une aventure

This week I took a trip out of my comfort zone. I spent the week at a workshop for teachers who are going to teach Advanced Placement courses. I had the hope that perhaps I could offer a French AP class at my school. I spent the entire week in all day classes where the instructor, Christophe, conducted the class in French. It has been a long time since I have been in a French speaking only class, and for the entire week, all day long!! Oh la la! I am still trying to think in English today. We had to give a 10 minute presentation (another step out of my comfort zone), and I got very little sleep the night before.

In spite of the language challenge, I did learn a great deal and made friends with some other French teachers in the area. Their students are much different than the students I teach at Monterey Trail. When I shared some stories with my colleagues, they were greatly amazed. Most of them teach at schools where the students are predominantly very wealthy. I am not undaunted however. I learned that the AP exams can save students a great deal of time and money at college, and my students could really benefit from that option. I have hope that some of them can do this, although the French AP exam is considered one of the most difficult of the AP exams.

I also walked around the campus. It was at CSUS, my alma mater. It was fun to remember the "good old days" and compare the differences between then and now, not only the campus, but the students, the technology. Lots of fun memories.

Today I am greatly relieved to be at home in Elk Grove, back from my trip and comfortable once more.