New Year, new teaching

New Year, new teaching...

One of my New Year's resolutions was to improve my teaching.  Even though I have been teaching 16 years, I am always looking to improve upon what I've done in the past.  Friends of mine have said, "after all these years, you should just be able to teach auto-pilot" or similar statements.  I have re-used projects or even some lessons but I every weekend, without fail, I sit down and plan for the week.  I want to stay current, fresh, relevant and I don't want to be bored.

Something new that I've tried this year was a QR Code Scavenger Hunt.  I don't remember to whom I owe the credit for this.  I think that it was the result of networking on Twitter or from someone's blog. I wish I could thank the person who created it because my students are having such a great time with it! Basically, what I have done was to create an initial QR code which has clues to where they can find the other QR codes throughout the school.  The clues are all in the target language.  In teams, the students run (some, literally) through the school to find the other codes.  Each code they scan has information they must find or a task like taking a selfie of the whole group with a certain administrator or food. I have used the QR Reader app on my phone to create the codes as well as ClassTools.net's QR Code Treasure Hunt.  Here are some pics from a recent scavenger hunt. You can even scan my code to see what I used!

 




I am so grateful to my students from a few years ago who set me up on Twitter. Before Twitter, I would do what I was used to doing in order to prepare for my classes--scour the internet for research, articles and ideas.  That was time consuming (even if it was worth it).  Enter my period 5 class insisting that I make a Twitter account.  I've been hooked ever since.  Now, I follow some great educators and take part in some awesome chats like #reflectiveteacher and #langchat.  It has never been easier to network ideas (if there is a better way- let me know!)

I'm excited to start using some of the new ideas that have been shared. I'm looking forward to implementing some tools like ClassTools.net's Random Name Picker and using Twitter to have students chat.  My love of music helped me to learn language more than many other activities and I try to bring music into my classroom any chance I get.  I have done the standard cloze-type activities where student fill in missing words they hear.  I have analyzed songs with students, translated parts of a song or had students make music videos.  I even use music videos as #twextracredit.  (#twextracredit is my way of giving my students extra credit through Twitter.) This year, I have tried to be more creative having students go on a scavenger hunt within a song.  I give them lyrics to a song, play the song continuously and ask them to find certain items like verbs, tenses, synonyms/antonyms, certain vocabulary terms and so on.  Basically whatever I can pull out that ranges in difficulty level.  I have had students work together and separately and usually reward the first to find all items.  It's a fun way to have students look closer at language, hear authentic language and for me to share my favorite artists with them.  I use songs in my Kahoots that usually give a clue if they're paying attention closely.  I'm always looking for ideas and would like to thank @SraSpanglish for her blog posts, especially the one on Pop Song Practice. Nice to have some new fresh ideas.

One idea I'm especially excited about didn't require me to go far or even sign in to Twitter. An advantage of being married to another teacher is that you get to bounce ideas off one another all the time.  My wife is an elementary school special ed teacher and recently we were talking about ideas to improve our teaching and she was saying that she wanted to give her students the opportunity to teach their classmates about things they enjoyed.  What an awesome idea! Even though my students might be a bit beyond show-and-tell, the idea is great.  I'm hoping to implement a version of this where my students will submit to me a topic they would like to teach the class about- sports, music, dance, whatever- and will prepare a mini lesson in the target language. I will work with them separately (in and out of the class) to prepare and each student will have their time at least once during the year. 

Another idea I'd like to "steal" is that my wife's students have written their own "books" and she keeps them in her library.  When students have free reading time, they love to read their classmates' books. How cool is this! Now my wheels are turning...  

I'm already feeling motivated to get going on improving my teaching. That's one resolution being worked on and this post is another-dedicate more time to my blog. Feeling accomplished! 

New Year's Resolutions...

New Year's Resolutions...

