Fun Feedback From My Students

Hello Friends! Back in the other windy city - Chicago!!!

Let me first apologize for having fallen off the cliff with my writing. That's just a metaphor, so don't worry, I didn't actually fall off a cliff. -It's more like I fell on it (while skiing on a school sponsored trip), resulting in two broken left arm bones. I couldn't type for a while, and by the time I was able to type painlessly in mid-march, I had so much I wanted to share with you that I hardly knew where to begin. Maybe I'll continue posting about my coming adventures in Minneapolis, or maybe I'll share some reflections based on my travels all around Europe (11 countries) and France.

For now though, I wanted to share some feedback from my high school students. Before leaving, I asked them to respond to three questions:

Question 1: What beliefs did you have about Americans or America before this class, and how (if at all) did those beliefs change over the course of the year?

Question 2: What was your favorite activity we did or subject we studied together in class and why?

Question 3: Anything else you would like to tell me?

Below, you will find some of their responses. Enjoy!

Question 1: What beliefs did you have about Americans or America before this class, and how (if at all) did those beliefs change over the course of the year?

I thought American people are very ambitious and work a lot. I still believe in that. I learn a lot about school in America.

My beliefs about America didn’t change because before this class, I was very interested by the United States thanks to the NBA which learned (taught) me a lot about American culture.

Before this class I perceive the Americans like toy soldiers, and now my opinion stays the same because the war in Iraq.

I think that American classes are really different than here, more in the communication. I’d like to visit America: Chicago seems to be a beautiful city (but before I thought that it was gray and not interesting).

I love so much America. I dream to live in NYC, and before, to study in a great college, like...MIT! If I can... My opinion didn’t change about USA. I already love it.

Before class, I was thinking that America is a wonderful country where people are open-minded and where we can live a real happy life. My beliefs didn’t change at all. If I could, I’ll go and spend my life over there. My beliefs are stronger. Americans are sometimes weird or selfish (thinking about immigration) but all populations sometimes are.

Before this class, I believe America is a country of immigrants, a country with differents cultures. But all ethnics groups don’t always lives in the same conditions. And my beliefs don’t changes. I belief is a country with beautiful landscapes.

Before this class, for me America was a country very beautiful with different landscape and culture and it’s a country which make me dream and it still the case. I thought Americans people can be arrogant or very friendly. Aria confirms my second thought.

 Before this class, I thought that Americans were all fat but I know that this is not the same thing for all the Americans. Happy to know some Americans expressions like “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”.

Before this class, my beliefs about America or Americans were that Americans were very strange sometimes, with the way that they are. But my beliefs change, and now I think that Americans are funny and cool.

Everything is bigger in America and the American are excessive. It’s not really false.

Question 2: What was your favorite activity we did or subject we studied together in class and why?

My favorite activity is when we watched “Ferris Bueller Day Off” because this film is funny.

Debates are a very good subjects, because it allowed to us to speak a lot in English and to say our opinion about different subjects.

My favorite activity was the Olympics Game, because I love sports. It’s a very good subject, very interesting.

My favorite activity is when we have spoke about the stereotype and the perception of the Americans about the French people.

My favorite subject was when we chatted about the stereotypes of the beauty. I liked when we had to agree totally, a little bit agree, totally disagree and a little bit disagree and explain our position. That was really interesting.

The debate about the Olympics of 2022 – I liked a lot this activity because I love to debate and the fact of representing a country was a good idea.

My favorite activity have been the video we had to make and send to our “exchange partners” from Winnetka. Definitely. Debates were also very interesting but there were not enough opinions from the pupils about the subjects. And I also liked the subject about beauty.

My favorite subject on which we worked is the speech of Lupita Nyong’o. It’s just because I enjoyed “12 Years A Slave”, and I think she’s a good actress.

My favorite activity that we studied together in class is plastic surgery, a subject that is being debated a lot.

My favorite activity was the text about Sonya Sotomayor, since I discovered her life. It’s an example story.

My favorite activity is when we studied about heroes with the text of this girl who was poor and became a judge (Sonya Sotomayor).

