All-Class Meetings
We kicked off our fall term with an all-class session, that included:
- Teams of students generating vocabulary lists on things like "what we bought this summer", "what we don't like", and "living things". Working together produced longer lists than most people expected when they started.
- Generating some nice curses (and maybe the odd blessing), using the subjunctive, to pass along to our band of performers for next year's Renaissance Festival. (You can download the guide sheet for making curses.)
- Announcements of coming events, and reports of some recent activities, along with changes to the web site and teaching staff.
We also handed out these New Year's Resolutions (it being a new school year, if you will). Students "swore" to each one by saying, "I take the book!" (swearing on the Bible is implied in this Irish expression): Tugaim an leabhar ann!
- I will visit the web site once a week (or subscribe to the RSS feed). At the least, I’ll check the home page and the page for my class.
- I will find just a little time to review my class notes on Tuesday or Wednesday, because I know that will do me more good than spending a longer time on it Saturday or Sunday.
- I will say one thing in Irish to a classmate, every week, without my teacher making me do it.
- I will use my dictionary as my dictionary before I use my teacher as my dictionary.
- Quantity is important.! When doing a drill or activity, if I finish while others are still working, I’ll start over.
- There is no finish line. I’ll measure my progress by looking over my shoulder, instead of far ahead.
- After I miss a few classes, if I hear a little voice in my head that says, "I'm getting rusty, so I’ll stay home next Monday and work hard on brushing up before I go back to class the following week," I will recognize that as the voice of The Devil.
Comments and questions are welcome
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