I'm not sure that I really believe in making resolutions or not. I know that they are intended for making me a better me and there is certainly nothing wrong with wanting to be a better version of yourself but will they end up making me feel bad about myself if I don't attain them? I did a small activity with my students before the Winter Break where we watched two videos of Italian teenagers talking about their resolutions.  I did it as part of a listening comprehension activity followed by a brief writing activity.  I think they enjoyed the videos. I know they could relate to some of the ideas like trying to use your cell phone less.  The video really captured the attachment many of my students (and probably many adults) have to their phones.  Check out the video here.  After they watched the videos, I told them to write a short list of 4-5 buoni propositi per l'anno nuovo, New  Year's resolutions.  Before writing, I told them that they didn't have to necessarily be  "resolutions" but maybe goals, instead.  I also asked them to jot down a few things maybe they thought should be goals of mine as their teacher.  We reiterated some of the ideas from the two videos and I told them my own, which were as follows:

1.  Migliorare il mio insegnamento, Improve my teaching.   This one fits into the category of goals as opposed to resolution.  I am always striving to be the best teacher I can be. I am always open to new ideas and always searching for the best way to get my students engaged. At the start of this school year, I was not using as much technology as I could've been using but I have since implemented many aspects of technology, like Google Classroom and EdPuzzle.  I'm excited that Duolingo and Quizlet now let you set up classrooms for your students so you can monitor their progress and post assignments directly from their site onto your Google Classroom! My students have enjoyed Kahoot! immensely and I have definitely noticed a difference.  But there is always more that can be done, even without technology and it is my goal to search out whatever that more is and bring it into the classroom. 

2.  Fare un gesto di gentilezza ogni mese (anche di più),  Do an act of kindness every month (or more often).  I do believe in "paying it forward" and I do believe in karma. If you want good things to come to you, you know what you need to do. This may seem a little trite but I do think that it's a good goal.  Sometimes, it's too easy to get caught up in negativity.  

3.  Fare più esercizio fisico, Exercise more. Ugh, this one. This is usually a list-topper for many.  It's not a bad idea but so easy to not follow through with.  Food is too good for me to really be on a diet. A life of eating grilled chicken and salad might be ok for others but it's just not a lifestyle I could embrace. It screams of boredom and depravity. So, the only logical alternative is to get moving. I think that this goal might be attainable because the emphasis is on the idea of more as opposed to something so specific like: lose 20 lbs, go to the gym everyday or run 5 miles a day.  Life happens and sometimes, you just can't go to the gym everyday (I'm sure there are plenty of people who will say you need to make the time and it's true but everyday is not feasible for many so I prefer a goal I can meet- just do more than I already do).

4.  Dedicarmi di più al mio blog, Spend more time working on my blog.  Again, here the operative word is more.  If I say, write a post every day, week or even month, I could soon feel like I've failed at my goal.  However, I do enjoy this blog. I don't know how many readers I really have but this experience has been really helpful. I have been able to connect with other teachers and bloggers and it has helped me gain some focus.  Focus on what I do and focus on what I want to do.  If it inspires other readers, that's great too!

5.  Spendere meno, Spend less. This is a tough one but I have to try.  I have always been of the mindset that if I work hard, I deserve to have some of life's rewards.  Don't get me wrong, i am certainly not extravagant and do not need to have expensive things but if I don't want to cook one day (or maybe two), I'll eat out.  If I go into a bookstore to buy a gift for someone, there is almost no way I'm coming out of there without at least one book for me.  Simple, little things.  But these simple, little things all add up and I have to keep my eye on the prize.  If I spend less, I will be able to have the big things, too.  My wife and I dream of having a property in South Carolina and a property in Italy. And we will have them. I just have to spend less to have more. I just read Frances Mayes' book Every Day in Tuscany: Seasons of an Italian Life and in one chapter, Frances begins a paragraph with: "ITALY IS ENDLESS." This is so true. I have traveled extensively in Italy and I know I have just grazed the surface.  I want to have my own place in Italy so I can spend the rest of my life exploring endless Italy. 

