Let’s see if this Eiffel Tower “mashup” works…
Mashup???
October 4th, 2011Friday French Forum (vendredi social) 3
September 30th, 2011Friday French Forum (vendredi social) 2
September 30th, 2011Urban free-running! Also known as “parkour” from the verb “parcourir” (to run about or to travel, to cover).
Check out a home-made video!
Originated in France on the streets of Paris. Is it performance art? Yoga in motion? Acrobatics? A genuine sport? A passing fad? A public nuisance?
Either way, a disclaimer is needed: DO NOT ATTEMPT THESE STUNTS!
Audio “drop box” test…
September 16th, 2011Under construction…
This is a trial link for a new audio drop box feature (for students to record their voices).
UPDATE: ca marche! It works. Please return to this post for any future need to use the link (as part of an assignment, etc).
Friday French Forum (vendredi social) 1
September 15th, 2011This is the first part in a semester-long series of cultural tangents that are meant to spur conversation in class, to explore the arts of the francophone world, and to keep us informed of current events. Whatever we don’t cover in class is fair game for extended comments through this blog.
Fridays, for the most part, will be conducted as seminar-style classes; over snacks/food we can relax and investigate French topics of concern or interest to you. I will routinely suggest/post videos, songs, Internet stories, etc, but please contribute to the effort by making your own connections and suggestions for Fridays’ topics. Its success will be correlated with your enthusiasm and engagement.
Patrick Bruel, singer/song-writer/actor
<< Adieu >> a song and prayer in remembrance of March 11, 2005
Jesse McCartney, who’d have thunk it?!
<< De toi a moi >> a song known and loved by former students of Mademoiselle Rojas
MC Solaar, a North African immigrant rapper
<< Bling bling >> a song and tongue twister…see if you can keep up with the lyrics!
For your consideration
August 11th, 2011Onward to the world of fashion (for which France is known) and self-esteem (an issue that every teenager and adult struggles with at some point). Check out this link to a story on “faux”tography. Do you think this kind of decision would be a good idea? Why or why not?
Fieldtrip brainstorm
August 11th, 2011I would like to organize and run at least one French class field trip per semester.
Recently, my French classes have had the opportunity to visit an impressionism exhibit at the Philadelphia Art Museum and to delight in coffee and chocolate at a Narberth “patisserie.”
This is an open-thread post, soliciting ideas for new field trips that our class can take. What do you think? It would be best, but not mandatory, if we found occasions after school on a weekday or weekend. Obviously, I will need to do research and due diligence in getting permission slips and transportation, etc.
Foreign films? Barnes Museum? Creole restaurants?
Be creative! Thanks.
Embarking upon a new year in French class
August 11th, 2011I invite my new French students, as part of their first weekend’s homework, to comment on this post. Please consider the following 4 prompts, which ask you to contemplate the direction our class will take moving forward, your individual growth, and your contribution to our class dynamic. Respond to each prompt in your comment.
Consider and respect what other people are saying in their posts, too. Don’t forget to enjoy taking risks and learning from them.
1. Be honest: what is your biggest inhibition (anxiety, worry, or obstacle) when it comes to speaking French and using it in conversation?
2. What one or two specific skills in French do you pledge to work on improving for yourself during this school year? This could be your goal-setting time!
3. What has been your favorite memory or lesson or moment from previous French classes at Merion?
4. What turns you on most about French? In other words, what excites you about the language?
Reminder about this blog
August 11th, 2011Dear students,
Welcome back to the revamped blog and website for French 4 at MMA during the 2011-2012 school year.
Just a reminder to scroll back through the history of this blog to learn about how to create a comment-user account. It is my intention to follow through with this tool as a way of continuing the conversations and considerations we have in class about French current events and culture. Please check back regularly, read the posts, consider the ideas, and exchange your own thoughts. I will indicate in person whether there is a mandatory blog homework on the horizon.
Merci beaucoup for your patience and engagement.
How to register and comment
August 11th, 2011My students at Merion Mercy Academy in French 4 are eligible to register and comment.
On the right-hand side there is a LOGIN link; click there and you will be prompted to register. It’s free. You must create a valid USER NAME and PASSWORD. Your user name should be your full name (first and last with a space in between). Your password is yours to choose, protect, and remember privately.
NOTE: Any comment that I, as administrator, deem inappropriate because of content, links, language, or deviation from the topic of a given post, will be swiftly deleted. MMA school rules with regard to personal integrity, peer and teacher respect, and internet bullying do apply here. Any misconduct or infraction on this blog may lead to disciplinary results. Also, any comments made by an anonymous user may be held pending (or deleted).
Hello, students!
July 30th, 2008Welcome to my blog.
This is my first post, which will serve — I hope — as an example of what’s to come.
Every so often, in the normal course of the semester, I will use this blog as a tool for extending discussion of a class reading, an underdeveloped idea, a new discovery, etc.
All Merion students of mine are welcome (and required) to register as a user / contributor to the blog, which will enable them to comment on the posts that I make.
Posts of mine are meant to spur online debates and reflections among the blog users (you!). The posts might be thematic proposals, website links, or homework topics.
I will announce in class when there is a homework assignment that involves a mandatory visit and participation in the blog. Also, you can search old posts and old comments using the tools on the sidebar. Check back often and enjoy the page! That’s all for now…
Cheers,
M. Pidot
