#FLANC2015 Power up and Engage!

FLANC POWER UP & ENGAGE! Designed by Nanami Miyazaki

I’m pretty sure I attended at least 4.5 of the Top 10 presentations at FLANC this weekend. Not to brag, but 3.5 were presented by my own personal tweeps. And I’m pretty sure that at least two or three of the rest of the Top 10 were also former grad school classmates, ACTFL roomies, and/or PLN amigos. Not to mention the Teacher of the Year, of course.

We’re totally a big deal, here in NC.

At any rate, being among like-minded brilliant people always fills my brain as well as my happiness bucket, and I would like to let my brain/bucket overflow to fill other brain/buckets.

Day 1

Despite some initial hashtag dismay, the day was filled with love and learning. Mara Cobe reminded us to look beyond the tip of the cultural iceberg (with Klingons no less!) and Yo Azama inspired us to find our inner artists and the real inner discovery that comes with language learning. Also, Rosalyn Rhodes is a sneaky, sneaky–but super exciting–ToY! Carrot Carrie Hinson made a SMASHING, bursting-at-the-seams debut as a FLANC presenter AND attendee with super cool interactive notebook ideas (which I have every intention of stealing–keyword: lapbooks)! I picked up a few brain-based tips, and caught the tail end of a presentation I know will help get my students to intermediate ASAP from the triple threat team of Stephanie Schenck, Erin Carlson, and Jennifer Resch. Seriously, if those ladies don’t land in the top 10 at least once for this FLANC year, there is something wrong with the world.

I’m especially excited about helping students expand on their ideas with affirmative/negative (I like __ but I don’t like__), me/someone else (I am __ but Britney is __), and answer and add (I am going to the ___ AND I am ALSO going to ___).

Day 2
My first day back, I already broke out two strategies I learned Day 2. So many of the strategies from the “improv” session I attended seemed so OBVIOUS, but I had NEVER thought to use them for those lost seven minutes every day while we pack up Chromebooks! (I’ll let you know if the alphabet vocab brainstorm paid off after I get this round of IPAs graded!) Also, @SraStephanie, @ErinRae0399, and @FreshResch13 were at it again, as I tried to replicate their greatness with on-deck IPA interviews (hint: it takes practice…and a lot of time. But at least they’re not scripting their conversations.) I also may have discovered a secret poetical bridge between my Mejor Yo plans and my estranged Afrolatino unit. To say nothing of the inspiration from one Karen Tharrington to empower students to give up grades and embrace learning. Not only that, but my local amiga and I got some GREAT tips for the NCASW that we promptly made plans to share with the rest of our GCS colleagues this week.

I must say, too, that there are few things more refreshing in life that sitting down in a circle on the floor with your little conference box lunches with a passel of #LangChat ladies and just shooting the breeze. Also, everyone should have a Kathy Griffith in their corner–and sitting next to them to mutter cool ideas to during presentations.

It was such a joy to be surrounded by such linguistically-focused passion once more! I’ll keep monitoring the tweetstreams for online PD until SCOLT in February and then CSCTFL in March when I get to be among my people again!