SAN MARINO MANDARIN CHINESE PROGRAM JOURNAL

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Fall 2010 

7/28/2010

I decided to move my journal to my original site here, since I can include my old journals and FLAP is essentially over anyway, technically the grant ends on May 14, 2011, but most of the work is done on the grant.

8/24/2010

I'm going to try to write journals more often again, having slacked off last year.  The AP kids weren't used to having to ask questions in Mandarin, but they performed fine today, it's a lot of work and stress to take the class, but I believe each and every one of them are up for it.  The rest of the classes went as expected in this first day of school for San Marino.

8/26/2010

I started testing the new textbook series, Encounters Chinese, hopefully we will find funds to buy these textbooks for next year's Mandarin 1-2 classes.  The beginning seemed fine but the students did not some difficulty completing the work since the units are a bit demanding.  I will be updating progress on these books throughout the year.

9/7/2010

So much for writing journals more.  This year has been extremely busy.  In any case the textbook has been quite well received this year.  I hope to have a chance to speak to the Board of Education again about adopting the books.

9/12/2010

With FLAP coming to an end this year, I will have to get the final report finished by the summer.  In order to continue developing in my career, I have also taken a few other steps this year.

9/20/2010

I updated the song list with a couple of Chinese songs and another in Sami from a singer in Sweden, it's a nice simple song with really simple lyrics, which I appreciate.  Wednesday I find out about my status on going back to school.

9/23/2010

This will be the 4th time I am working full time and going back to school, this might be the hardest of them all, but it'll be fun to see what happens.  I liked the Chinese Moon Festival project my kids did yesterday and will be uploading them on the website.

10/11/2010

When I finish school this time I hope I can still work in language teaching, if not, as long as I am working with kids it's fine.  I will of course keep this website to keep the memories.

10/26/2010

I didn't think I could be more sleep deprived than the last time I went through school while teaching.  It's definitely a challenge.  I will be posting the newly revised music project that can be used across all disciplines.  Our students have taken it pretty well and I have gotten some nice projects back.

11/26/2010

I have begun working on the FLAP Final Performance Report and we have an observing teacher now in my classroom.  She will be teaching sometimes in all my classes.  It should be a fun experience.  The 2010 ACTFL conference was again wonderful in terms of professional development for me, particularly the University of Oregon materials online, such as the thematic units and activities.

12/6/2010

The January 8 field trip will be the final one of the year, in May my son will be only a month old and I do not want to leave him for an entire Saturday to go on a field trip.  This year we are going to both Chinatown and Rowland Heights, as kind of a goodbye tour for these last four years.  We used to go to Chinatown for the middle school class so some of the kids will have been there.

12/17/2010

I have told the students that I will be leaving next year.  All my evaluations are already finished for the year, and I will be done with the FLAP Final Performance Report by the year's end.  Everything is ready and set up for my departure.  Regardless of how many things I wish I could do over and do differently, I am proud of how the program has developed  these past four years.  With a fully phased-in four year high school program including AP Chinese, this is as attractive a position as there is in the U.S. for Mandarin teachers.  I hope to be involved in the selection on the teacher that will replace me.

12/27/2010

The final FLAP report has been more work than I recall for any other report.  I installed Adobe Acrobat Reader on the student computers, since they were not able to read pdf files before online.

12/31/2010

I have launched the new design for ealic.net, truthfully, it is very difficult to possibly leave a place I have spared so much emotion in for four years, but the current fiscal situation in California is simply a horror show, to say the least, and teachers will have very difficult circumstances to face in the beginning of 2011.

2/25/2011

This is my last journal entry.  In a few months these entries probably not be available any more, unless the new teacher decides to keep these pages.  I uploaded the final field trip pictures, and I will make all updates from now on on my own website, ealic.net.