View of Vico del Gargano in Puglia
Off the beaten path and a great discovery on our family trip in 2014

Well now I am on the road to incorporating these goals into my 2016. This is my first post in the new year. I wish everyone a great year and hope you can reach your goals as well. Now, I'm off to better my teaching - lesson planning awaits. I have so many ideas for the rest of this school year I can't wait to try out. 

Classroom Setup

Here we are again.  A new school year.  You would think that by now (I'm beginning my 16th year), that I would be used to this. I have had fifteen previous first days; I should be somewhat of a pro but on some level, each new first day seems like the first ever.  I already know some of my students but there are many I don't.  How will they be? Will they be eager to learn Italian? Will we be able to establish a quick rapport like I've done with so many students before? How long before the newness wears off and we're all in a place we feel at home, where we belong?

Unlike previous years, my restless sleep wasn't entirely due to my impending return to school.  This year, my wife is joining me in my school district as a teacher in the elementary school.  Now, she's been teaching for longer than I have been but never in the same school district.  Because everything happened so quickly-- her interview and getting the job all in the week before school started- we were scrambling a little to get her classroom set up. As I drove to just about every Wal-Mart, Target, Dollar Tree and teacher store on Long Island, I realized just how important the setup of an elementary classroom is.  On the secondary level, I had always done a pretty decent job and had even tried to make my room look inviting.  It made me feel like I was welcoming the students as best I could even though many of these teenagers rarely took notice of the room.  The elementary classroom is a whole different ball game.  Not only should it be inviting and welcoming but it has to have purpose.  It has to be put together well in a way that will help facilitate learning. It has to attract the right attention at the right time.

Here's my best attempt at classroom decoration:

My wife has been using Pinterest for some time now, pinning away happily.  I have been trying so hard to become proficient at using Twitter for the past year or so and starting my blog that to even attempt to look at Pinterest could send me over the edge.  As it is, I am usually on information overload.  In these past few weeks, I have taken a peek at Pinterest and what it has to offer.  I am nowhere near proficient.  To say the least, I am overwhelmed just looking at it but... there are some really great ideas out there.  There aren't too many for a high school Italian teacher but maybe I'll just have to squirrel away a few minutes a day to add some of my own materials when I'm ready.  I wasn't really looking for myself so much anyhow. I really wanted to help my wife out because I am somewhat responsible for this very swift change in jobs.

Holy cow is there a lot of information out there. Some of these classroom designs need a whole team of architects, carpenters and possibly some elves to make it happen. Coming from the high school, I have to admit it was a little much. But, all the teachers seem to be doing it; turning their ordinary four walls into an oasis of learning just oozing with cuteness and happiness. As I tried to sleep the nights before school began, my brain started racing and I could see tons of Pinterest boards appearing before me with ideas of what to do the first days of school and how to decorate your room. I couldn't sleep. I started counting backwards from a hundred and inevitably something else would pop in and I'd lose my count.

I don't think I'm ready to really get into Pinterest and I'm almost afraid to. Seeing all of those ideas really gave me a new-found appreciation for the elementary teachers.  Kudos to you for posting some amazing ideas and also for having the patience to scour the Pinterest boards in search of setting up the perfect classroom.

Italy and Switzerland Tour 2015

Italy and Switzerland Tour 2015

This year we had another very successful tour! This tour marked my 8th tour and it was one of the most successful yet!  On this customized tour, we visited Lugano and Bellinzona in Switzerland and then we were off to Italy to visit Milan, Parma, Florence, Sarteano and Rome.  

I chose Lugano and Bellinzona because in this canton of Switzerland, they speak Italian and so it was completely relevant for my students.  Crossing the border from Italy into Switzerland was as easy as going through a toll booth in America! Once across, we were so excited to explore.  Our hotel, the Hotel Walter Au Lac could not have been more inviting!  It was right on Lake Lugano and had stunning views.  Almost all of us had balconies overlooking the lake!

