Meaningful Homework Assignments and Beyond …

Through this project, I would like to explore how to make my assignments (homework and in the classroom) even more interactive and centered around listening comprehension and speaking in the target language in order to engage the students, reduce their anxiety (since it will not require a final product) and actually incorporate some mindfulness exercises. Reflections and discussions will take place in French.

What are the goals driving this project?

1. To tap into my own mindfulness practices and to use them in my role as a teacher in my classroom settings.
2. To share skills and tools with my students in order for them to be less anxious 
and more focused when doing homework and authentic language interactions in 
the classroom.
3. To design/choose homework and classroom activities in my French classes that create authentic experiences for the students so that they are engaged in activities that build confidence, reduce stress, and promote success.
4. To connect with a school in France (and possibly other US schools) that has mindfulness practices similar to our new program so that the students can interact authentically as they practice techniques together which will be an impetus for a lot of the homework.

Why have I chosen to undertake this project?

I am invested in teaching my students how to self-regulate their anxiety and stress both during the school day and at home when sitting down to do homework.

I would like to become more knowledgeable about what resources are available in order to design interactive assignments for authentic language-based homework activities in addition to the Quizlet and YouTube links that I have been putting up.

I would like to have my classes engaging with students in other schools in France in order to use French to practice mindfulness activities together, which will validate the process while making it fun and interactive. These sessions can be used to design meaningful homework assignments.

I feel confident that through modeling mindful behavior and sharing mindfulness tools in my classes, my students can practice valuable life skills while learning to manage their academic stress in order to be more focused and feel more successful.

I have been studying mindfulness for various certifications during the past several years, and the experience of being a student has given me perspective about the process of creating a valuable practice.
 I am also very aware of how it has changed my interactions with my students and my colleagues at work, and has supported my approach to being a patient and mindful teacher. My teaching style has always been fairly calm and open to students’ questions and concerns, and adding this new area of study and understanding to my training has only served to make me a better listener and observer of the needs of the classroom when I enter it.

I hope to instill these skills in my students so that they begin to be more aware of themselves, their interactions with others, and how to take care of their needs in a mindful way that will support their learning.

Having been a middle school student living in Paris and attending a French school while I was actually learning the language, I hope that my intentional focus on the value of interacting with native speakers of the same age as the students (which is how I learned) will reinvigorate my teaching during this process. Connecting with a school will support this aspect of my project.

What are the key questions that drive this project?

1. When is the best time to incorporate mindfulness activities in French into my classes?
2. How can I use authentic listening and interactive mindfulness activities as part of the homework plan?
3. Where can I find resources to help me to locate a school in France that is practicing mindfulness in the target language that would like to collaborate?
4. What are the best tools to use to connect the students to the interactive activities?
5. How will I hold the students accountable for their work?
6. Where do I want to focus my attention regarding continuing to tap into my own mindfulness practice at school?
7. Where can I find a retreat/PD opportunity to support this work?

What do I hope to learn about my work and myself as a learner and a teacher?

Balance is a key goal for me in both roles.

As a teacher, I would like to find ways that will allow me to interact with native speakers in order to reinvigorate my own connection to the language and culture that I love to share with my students. I hope to learn about what other teachers are doing to keep up with the fast pace of technology and how to use this to encourage communication amongst students in different countries/states.

I hope to learn about what other teachers of French, both in France or other French- speaking places, as well as here in New York, are approaching the topic of authentic homework that is not simply adding busy work or rote exercises. As a learner, I am excited to glean ideas from other teachers through actual contact as well as possible workshops/retreats.

As a Mindfulness Practitioner, I am both a student and a teacher, and I hope to continue to explore how schools are incorporating this into their classrooms. Where can I tap into this to continue to allow me to grow as a teacher in my classrooms and as a colleague who is available to others?