C'est bientôt la Rentrée ou même déjà vécue pour certains!
Am looking forward to having more frequent communication with you, the leaders of your AATF chapters, and sending you more frequent blog entries. At the Delegate Assembly in Saguenay, I mentioned in my report the value of keeping our members tied to their professional organization and am making that one of my new goals. A shout-out goes to Chicago/N IL President, Martha Behlow, who has been sending weekly email messages to members and has provided me with a great communication model!
Here is a link that could be shared with the members of your chapter. It shows how an American school can pair up with a school in France:
http://frenchlanguage.frenchculture.org/teach/school-pairing
This kind of pairing is an excellent way to show administrators,
school boards, and the community that French is relevant. It also certainly offers some incredibly "authentic resources" and an "audience other than the teacher" that have become "de rigueur"!
On this same page, teachers can subscribe to the education newsletter from the Cultural Services. It's a great way to find out about student contests. If you click on "French Culture" at the top you have access to another newsletter that is more general but leads you to info about cultural events in your area: http://frenchculture.org/. Even if we can't attend all these events, we can learn so much about film, books, writers, artists, singers, etc. There is also one on "Higher Education" with lots of info on film series and events for college students like the Lafayette Debates.GREATER KANSAS CITY
Following up on the discussion in our Region VI group at the Delegate Assembly in Saguenay, here is what the Greater Kansas City group does each year to encourage and support students who are thinking about being French teachers.
Katie Madigan, president of the AATF of GKC, tells us that the Academy of Future French Teachers is a joint initiative of the Greater Kansas City Chapter and local institutions such as Rockhurst University and Missouri Western University. It is designed to stimulate interest in students who have excelled in French classes and who may be considering teaching French as a career.
Usually, the students are guests for a luncheon at a restaurant or on campus. Afterwards, the students and organizers gather for a panel presentation where current teachers talk about the benefits and rewards of teaching French. Former assistants also share their experience of teaching English in France for a year. Other opportunities to teach or study abroad are presented. Finally, information on scholarships, conferences, and travel are explained to give students an idea of the range of opportunities for professional development and support available to them.
Others, including Susie Hennessy, President-Elect, and Ann Sunderland, past National AATF President, have been involved in creating this annual event, while other members including Claudine Evans and Chapter Treasurer, Brandi Pruente have also contributed to this event.
It is interesting to note that when Ann Sunderland retired, the teacher who took her place was one of her former students! As we offer our students ideas of ways to incorporate French into their futures, do we sometimes forget to show them the career that has been so satisfying to us?!
GREATER KANSAS CITY II
Here's a mention of an AATF small grant that Katie Madigan, President of the Greater Kansas City Chapter, used to organize an event on her campus as it appears on Rockhurst's webpage
Katie Madigan, Ph.D., professor of modern languages, was awarded a grant from the American Association of Teachers of French that allowed the Greater Kansas City chapter of AATF, of which she is president, to invite speakers to campus for an immersion day for French teachers on immigration in Francophone literature and film. Madigan also led a workshop titled “Étudiants sans frontières: Concepts and models for Service-Learning in French.
The workshop that Katie led on Service Learning was based on a book edited by Jacqueline Thomas and to which Katie was a contributor and that is available from the Store on our AATF website http://frenchteachers.org/.
Just noticed that two Region VI AATF members, Andrea Behn, WI Chapter President, and Kellye Guzik from Chicago/N IL attended the Leadership Initiative for Language Learning in Columbus, Ohio sponsored by ACTFL.
LA RENTRÉE
Getting ready for the new year? Here's a bulletin board from Chicago Chapter President, Martha Behlow that puts the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines right in the classroom so that students can be aware of where they are, where they want to be, and what they need to get there! Her inspiration was an Infographic template you can find at http://www.easel.ly.
IOWA
Pam Wesely, member of the AATF of Iowa, professor of education in World Languages and ELL at the University of Iowa, and the organizer of Tête à Tête, day of workshops for Iowa WL teachers, has just published a new book with an emphasis on social justice. Here is how she and her co-authors describe this new publication:
Words and Actions: Teaching Languages Through the Lens of Social Justice
According to the authors, a social justice curriculum positively influences all students. Social justice, critical pedagogy, and culturally relevant teaching are becoming essential as more and more language educators teach in increasingly diverse world language classrooms. This new publication supports in-service and pre-service teachers in recognizing their students' diverse backgrounds while also supporting students' ability to think critically about the world around them. Questioning mainstream approaches to language and culture learning is vital. An emphasis on social justice is, in part, a way to expand the definition and scope of language education, leading to further innovation in the profession.