The location was about as central as you could get and made it easy for us to explore the area right away.  There was a park nearby and the students even got to go on the lake in paddle boats!  Nearby, we found a funicular that would take you to the top of Monte Bre but we were not able to go to the top because of time constraints.  However, the initial ride (part of the way) was free and even gave a beautiful view! 

The next day, we were off to visit the three castles of Bellinzona.  They were incredible and offered some breathtaking views!  If you are going to be in Northern Italy, near Milan, I highly suggest you cross the border into Switzerland and enjoy!

Leaving Switzerland, we headed back into Italy towards Milan. In Milan, we visited the Duomo and even went to the top!  Make sure you wear good shoes and are ready to climb a lot of stairs!  The views from the top are worth it.  Plus, it lets you get an even better view of the Madonnina statue on the top of the church.  We visited the famed Teatro La Scala Opera house and the Castello Sforza, where the kids even had time to take a break from sightseeing and play soccer, right on the lawn behind the castle! 

On our way out of Milan, heading towards the Cradle of the Renaissance, Florence, we made a pit stop in Parma.  Parma is the home of prosciutto and of course, parmigiano reggiano cheese! I asked our tour director, Paolo, if he could arrange for us to see how the cheese was made and we were able to stop and get a tour (and buy a ton of cheese!) 

After we sampled the cheese and bought it, we headed into town to check out a local market and eat pizza.  I couldn't help but get my pizza with prosciutto di Parma! 

After eating, we were on the road again towards Florence.  I hadn't been to Florence in years and was excited to be able to show my students everything that Florence has to offer and to make them walk all the way up to the Piazzale Michelangelo to enjoy a panoramic view of the city and then up even more stairs to San Miniato al Monte.  Although they were exhausted, everyone agreed that it was well worth it!  The next day, we took a walking tour with a local guide and while she was very good and informative, my students couldn't help but comment that I practically did the same tour for them the day before, why did we even need her! Maybe next time, we'll skip the local guide and I can step in!  

We said Ciao to Florence and headed south to Rome.  On our way, we made a stop in a town called Sarteano. I had read about this town a while ago, remembering that they had found some very interesting finds dating back to the Etruscans.  The Archaeological Museum of Sarteano is closed on Mondays, but somehow, we were able to get a private visit!  The museum had many Etruscan artifacts, including  many items related to their burial rituals. After we toured the museum, our guide took us out into the fields to visit the actual tombs of the Etruscans! We were lucky to be able to visit one where they had found some original artwork in the tomb.  This particular tomb is known as the Tomb of the Infernal Chariot or Tomba della Quadriga Infernale.  This was an amazing opportunity for us. 

 After our visit, we ate in a local restaurant, La locanda dei tintori.  We had a special tasting menu that included two different types of pasta (one was their homemade pici - you must try these!) , a few different types of grilled meats and salad. It was arguably one of the best meals we had the whole trip!

This was one of the best stops along our route! Then we were headed for the Eternal City, Rome.  While we only had a few days in Rome, we were able to take in many of the sights. We ventured to the top of St. Peters Basilica where we had sweeping views of the city and a great workout climbing all those steps!

We toured the Colosseum, the Pantheon and more.  And then it was time to head back to New York.  We had a great time and shared some awesome memories. Memories I hope will inspire my students to return to Italy and to keep traveling.

Pre-departure meeting

Pre-departure meeting

Once your groups are made and rooming assignments are taken care of, you'll need to do a few more things before you have your pre-departure meeting.  Here are a few things to consider:

Travel to/from airport: You'll need to decide whether it is each man for themselves, carpooling or arranging for a charter bus.  There are pros and cons to each.

Each man for himself:   This way is probably the cheapest for your travelers, depending on how far you are from the airport.  This also allows parents who are not traveling with their children to extend their goodbyes a little longer.  The downside to this is that someone can be stuck in traffic, get lost or just run late which could cause you to worry as the group leader.  Also, it's not the most eco-friendly way to travel.

