Camarade

Things always look more interesting when viewed between warring bulls, this is actually a restaurant sign...and every time I read its name I will admit, I do smile...Boeuf et Cow. (Vache = cow, Anglicisms everywhere!)

So a rather long day, starting in darkness and ending in darkness...due to the ridiculously early start at school that I can never seem to say no to when asked! (Note to self/gentle reminder to self: do attempt at some point in your French school career to be able to say no at times...getting up at 6.30am hurts!)

So instead of working with the normal sixième on Friday, I ended up working with them at ridiculous o'clock this morning...which in some ways ended up being a blessing in disguise, as my next class ended up with me not being needed...so at least I woke up early for something! I'm starting to like this class, after nearly four months of working with them I know, as the more mischievous pupils are starting to calm down even more and the more timid ones are coming out of their shell. After taking the rest of my half of the class for their speaking test, I then helped the teacher for the rest of the hour. The topic: create a superhero. Today we were all talking about superpowers...the look on their faces when they realised that they were actually able to translate words they originally thought were hard was so precious.

As previously said, in my next class I was told I would not be needed on entering the class...so rather glad I had not dragged my complaining body out of its nice warm cocoon for nothing! This time was well spent, preparing for the rest of my classes for the rest of the day. After finding out that that particular class was cancelled...I was then told by a different teacher that their class was also not happening...so I ended up going and working with the cinquième INTER for an extra hour just so I could feel like I was doing that was at least a tiny bit useful! I feel like I should reiterate, I still don't like that particular class...and even less so after how I saw they behaved around their classmates. Now they are twelve and thirteen...that difficult age. But I will not have students in my class afraid to speak in case they are mocked. Although I wasn't able to catch the culprits in the act...I now have my eyes fully trained on those responsible!

I have only just realised that on a Tuesday afternoon I have some of the troisième EURO for three consecutive hours...English club followed by two hours of English. Got to hand it to them, they are enthusiastic! In the club I worked on a pronunciation poem...you know all those words that even a native speaker has to stop and think about, well someone has helpfully combined them into a poem! The way I worked it was that they had to read aloud in turns, and they got a black mark if they mispronounced a word. What was amazing was that with just one repeat of the poem and me going into depth about all the words mentioned the second recitation was almost 100% better!
So the club was followed by normal class, and we have finished The Landlady, and watched the video with the added ending...discussing whether they thought it was a good ending or not. However, they were all unanimous that the Landlady was a necrophiliac. Oh well, at least they spoke!
My last hour was spent having "conversation" with groups of two students, just to build their confidence in speaking. And true to stereotype, the girls were better than the boys! My favourite question without competition that I was asked today has to be:-

Miss, do you prefer French or English men?

Now to avoid offending anyone I am going to stay neutral on the topic as I was in class but I think we all know what nationality I prefer! This particular class is an absolute joy to teach, and I can see their improvement already from the beginning of the year...and it's absolutely great to watch.

Final class of the long day was sixième INTER, and we have finally finished the film. However this brings new problems as now we need to decide on a film that suits a 50/50 split class of girls to boys! Will genuinely have to put my thinking cap on...although I'm very glad that they are not as closed aas the cinquième INTER to new things!

My evening was spent in various places: La Maison de l'etudiant for the Café Polyglotte (speaking café) where I met Thomas, Dana, Gaeton, Simon and various others, a quick stop-off at Claire's to see her and Becky and pick up le sac de couchage (sleeping bag) of Ste's for my long weekend in Amiens this weekend and then finishing the evening with Thibaud. Knackered now, but somehow couldn't leave anywhere until I really had to!