Class day -- rainy -- Gracie did not like going outside.

Y joined our class today -- he comes from Cameroon and Belgium. Speaks French, I believe. He is friends with my French/Spanish speaker and I think he will fit in well.

First we looked at some computer pictures a friend sent -- they are from Iran and are entitled "Iran as you have never pictured it." My student M is from Iran. She was delighted to see the pictures. The title is correct -- I had never pictured Iran in just that way -- didn't realize they had snow.

Next, we made sentences. I have printed brightly colored index cards -- 3 colors, and it usually takes 3 cards to make a sentence. Occasionally, a sentence could be made with only two cards -- something like....I will cook. I will being on one card and cook on another. I put them into teams and made them confer with each other. They did really well, discussing the possibilities, and sometimes borrowing from another team when they did not have the card they wanted.

Then we talked about fire safety. There was a short story and then questions to answer. We talked about how to be safe in our homes.

Our Librarian came in to bring us the invitations to the ESL party that will be held on the 15th. We discussed food to bring, and what they might hear and see while there. I am sure my class will not do a presentation this year. These students are still not as bonded as I'd like them to be. There have been many absences and I finally dropped two students for non-attendance.
Still, I see people learning -- a little about America, if nothing else!