Valeria is amazing!

Valeria's class was...half wasted time and half helping some of the students set up their wikispaces account for our NYC project.  The students were VERY upset about the substitute and the grades she is giving them, and then the fact that they do not get to have class with me!  I worked in the computer lab with some of them, and then B. came upstairs and asked me to talk to Valeria about some things.  She was telling me about their low marks, the discrepancy in grading, and how she thinks that she will not improve her English if she cannot converse with me, and that the others should too.  I told her that I was having coffee with Valeria later, and I would talk to her about things.

Patrizia's class was AWESOME!! They know sooooooooooo many things about New York City!  I told Patrizia that they had the longest list by far!  I was so proud of them for participating and speaking up!  Check out their list:

With that, I told them that tomorrow I would talk to them a little bit about New York and then give them an assignment to work on.  

For my hour break I was going to meet Valeria for coffee.  I passed Linda on the way and she said taht Valeria was waiting on me!  I was so excited to see her!  We greeted with hugs and the Italian kisses.   We immediately started talking about so many things.  We talked about issues at school, with teh sub, and what the students wanted me to tell her.  Then B. called while i was with her, and she worked out the issue:  I will be able to grade the students and use her book to do so.  She said that she valued my opinion and it should count for something because I have been with them so much this year!  This made me feel valued and respected; something I do not always feel from some teachers and definitely not some of the students.  However, I can tell that Valeria values me, and appreciates what I am doing.  Then we started talking about Italian schools, and I shared some of the stuff from Reggio.  We talked about Northern Italy vs. Southern Italy, and then we talked a bit about the Italian government.  It was incredible to get her insight and opinion.  Then we talked about lack of consequences at all levels.  She asked me how I thought there could be consequences at the school level (basic levels), if the politicians could get away with so much (i.e. Burlusconi) and not have consequences.  I completely agree Valeria.  She was very open and honest about all of this, and a lot of the things we talked about confirmed that us Americans (ETAs) are not being too harsh when we think about some of the things we have seen and are experiencing; clearly some Italians view it the way we do.  I was so sad for my hour to end with Valeria, but it was so wonderful to see her!  She was so sweet to have bought me a cappuccino, and a small treat that had some nutella on it.  

Linda's class was great.  We talked about NYC, and I presented the project to them!  Linda had one boy preparing to present his ideas about the SOuthern stereotypes, and every once in a while I would check in with him to see if he was ready! He was so cute and kept asking for more time!  Linda was doing this because she heard him tell me that he had the best paper!  Haha... when he did stand up to talk, he did a WONDERFUL job!  He was a little nervous, but he did beautifully!  He just needs a little more confidence because he had the right words, and did NOT just recite what he had written.  At one point he was talking about the stereotype that we (U.S. southerners) do not wear shoes.   I held up my leg to show them my shoe and they were all like, "whoooaaa"!  I had lifted my foot pretty high.  They then had me hold it up in a heel stretch; a little painful without stretching, but they were clapping and such.  Okay guys, my heel stretch sucks...but thanks for the support!  These are the things we area able to do in class here in Italy; not a bad deal I suppose!  Then we made their list, on Microsoft Word, of things that they already know about NYC.  I did not really give them homework, though Linda tried to insist that I do so.  SO, I told them to think about places they are interested in knowing more about, and that we would do something tomorrow! 

Then, I headed home, had lunch, and "finished" the schools lesson because my afternoon class wanted to talk about differences between Italian and American schools, which was HIGHLY convenient that I had been working on this!  I talked to April for quite a bit before I left...we talked about serious things...funny things...and perspectives....I love my Aprile. 

I practically ran to the school because I was running late.  I went into the wrong room at first, and then found my group.  Then it took me another 5-10 minutes to find a room where we could use a computer.  When switching rooms I met a lady from Canada who teaches English in the afternoons.  She was very sweet and it was great to meet her.  So then we got started...They were really talkative and really excited to see pictures of my high school, and to talk about some differences and similarities that we have.  They were really excited to talk about lockers, prom, etc. etc.  They were great!  I really like this group!  They are funny and some of them speak English well enough to crack jokes in English; however, I can also understand some of their Italian as well.  They did tell me that the whole European way of counting (thumb as #1) is only if you are actually in the process of counting, where as the American way (pointer finger, then middle, then ring, etc.) is how they show numbers.  IT was really interesting and fun!! The great thing about these kind of lessons is that the students teach me as well. 

Then I waited for a bit to meet my student, MG's, mom.  They came in and talked to me for a little bit.  Her mom works at the Questura, and I met her many months ago.  We talked a little bit about Cosenza, and MG in class, and the fellowship.  Then they offered to give me a ride home, which was really kind of them because it was COLD, and starting to rain! 

I spent the rest of the evening working on NYC wikispaces for my classes, made dinner, washed clothes, wrote blogs, and talked to Nick. 

I was sad that today was pie day, and Italy does not have pie....sooo...no pie for me today!  SOmeone later suggested pizza pie, but I had not thought of that...