Carpooling: This way is more eco-friendly and can be less expensive than a coach bus or even individual travel.  In order for this idea to work, you have to make sure that each car has enough space for the people/luggage.  Here again, though, people can be late, stuck in traffic or get lost.

Coach bus (charter): This is my personal preference because while it may not be the cheapest route for your group (depending on size), it is eco-friendly and it ensures that your group will arrive at the same time and check in together.  There is no waiting around for any latecomers. Parents will have to say goodbye at the school which might be difficult for some of the more clingy parents but they can always use FaceTime from airport before departure.  This involves more work on your part because you'll have to research companies and then collect money for the bus from participants.  Another upside is that you will have the bus time to review some important information with your travelers.  At this time, I usually assign a number to each participant so that when we come back together as a large group after free time, I don't have to walk around doing a head count.  We just count off as loud as we can! I use this bus time to practice!

Tips

Here again, you'll need to make a decision.  You can have each participant be in charge of tipping their guides, tour directors and bus drivers or you can collect in advance.  My recommendation is to do the latter. It is much easier for you and more efficient than collecting on tour.  It also gives the travelers one less thing to worry about.  I usually go with the recommendation of the tour company on how to tip.

Email or send a letter to your group

Once you have made your decision regarding the travel to/from the airport and the tips, you are ready to draft an email or letter to your group.  In the letter, you should let them know when you'll hold your pre-departure meeting and what they should bring with them to the meeting.  If you travel with EF, they usually send you a backpack and luggage tag for each participant, which I like to give out at this meeting.  For an idea of how to draft your letter, click here.

You're ready to have your meeting!  Good luck!

Your group is set!

Your group is set!

Once your group is set (meaning you will not be accepting any other travelers for the tour), you should meet with your student travelers and maybe send an email to your adult travelers.

Student Travelers

There are a few details to work out with your student travelers, like who they'll room with and who will be in their small groups.  I am a bit of a control freak and so I never allow students to roam around during free time on their own. They are always with a chaperone in a small group.  I try to have no more than 8-10 people per group. As for the rooming, it is hard to know in advance how the rooms will be broken up in a hotel.  Some can accommodate four in a room, some three and some students will be really lucky to have a double.  This is all up to the discretion of the hotel and of course, the number of students you have.  What I can do to ensure they have the best time is to allow them to choose who they'll be spending the majority of their time with. Here's what I do:

- I call a meeting after school for all student participants.

- I have students fill out a request form that tells me their rooming preferences for rooms of 4,3, and 2 (just to be safe) and for larger groups and chaperone choice.

Based on their input, I will sit down and try to give them what they want.  I always let them know that depending on the group size (I have taken up to 87 people on one tour), they might not get everything they want but I will be sure to do my best.  I will then create groups for chaperones and then a rooming chart for boys and girls with all rooming scenarios (quads, triples and doubles) to be as best prepared.  Sometimes, you will have to break up rooms because the hotel might not have all quads or all triples. This is where you have to be creative and just go with your gut as to how to separate.  Remind students that they will only be in rooms to sleep because you are on tour to see as much as you can and rooming is just a few hours of sleep and getting ready for the day.

For myself, I create multiple spreadsheets- one with the rooming and chaperone groups, one with an alphabetical list of travelers and their passport information (date of issue, number and date of expiration) and one with emergency contact information.

Adult Travelers

The adults are usually roomed in doubles unless they request a single room.  There is always an up charge for a single room, so make sure they know about that.  If they choose to room with their child, the child will normally pay the adult rate (check with your travel agency).  I would just send an email to them asking what their preference is for rooming (single, with child or another adult).  Once they let you know, you can make arrangements for them as well.  As far as the chaperoned groups go, I include the parents in a chaperoned group with their children but always let them know that they can of course go off with their child only on their own and meet us back at the designated time/place. 

