Day 6 Nearly Past Me By

Here we are at Day 6 and I am still ill and writing from my bed.  Not fair!  I was hoping to go up to London tomorrow to visit the Sherlock Holmes exhibit at the London Museum.  Ah well, half term is coming up in one week and I can go then.  I had better do this blog entry now or my lurgi may claim me back and I will have let down the side!

I had intended to keep pursuing the issues I've been having with my library but two other topics are pressing me more closely and so I will leave the library for the moment.  A friend and former colleague, Nina O'Connor, retired from international teaching 6 or 7 years ago and went back to live in Michigan.  She is working for the university and has also started a series of cooking programmes on YouTube in French.  The idea is to help people improve their French while learning how to make simple French recipes.  Her first recipe was for a vinaigrette.

This reminded me of the time I did a salad and a vinaigrette with a class when I was being observed.  It was the best vinaigrette I have ever made and I have never again been able to make one as good.  Funny how that happens.  I'm not sure whether you could use this series with beginners but I'm sure you could with students who have a few years of French under their belts.  Kids love cooking in class and it doesn't have to cost much.  Nina's next recipe is for a salade niçoise.  I think you could do that one in class as well.  Nothing to really cook. It's just a matter of putting everything together.  A baguette would go well with it.

Years ago when I started teaching French in Canada, I brought in a set of cooking cards I collected from Marie Claire for my grade 11 French class.  Students chose a recipe, made it at home and brought in the results and talked about making it.  We then had a wonderful time tasting everything.  I can see a way of including the use of the I-pad by having students work in pairs and film the preparation and then present in class.

Joe Dale tweeted yesterday asking for ideas about using the I-pad for primary literacy.  I spent some time thinking about his today and also did a little research.  I've found an article in a journal called The Reading Teacher  (Exploring the Use of the I-pad for Literacy Learning), and later this weekend, I will have a look at it and then report back.