La Rentrée

September 1, 2015 {244/365} • La Rentrée

"Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it." - Buddha

C'est la rentrée -- the re-entry -- the return to school, work, a normal routine. Every first day of school brings excitement and apprehension for students, parents, and educators. Today, I begin my twenty-second year in the Pewaukee School District. This year, I will continue coaching my colleagues in the middle school and high school as they leverage technology to make learning engaging, authentic, and personalized. 

Yet, as much as I enjoy collaborating with such caring, innovative educators, I am most excited about the opportunity to teach a blended French 4/5 course this year. Most of the students in the class were in middle school when I last taught French, so I'm eager to reconnect with them. I worked hard this summer to create an engaging, virtual residency in Paris where students will explore the city, find apartments, work internships, go to films and museums, participate in a book club, and visit different regions of France and the francophone world: sites.google.com/site/pewaukeeparis. C'est le retour de Madame!

August in Pictures

“Fairest of months! Ripe summer’s queen. The hey-day of the year with robes that gleam with sunny sheen, sweet August doth appear.” - R. Combe Miller

Dolce far niente

August 31, 2015 {243/365} Doggie Dolce

It's my own personal holiday. Each year, right before the first day of school, I celebrate il dolce far niente -- the sweetness of doing nothing.  I allow myself one day to read, sip tea, watch movies, whatever I want. This year, I have someone with whom to share the delicious idleness... and she's really good at it!