Once you have all the student/adult requests, you should then make your spreadsheets and prepare for a pre-departure meeting!

Recruiting for your trip

So you've got your tour all set up.  It's been approved by whomever needed to approve it and now you need to recruit. What should you do?

ADVERTISE! 

Advertise your upcoming tour around your school, through school announcements, on the school website, through a message sent home to parents and of course, in your classroom! Let everyone who might be eligible know that you are leading a tour and set a meeting date. Initial meetings should be held at a time when parents can attend, since it is ultimately up to them if their child will be allowed to travel.  Students of course are welcome but parents are the decision makers.  

Once you've advertised and you've set a date, you should put together an agenda.  Your organization will speak volumes about how you will be as a tour leader.  Remember that you are asking parents to trust you with their most precious possessions. If you seem nervous or poorly organized, they might be hesitant to let their child participate.

Here's what I would include in my agenda:

I. Introduction -- Introduce yourself, giving any pertinent professional information like how many years you have been teaching and how your supervisory skills are.  Tell parents who the chaperones will be (if you know) as well.  If they are in attendance, a brief introduction would be appropriate.

II.  The tour - If you like, you can put together something very easily using PowerPoint or other presentational software to show pictures of the places you plan to visit.  Go over the itinerary with them in some detail.  What will you be doing there? What will you see?

Next, I would go over what a typical day on tour might be like.  In my experience, we usually wake early and are out early on guided sightseeing tours.  From lunch to dinner time, is free time.  How will you structure your free time? Will you allow students to go off on their own and meet back at an agreed meeting spot or will you structure even the ¨free¨ time?  I personally prefer to break up into small, pre-assigned groups led by one of the chaperones.  Within these smaller groups, you will decide where to have lunch and what they would like to do : shop or take in some more sights or both.  Then all smaller groups meet up at a designated meeting point to go on to dinner where they can all discuss what they did during their free time.  I prefer pre-assigned groups to avoid confusion as to who is with who today. Another great way to make sure you have everyone is to assign everyone a number and have them count off each time you all get back together as a large group and before you move on to your next stops.

III.  What is included? Let parents and students know exactly what is included in the tour price.  Usually, tour price will cover airfare, hotels, some meals, admission to some museums, guided sightseeing, transportation within the country of travel and a tour director.  Some typically non-included costs are: tips, transportation to/from airport, some meals, passport fees, insurance and souvenirs.  Once you've covered this, you can tell them the pricing.  There are usually payment options available.  Check with your tour operator for their payment options.  I do like to plan about 2 years in advance so that the payments seem more manageable.

Here is also a good place to let parents know about currency exchange rates, how much you recommend per day for spending money, if you will arrange for transportation to/from airport (your best bet to make sure for a smooth check-in at airport), when/if you plan to collect tip money ahead of time (highly recommended).

IV.  Passports 
For all foreign travel, students will need a current passport.  Check with the country where you plan to travel.  Many countries require that passports be valid for up to 6 or 7 months after you return.  Passports can generally be obtained through your local post office and can take up to 8 weeks to process.  If a student is under 16, both parents are required to be at the post office at the time of application and their passport will be valid only 5 years.  After 16, passports are valid for 10 years.  For more passport info, click here.

V.  Miscellaneous
Here you might want to discuss school rules regarding the trip.  I have students and parents sign a behavior contract so that they know what type of behavior is expected and what consequences there can be if they do not adhere to rules.  

VI.  Question/ Answer
Ask parents if they have any questions about anything they have seen/heard.  Answer the best you can.  If you don't have an answer, ask for contact information and tell them you will be in touch with answer.  Offer your professional contact information because many will think of questions afterwards.  Remember, this is a huge decision for many and knowing that you are available will ease their minds.

Good luck with your recruiting! I'll be back to talk about other important travel topics like choosing your chaperones, how to handle the enormous responsibility, customized vs. book tours and more! Stay tuned!