Teaching Teachers and Other Good News

Today I presented at a Foreign Language Summit at the TEA Center for North Texas. There were teachers there from all over DFW, and I presented in two session of about using technology in the classroom. I showed them some interactive sites, forums, how to download and use podcasts, with some cool news podcasts to use, and also showed them how to download videos off youtube and some cool ones and how to use them. Neither one of my sessions were full, but they seemed to really like it. I got lots of thank yous, one lady gave me a hug, one said mine was the most useful one and how she was really excited about using my ideas with her students, and another actually asked if I would do an in-service for her district!
So, wow, I'm glad I did it. When our language coordinator asked me if I could present at the conference, I really hesitated, 1) because I hate leaving my classroom 2) I didn't feel qualified as a newer teacher. But I figured technology is something I do know a fair amount about and might have some fresh ideas to share because I would hate to waste my time and theirs showing them something they already knew or wouldn't use. But it was a neat experience. I mean, I'm a teacher, but I've never taught a group of my peers like that...and it was fun.

Also, I got my new French 1 students, and I'm really pleased. They are sweet and are eager to learn. I had forgotten how cute 9th graders can be. They're like the kindergarteners of the high school world. Squirrelly as all get-out but sweet. The only blight was one kid that obviously had serious emotional problems, but I only saw him once as they took him out of my class. Excellent. So, I really feel like I have good things ahead of me. I'm blessed.