4 minute read
In the Classroom
Grew up in Richmond Beach (Shoreline)
B.A. French and Studio Art, Linfield College; Master’s in Teaching, Seattle University
WA Teaching Certification for French and Visual Arts
Favorite Books: “Me Talk Pretty One Day” by David Sedaris, “The Elegance of the Hedgehog” by Muriel Barbery
Favorite Movies: “Amélie,” “I Heart Huckabees,” “Mean Girls” and “Visages Villages”
Favorite Food: Charcuterie board paired with a fine, bold red cuvée
Loves to dance, cook and make art
Viva La Loving France Language
Julia O’Donnell
Who has inspired you in teaching?
Many of my high school teachers and college professors inspired me, especially in developmental psychology and the science of learning. I have a love for lifelong learning and being in an environment where I can share my passions and support and encourage students. Being able to guide and encourage students through their spiritual, emotional and intellectual development inspired me to be a teacher. Did you always know you wanted to be a teacher?
Yes, in high school I knew I wanted to be a teacher. At fi rst, I wanted to be a veterinarian, but after AP biology labs, I changed my mind. I then wavered between art therapist and teacher. But once I completed a teaching internship in France and began coaching club volleyball, I knew teaching was the path I wanted to take. Do you have a favorite place to travel?
I still have much of the world to explore but I love traveling through Europe! I would love to travel anywhere because I like to fi nd beauty and adventure everywhere I go. What is your favorite part of teaching?
The students! I love watching them grow, seeing the light bulbs come on, their love and excitement for learning, their curiosity and creativity and sense of humor. I love having my students for three or four years. The class becomes a family full of inside jokes, memes, skits, memories and you get to watch them come into their own as individuals and together as a class. What courses do you teach?
Currently, I am teaching all the French classes: Middle School French 1A and 1B; High School French 1, French 2, UW in the High School French 103 and AP French. In previous years I taught visual arts along with French. What do you have to do differently to teach a language remotely?
I am continually trying new things to see what works. Language requires repetition, consistency and multiple skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking. It is hard to measure all these skills during each class period, especially when we are only seeing each other twice each week. More responsibility is on the students to keep repetition and consistency going. The
greatest challenge is not seeing the students in person as language study requires verbal and non-verbal communication. Online, there is less reciprocity, immediate and non-verbal feedback, collaboration and conversation. Online, some students are quiet and it changes the dynamic as opposed to a lively, buzzing classroom. The positives are that students are learning! We have been able to use applications like Flipgrid, where students practice speaking and interact with each other on days we are not in class. We are also able to have interesting cultural discussions. How did you adjust your teaching style to being remote?
I provide extra activities, games and review for outside of class time. Students have the opportunity during remote learning to take more responsibility for their learning too. Students use Quizlet and vocabulary sound fi les to study vocabulary on their own. Using choice boards, students have room to demonstrate their knowledge using creativity and humor. In French 2, students worked in groups to make story boards to remember past tense verbs. In another activity, students synthesize concepts and expand their conversation skills by recording telephone calls in groups and presenting dynamic PowerPoints describing what happened in assigned episodes of the TV show, “Extra French.” What’s the fi rst thing you will do after the pandemic is over?
I cannot wait to make crêpes and the candy bûches de Noël with the French classes again! When the pandemic is over, I will go to art museums, cafés, go out with friends and defi nitely travel to France! Speaking of which, we have a school trip planned for June 2022. I really look forward to sharing this experience with my students, watching them discover new places, history, art, food and of course using their French! How do your students surprise you?
They surprise me with their creativity, spirit, hard work, kindness, inclusivity, generosity, insight and humor. I have missed my students being in the classroom fulltime but am thankful we still can connect online! Fortunately, all the traits I mentioned still come through over Teams calls.
