Carlos became a United States citizen. After so many years (and soooooo much money, but let’s focus on the positive!) as a permanent resident, he finally became an official American!!!

The oath-swearing ceremony was a surprisingly lovely event—particularly since we have been dealing with Homeland Security for more than ten years and lovely is not the word I would ever choose for any Homeland Security procedure. There were about 35 people from 19 different countries at the ceremony and it was great to see the amazing diversity of countries represented in the state of Rhode Island.  There was even one person from a place called Dominica, a country I didn’t even know existed!!! (It’s in the Caribbean, for those of you who don’t know, either )  Juan Carlos was the only Spaniard, though, and he represented well!

Everyone took the oath of allegiance and then received the certificate of naturalization:

Then we all said the Pledge of Allegiance. Early this morning we were frantically practicing the pledge, although after studying for the citizenship test the pledge should have been a breeze.

Since he is now an American we had to go to a real American place for an American lunch…what better than Johnny Rockets? And what is more American than a chocolate milkshake?

He even chose a song from the jukebox to commemorate the event:

During the ceremony I was thinking about how beautiful the United States is and what a lucky thing it is to be able to live here—and we have lived in a few different parts of the country, so that makes us doubly fortunate. I surely do appreciate other countries, and I know that the US isn’t perfect, but there is a whole lot to love and be grateful for about America. I know Juan Carlos is still very much a Spaniard and will never lose his love for his homeland, but I am proud that he wanted to be a citizen of my country, as well.

Christmastime Is Here…

And JC could not be controlled in his decorating frenzy…

 

This is what I got to decorate:

I still do love me some bubble lights.

Mostly the reason we did all this already is because we won’t have time before Christmas actually arrives to do anything remotely Christmas-related. Sad, but true. The good news is that when school gets out that means Mom and Dad and Sue and Josh and their five kiddos will be coming. I call that something to look forward to!!!

Invasion

So this is going to be my Christmas present this year:

 

But wait...there's more!!!

Plus their parents and my parents! I have no idea how we are all going to fit in our condo and still come out of it loving each other at the end, but I don't even care, I am just counting the days!!!!

9th Grade Love

Here it is, I know you've been waiting for it, that yearly email I write about how much I love 9th graders. Every year I wonder, "Am I still going to love them?" Well, I still do.They continue to be one of the highlights of my life. With 9th graders there is wonder, humor, innocence, intelligence, awkwardness, and angst. You see the first adult glimmerings of what they will become. They have brought lightness to what is otherwise quite a difficult time for me--and for that I have no end of gratitude.

Remember That Blog I Was Writing?

My second semester and the beginning of summer reached unbelieveable levels of busy and my poor blog fell by the wayside a bit. It's not that I didn't have anything to say, just no time to say it! And I am soon to be on my way to Ohio to spend time with my sister and her five children so I am not sure my time for writing is going to increase anytime soon.

I have a lot of music to memorize this summer as well. Fortunately the first batch is over:

I loved, loved, LOVED the Bellini. Lovely, artful Italian opera that sounds as light as air but is technically demanding. Fortunately the chorus parts are pretty straightforward, but oh, how I did love listening to the soloists! Except for the one part where a huge moth the size of a bat decided to fly straight into the back row of altos and hang out awhile. Ah, the joys of outdoor singing!

Now the Requiem, on the other hand, just about did me in. The Latin was not so much an issue as was the way-too-high range of the female voices. It was like Extreme Singing for Altos. This made it feel very heavy and by the end of the rehearsals we were all pretty exhausted, not to mention the actual performance. Now that I have had my grump, I have to say that it is one of the most spectacular things I have ever sung. At one moment I actually choked up listening to the men sing the Tuba mirum and had to pull myself together before my next lines. So to sum it up, Berlioz: Stressful. Punishing. Hell on the voice. Sublime.

Now for the rest of the summer--Gershwin's Porgy and Bess and Beethoven's 9th Symphony.

I sang some of Porgy and Bess in college, and thankfully have memorized the Beethoven already, so that will be just a brush-up, but I didn't realize quite how big Porgy and Bess was. I listened to the whole production on my way home from Tanglewood yesterday (3 hours) and realized there is a bit more to it than I thought. One song I remember from college brought me a hilarious memory--we sang this for some big BYU celebration in the Marriott Center (Homecoming?)  and Ariel Bybee was the guest soloist. I think it was like 1993 or 1994. When we were singing the chorus for the picnic song "Oh, I Can't Sit Down" there is a line that says:

Sure is dandy, got de likker handy

We had to substitute "hamper" for "likker". Ha, hah! Of course you can't have a bunch of Mormon kids singing about how much alcohol you have on hand! But remembering it made me laugh. All my choir friends from back then will remember that! I am hoping it does not work it's way into this performance, You know how your brain is about memorizing sometimes!

Just so you can see how many pages!!!!

 Anyway, hopefully I will be able to keep up a bit better in the future...hopefully.