missteacher

Hello there!

Today I'm proposing two new lesson plans with the same topic: coming back to scool after the holidays (the Xmas holidays as far as we are concerned, but you can adapt).

For 6ème form (elementary level), this is just an introduction of the past tense. Holidays are indeed the perfect opportunity to talk about the past.
For 5ème form (pre-intermediate), I chose to focus on DID questions (did you...) and short answers. I also chose to talk about question tags as there are some in the listening I chose (which I can't provide I'm sorry but the references are in the lesson plans - don't hesitate to send me an email for further questions).

The lesson plans are still in French (sorry for my anglophone readers, if there are any - well, there's already you Brian! ;-)

6ème lesson plan:
6eme-holidays.pdf

5ème lesson plan:
5eme-xmas_holidays.pdf

A vocabulary worksheet (to project): holidays_activities.pdf

The last exercise in the "5ème" lesson plan is taken from www.onestopenglish.com and more exactly from this sheet : preterit.pdf

I'm on holidays today for 11 days... But I've received a note saying that somebody from my hierarchy will come into one of my classes on the 9th of November. It's a "visit" to give pieces of advice to young teachers like me. We, as teachers, are graded, according to our pedagogy. We are graded through this kind of "visits" called "inspections".
This is not really an "inspection" because the person will give me advice but if it goes well, my grade will still be increased. So, no stress!!!! :-)
Still, my holidays sound like no real holidays... too much work ! :-(

Sorry for the English; it's quite bad I'm sure.

Holidays are just a transition for French teachers. It's a two-month transition before starting a new school year. This transition is quite eventful for me as I'm preparing to start a new life in a new place. I'm moving to the suburbs of Paris to teach. I'm not going there alone, fortunately. I don't know if I would have been able to face all those many new things just by myself.
It's going to be exciting, as it always is when it is new. My life in this current city has been nice - but it is now over. I wanted a change, after only two years living here. It was enough. I feel I don't like to stay in the same place very long. I feel I am too young to settle somewhere, somewhere sure, somewhere definite. Nothing should be definite. I should be able to accept new challenges anytime. I have to. I will turn 24 soon. This is too young for anything to be definite.

I'm sometimes longing for new places. Places where everything can begin again. Places where I am a stranger, and yet where I can feel I am in the right place.

I am longing for this feeling, this one feeling I already had. This somehow lost feeling.
The feeling of freedom, of infinite possibilities, of open future, of endless opportunities and dreams.

************************************************************

We were young. Not young in the sense of not aged. Young in our spirits. We all left our countries, coming to a new one. We were all looking for something. Including me. I found what I came for. Freedom. Freedom of mind.
There was nothing to worry about. Nothing mattered. Everything was far. Only the next day counted, the next meeting, the next talk, the next kiss, the next party. Our lives were rhythmed by our encounters.
We felt eternal. There were no obstacles. Happiness was our common lot.

Then we all left.
We all left Ireland.
And the feeling was lost.