SAINT LOUIS
As a preview of what will be happening in the Fall in the St Louis. Here is an example of the kind of September workshop that this chapter offers teachers as the school year begins. It starts with a presentation based on the work of an author, or singer in the case of Jacques Brel a few years ago. Then there is a dramatic presentation later in the month to which students are invited. This year, it's Ionesco and the Theater of the Absurd!
Eugène Ionesco. Comment un théâtre de l’Absurde et pourquoi?
Just noticed that two Region VI AATF members, Andrea Behn, WI Chapter President, and Kellye Guzik from Chicago/N IL attended the Leadership Initiative for Language Learning in Columbus, Ohio sponsored by ACTFL.
Getting ready for the new year? Here's a bulletin board from Chicago Chapter President, Martha Behlow that puts the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines right in the classroom so that students can be aware of where they are, where they want to be, and what they need to get there! Her inspiration was an Infographic template you can find at http://www.easel.ly.
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| Bulletin Board in Martha's Geneva, IL Classroom |
IOWA
Pam Wesely, member of the AATF of Iowa, professor of education in World Languages and ELL at the University of Iowa, and the organizer of Tête à Tête, day of workshops for Iowa WL teachers, has just published a new book with an emphasis on social justice. Here is how she and her co-authors describe this new publication:
Words and Actions: Teaching Languages Through the Lens of Social Justice
According to the authors, a social justice curriculum positively influences all students. Social justice, critical pedagogy, and culturally relevant teaching are becoming essential as more and more language educators teach in increasingly diverse world language classrooms. This new publication supports in-service and pre-service teachers in recognizing their students' diverse backgrounds while also supporting students' ability to think critically about the world around them. Questioning mainstream approaches to language and culture learning is vital. An emphasis on social justice is, in part, a way to expand the definition and scope of language education, leading to further innovation in the profession.SAINT LOUIS
As a preview of what will be happening in the Fall in the St Louis. Here is an example of the kind of September workshop that this chapter offers teachers as the school year begins. It starts with a presentation based on the work of an author, or singer in the case of Jacques Brel a few years ago. Then there is a dramatic presentation later in the month to which students are invited. This year, it's Ionesco and the Theater of the Absurd!
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| La Leçon Here is the info on their announcement to their members. |
Lionel Cuillé, professeur à Webster University
Lionel nous offrira un atelier-théâtre sur Ionesco et La leçon. À ne pas manquer
Samedi 12 septembre 2015
UMSL, Clark Hall, Salle 400
8h30 – 11h30
Gratuit pour les adhérents de l’AATF.
$ 10 pour les autres
RSVP: Anna Amelung (annaamelung51@gmail.com) avant le 6 septembre.
8h30 – 9h00 – Café croissants
9h00 – 9h15 Audra Merfeld-Langston: Compte rendu du congrès AATF
9h15 – 11h30 – Lionel Cuillé: conférence et atelier-théâtre
Vous trouverez ci-joint une copie électronique de la pièce de Ionesco. Prière de l’imprimer et de l’apporter à l’atelier. Parking gratuit le samedi.
Je vous rappelle qu’André Nerman et la compagnie Caravague présenteront La leçon le dimanche 25 octobre à 17h30 à Priory. Détails à suivre.
Here is Jamie Gurholt, one of the two Region VI AATF Scholarship winners doing a presentation at the Rotary Club of Janesville, WI following her time in Belgium. What a great way to show the community that French is relevant!
Bonne Rentrée et Bonne Continuation, mes chers collègues!
Here is Jamie Gurholt, one of the two Region VI AATF Scholarship winners doing a presentation at the Rotary Club of Janesville, WI following her time in Belgium. What a great way to show the community that French is relevant!
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| Jamie Gurholt, Scholarship Winner, at Rotary |
Bonne Rentrée et Bonne Continuation, mes chers collègues!
p.s. Ce sera mon grand plaisir de partager avec vous tous ce que vous m'envoyer comme annonces, idées, photos, propos, questions, etc.