My favorite subject we studied in class is the story about “Hailey’, because despite her handicap she embody courage & strength to realize her dream.

My favorite subject has been Hailey’s fight against bone cancer. It inspired me, this story gives hope.

My favorite activity we studied together in class are on the progress of science with the video of Haley, because she shows the difficult experience passed and she was a example for more young. She show that even if we are sick we “doit” (must) continue to live our life.

My favorite activity was the interaction between the teacher and the pupils. I think it was very good for ameliorate (improving) my pronunciation in English.

My favorite activity that we did together is when we had the choice to go at 4 different corners of the classroom to say if we agreed or not with the sentence which was projected on the blackboard.

Question 3: Anything else you’d like to tell me?

Thank you for coming in our class, it was great!

I hope you passed a good moment with us in France =)

You are a very good teacher, very cool with fun class. We study better with you, it’s more facil (easy). I love your accent! It’s beautiful. We have very lucky to had class with you.

Thank you very much because you helped us to speak more English and I think it’s more interesting with a “real” English speaker. Enjoy your trip in Europe!

You are a beautiful teacher.

Thank you for all that was really interesting to meat you and work with you.

You are a good teacher and I have like when we have you with the class.

I think your lesson is cool and perfect. It’s a great experience for students to listen an American for the accent.

I would like to tell thank you for your lessons.

Thanks for the different activities. We were able to speak more and that was good for our comprehension and the accent (which is still very bad...). Now I’d like to have a penpal or somebody with who I can exchange and speak English better!

I wish you good luck next year!

I was happy to meet you, you have a good French and the activities that you proposed was great, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is a good film! I’m so sad that you must return to America... I want for you a good return in America and a good life in the future, maybe in France =)

I thank you for all the things you brought us, you’re a great person! I hope you liked your trip in France. I was happy to meet you.

Thank you so much for all. I really loved to work with you. I had a great time. You teached me a lot many things. I hope you appreciate too. I was glad to meet you.

It has been a great experience to have you in our class. Hope to see you again. We will miss you very much.

I hope you enjoyed teaching in France.

We loved this year with you. I hope your trip was peaceful and interesting, so the only thing I would like to say is goodbye and have a good life in America.

I enjoy your lessons. It allowed me to improve my English, and it was a good point for my oral expression. Thank you!

Your presence permitted us to discover another culture and to see other horizons.

Thanks to come. It’s really fun to learn English. I will miss you.

____________ is in love with you! You look like Katy Perry. It’s a compliment.

Thank you for coming in France and sharing with us. Your presence were pretty cool! (Could I have Michael Jordan’s phone number please? Ahah!!) It was great to talk with a REAL CHICAGO WOMAN. Have a nice day! =)

I admire your bravery to do what you love. You’re an example for me. I just regret that we didn’t talk very much during last month but maybe would we keep in contact. You could help to improve my English skills. If you want.

I hope that you appreciate your trip in France. To my mind, your lessons were very good for me because you help us for our oral exam.

Class with you are very fun and interested. See you later!

I liked to work with you because it was funny and interesting. Good back to America!

*I will miss you!

*You are beautiful!

*I hope you will come back in France!

*I love your French accent!

                          

You are a good person and your jobs correspond to you because you are very attentioner and patient. Je vous souhaite bonne continuation. (I wish you the best). “Sorry for my English!”

I just want to tell you that I was happy to meet you and to study English by another way with you. I wish you the best for your future.

We will miss you J Can I come with you to USA? I will hide myself in your suitcase...

It was nice to meet you!

Hope you enjoy France & Perpignan.

It was a big pleasure to work with you and I hope you enjoy our city even if there are not too many things to do. I saw you one day downtown, riding a bike! Ahahaha. NICE TO MEET YOU!

One day if you meet a famous people like Rihanna, M. Jordan, Obama, Emineme...Tell them that I’m a BIG fan of them!

I think you are a great teacher! With you, I had learn more things about the Americans and about school in America, but too I have learn more vocabulary in English. It was nice to meet you. Thanks for all!

Thank you for all the activities you did for us. It was really cool!