Reflections on Remote Learning

It's been 5 weeks of Remote Learning, and we have 2 more to go.  

Often on the last day of class, I ask students to reflect back on the year and provide feedback after they've completed their semester exam.  I plan to do that this year, too, though we aren't giving exams.  In addition to the questions I usually ask, I'm going to ask students what they found most difficult about remote learning, and what things they wish they could keep when we return to some form of in person school.

Thinking about this got me reflecting about some of the positives of this new learning environment.  

My school district has adopted a Monday-Thursday schedule and has encouraged teachers to focus on asynchronous learning because students' home situations vary, and they might not all be able to attend a live video lesson on Tuesday morning at 9:25.  Teachers have "office hours" from 9-11 AM and 1-2 PM when they are available online to answer questions via email, Canvas message, or Google Meet.  

I've found this schedule to be calmer than my in person school routine (and I only work half time!), perhaps because I'm introverted.  Here are some of the positives for me:

• I don't have to get up at 5:30 anymore.  I can sleep until 6:30 or 7 and even go for a run before school.
• I can use the bathroom when I need to.  
• Teaching multiple sections of the same prep is much less tiring - I'm recording a lesson only once, rather than teaching it two or three times.
• Patrolling for cell phone use, which was a huge (and tiring!) part of daily classroom management, is no longer part of my job.
• A 2 hour lunch break lets me eat at a relaxed pace and even go for a walk after lunch.

I miss working with students in person, but I think this schedule is better for my overall health - if you leave out the stress of a global pandemic, of course!

I read an article yesterday about How to Reopen Schools Amid Coronavirus. Among the things mentioned were smaller class sizes.  Classes with only 12 to 15 students would be amazing!  

Schoolchildren have lunch at the Korshoejskolen Public school in Randers, Denmark. Denmark began reopening schools on April 15.
Bo Amstrup/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images
https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2020/04/23/gettyimages-1210034619_slide-adff93055917aebc5ed6b88550f6327099963c34-s800-c85.jpg

It would be great if we used this crisis as an opportunity to think about what works and what doesn't in our public schools and to make some changes.  It could be done - we just have to decide how important educating our children really is to us.

Transport in Berlin Video from Easy German

My German 2 students just started a new unit on Transportation before Spring Break and the school closures.  I used Edpuzzle to insert comprehension questions into a video from Easy German about Transport in Berlin:



We watched the video as a whole class first without the questions and pauses.  Then, students were assigned to watch the Edpuzzle video and answer the questions in Canvas (our LMS) at their own pace.  Overall, it worked pretty well.  Now, with schools closed and students learning from home, I may be doing more of these videos.

März Musik Bracket Up

The März Musik bracket is now up in my classroom!  

On Friday after their test, my German 2 students received their brackets.  I played a very short snippet of each song, and students filled out their brackets, making predictions of which song they thought would win the whole thing.  

I've invited my colleague, Frau Nessi, to include her German 2 class as well, so for the first time I've tried creating a page in Canvas (our LMS) with dynamic content that updates automatically.  Cross your fingers that it works!

Students have to have their brackets filled out by next class to be eligible to win the prediction contest, and the first vote will be Tuesday, March 10 and Wednesday March 11.

We're a bit behind some of the other schools that are participating in the group bracket, but since we just finished round 1 of sophomore ISTEP testing and spring break starts in a week, this seems to work best for us.  March Madness runs into April, and we will too!

März Musik 2020

modified from https://drive.google.com/open?id=1mdc2dxcQ2-jRsgEwRrQl999IF2qGgH625Na_cObqYp0

It's almost March, and once again, I am incredibly grateful for the internet and German teachers who share their fantastic resources!

Last year, I debuted März Musik with my German 2 classes, and it was a big hit.  Some of my students from last year have already been asking if we'll be doing it again this year.  It's a lot of fun, but also a lot of work to set up.  Here's where the German Teacher Blogosphere steps in:

A German teacher in Wisconsin shared her list of 16 songs to compete in this year's March Music Madness, as well as activities, brackets, and more.  Other teachers have contributed their materials, and now there's a whole Google Folder full of great stuff!  

So, I think I'm ready to go.  Like last year, I'll be doing März Musik with my German 2 classes, and I'll open it up to my colleague's German 2 class and her 3/4 classes as well.

Podcasts for German Learning

I've become a big fan lately of Podcasts, and there are several that are good for German learning.

One that's been around for a while is Slow German Podcast from Annik Rubens.

Annik has been podcasting for more than 10 years and has some great episodes for German students.  The podcasts are usually 8-10 minutes long, and she speaks slowly and clearly.  

You can download them to your mobile phone or subscribe through a Podcast App, or you can listen online.  There is also a transcript of the episode available for free as a pdf download.

If you listen online, there's a really nice feature where she has translated some of the more difficult words, which you can see if you move your cursor over the word:

My German 2 students are now working on a unit about travel, and we listened to part of the podcast about Jugendherbergen (youth hostels) this week.  These podcasts are challenging but understandable for intermediate level students. 

I've blogged previously about using videos from Easy German in my classes.  They have recently started a podcast, which I think is fantastic!

These podcasts are much longer than Slow German - usually at least an hour - and are geared at more advanced students.  They speak at a regular speed but keep their German learner audience in mind and explain (in German) particularly tricky words or cultural references.  

Again, you can download them to your mobile phone or subscribe through a Podcast App, or you can listen online.  The podcast is free, but if you subscribe for $2 a week, you have access to a transcript as well as a really neat vocabulary feature on certain Podcast Apps.

I use Overcast, and when I am listening, the vocabulary and English translations for the current section of the podcast show up automatically on my phone:

Since I only teach first and second year German currently, I wouldn't use these podcasts with my students, but parts of them could definitely be used in an upper level class, and they'd be great for students who want to challenge themselves.  

I enjoy listening to hear native speakers and keep my German fresh, and the hosts Manuel, Cari, and Janusz are voll sympathisch!

Finally, the Tagesschau evening news is also available as a free video or audio only podcast for your phone or mobile app.  

I often listen while driving to or from school, and frequently hear a story I want to share with my students on the video version so that they have visual supports and subtitles to support their understanding.

Viel Spaß beim Zuhören!

Advent Calendars for German Teachers

There are quite a few online Advent calendars each year for German teachers and their students.  

Some years I'm better at keeping up with them than others!  It's always tricky since we have semester exams before winter break, and there's not always a lot of time to celebrate German Christmas traditions amid the review and end of semester craziness.

But here are links to some of the calendars I'm enjoying this year:

• AATG Advent Calendar: https://www.aatg.org/page/AdventKalender 

• Klett - USA Adventskalendar: https://www.klett-usa.com/adventskalender/c-3101

• Die Sendung mit der Maus Adventskalendar: https://www.wdrmaus.de/extras/mausthemen/adventskalender/2019/index.php5 

• Erster Österreichischer Dachverband Legasthenie:  https://legasthenie.at/Weihnachten2019/

Viel Spaß und schöne Adventstage!

Math Puzzles for my German Students

Because why not?

I love logic puzzles and think they are great for students to promote playful, logical thinking and problem solving.

The amazing Sarah Carter of Math = Love very generously shares puzzles that she uses in her classroom on her blog, and I've found time to print out two so far and put them in my room for students when they have a spare minute or two.

The first one is the A+ puzzle, which can be really tricky unless you approach it in the right way.

Then I added in the 1-4-5 Square Challenge.

Of course, I put it right by my Deutsch macht Spaß sign!

I think it's about time to rotate out the A+ puzzle and bring in a new one - as soon as I find the time!