Just curious…

Let me give the survey some context:

I have a diagnosed anxiety disorder.  It impacts my driving. Particularly on the interstate, and on secondary roads which are unfamiliar, or that I do not travel regularly.  I had a severe anxiety attack on 28 April 1998, while traveling the interstate.  It was a classic anxiety attack: I felt like I was having a heart attack.   As it is an organic condition, many things impact my ability to drive, and thus influence the advent of an anxiety attack.

I have spoken openly with a very close friend about my anxiety disorder.  However, she seems unable to understand fully what I feel and experience.  Even though I do drive, and drive comfortably, to places which I am familiar, and don’t have a freak-out while doing it, she thinks that I am easily able to drive as a general rule.  Such isn’t the case, unfortunately.  What my friend also seems unable to understand is that prior to 28 April 1998, I drove EVERYWHERE.  Additionally, I thoroughly enjoyed driving. I used to work as an admissions counselor for a college,  and I travelled to different parts of the United States.  I have vast experience driving on many different types of roads, including Chicago, Detroit, and Los Angeles, to name three. The list goes on; I won’t bore you.

The friend in question was in town on last Thursday evening for business. She called , and asked if I were available to meet.  We agreed to meet for breakfast the next morning, which was Friday.  She is a friend from college; we have known each other for 25 years. However, it had been five years since we last saw each other.  Life is busy.  She came to my apartment, which, by the way, she really liked.  Anyway,  I drove the two of us to a local diner nearby, and she observed me driving comfortably while carrying on a conversation with her.  In fact, we talked a bit about my anxiety disorder.   After a nice visit over breakfast, we returned to my apartment, and, we parted ways.  Later that day, I sent my friend an email, thanking her for breakfast – she treated.  I also mentioned that she and I really needed to arrange more frequent get-togethers, as it had been five years since the last one, which happened to be our 20th college reunion.

On Monday, my friend responded to my email.  She agreed that it had been too long since our last visit, and that we needed to make an effort to connect more often.  Additionally, she asked the question I pose in the survey.  She said that it was about ten miles to the hotel, and, that I wouldn’t need to get on the interstate.  Therefore, I shouldn’t have a problem getting there.  She concluded the request by saying if it were too much of a bother, no worried.  My response to her, which is my actual response:
“As for the flats: Would really like to help, but I cannot at this point.  I can travel comfortably on secondary (back) roads on which I am familiar, but the route I would need to travel, albeit backs roads, in order to get to the hotel, are not familiar.  It’s more complicated than not getting on the interstate, and difficult to explain in a neat package. Also, the trip is closer to 20 miles. :)

The take-away: Unless one suffers from anxiety disorder, or, is close to someone who does, e.g. a family member, people just really don’t get it.

Through the lens of progressive education

Can a foreign language be taught using a progressive education approach? Per the full-day workshop I had the pleasure to attend at The School @ Columbia University on last Thursday, yes, it can.  The workshop focused on grades K-8.

So, what, exactly, is the progressive element? Using an integrated curriculum model.

Some other key dimensions:

*focus on culture

*application of language functions

*teaching of grammar from whole to part

*a detailed unit plan following the principles of backwards design

*summative assessment via project

As I  said to my Dear Mom, the aforementioned approach is a great way to excite and motivate students in the learning of a foreign language.  While the teaching of vocabulary and grammar structures remain an integral component, the teaching of culture assumes a more prominent position in the unit plan.

As I plan the units I will teach next year to my seventh and eighth graders, I will utilize the above structure.  I think it will foster a new level of engagement for them.

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One of the single best books I have purchased on K-8 foreign language teaching is Languages and Children: Making the Match.  My copy is ancient, from 1996.  However, there is a much newer edition available.

It was a very nice day

I was blessed to enjoy my Dear Dad for another Father’s Day.

I enjoyed cooking a nice dinner for my family: Steaks on the grill, baked potatoes from the oven, tossed salad from the garden, fresh ciabatta bread from the bakery, a nice red wine from the vineyard, and a homemade banana pudding, prepared by my Dear Mom.

I enjoyed snapping photos of the lovely flowers in my parents’ yard.

What I’m Thinking About Now

I am officially on Summer Vacation.  All of the requisite obligations have been fulfilled. So, now, I actually have a brain with which to engage other things.  What’s dominating my thoughts at the moment are:

1.  Flipping my middle school Spanish 1 classes, with special consideration to Spanish 1-7

2.  Teaching boys, especially from the framework of foreign language education

3.   Working with a new textbook series in my Upper School Spanish 1 course

Numbers Two and Three are related; the class will consist of just boys.  Therefore, my teaching of the course and of the students will present unique opportunities and challenges.  I actually think that flipping the Spanish 1-7 class will be the easiest.