STILL WORKING

Im sorry I haven't posted in a while. I have just been reviewing research and finishing up the volunteer packet and I will be setting a date for the interest meeting. The tentative date is Sept. 8, 2010. Later this summer, the website should be ready. Tentative date is August 15th.

Pending List part 2

The list grows and grows and grows

Classical Languages
College Preparatory
Discipline
Assessment
Various literacies (writing, reading, speaking, listening)
Faculty Support
Dealing with Parents
Working with students with various fluency levels
Garnering student interests
Making target language practical
Perception of parents
Pedagogical training specific to school's education philosophy
Heritage Languages
Sociolinguistics
Immigration
Speech Pathology

The Latest Thing

So I have finished creating the Student Interest Survey and the Handbook, which includes the 5 year plan. I start back to school in the summer so I will work on flyers for the interest meeting them. Therapy is going well. I have 4 weeks left,so once that is done, I can focus my efforts a little harder for this project.

Another change

Well, if you been reading along with the blog from the beginning, you may recall that I wanted to do 48 episodes a year. How unrealistic! So then I decided on 36 episodes. Ix-nayed that idea when I looked at my own personal list of topics. Then I figured 24 would be decent. Yes and no. It was my goal to get the ball rolling this summer on the project. Although schools will have summer sessions, I have serious doubts that there will not be much interest seeing that students may go on summer trips, are working and will have no time. I myself will be going back to work but will continue to set everything in order. It doesn't make much sense to have an interest meeting in May to only wait 3 months for the first meeting.

As a result, I decided to go with a minimum of 12 episodes, at least for the first year. Now we if we can get away with doing 24, AWESOME!! Maybe the second year we can get away with doing 24 episodes.

Until then, i will work on other parts necessary (i.e. the handbook, the Proboards site, Ning.com page, and position of interest surveys) and continue to fine tune the plan for this program.

There is something else I am thinking. This would make for a killer non-profit organization.

A Pending List

I'm getting a wonderful response from teachers so far. Here is a list so far of topics and I am sure this list will get bigger.

Topics
Classical Languages
College Preparatory
Discipline
Assessment
Various literacies (writing, reading, speaking, listening)
Faculty Support
Dealing with Parents
Working with students with various fluency levels
Garnering student interests
Making target language practical
Perception of parents
Pedagogical training specific to school's education philosophy

Whew! Phase 1 almost complete

So I have sent out probably quite a few sets of emails (4 mass, possibly 7 individuals) all attached with surveys. I am anticipating quite a few 'nos' but I know that there were be some 'yeses'. I heard from two teachers in the Memphis private school sector. One of which threw an idea that I haven't even considered. He is a teacher whose focus is in classical languages.

When I first created this project, I think I took for granted that classical languages are foreign languages that are no longer used in general conversation but they are still foreign languages that can be used in areas outside of law or medicine like art history, archeology, religious/spiritual studies, linguistics, etc. This is making me rethink some recording ideas (in a good way).

NEW DIRECTION

I think I just had an A HA! moment. As I have been working towards making a podcast program possible, I had to come to a realization that I may need to start off with paper or ezine route. My laptop has kicked the proverbial bucket. So now my next step is to look up teachers that work in foreign languages/ ESL for the purpose of sending a brief survey in creating topics that teachers/ students are interested in discussing.

The next step afterwords, will be to set up a meeting for volunteers and continue to do research. The more I move with this, I am learning so much and am grateful for this experience. I can't wait for the end results regardless if we actually start the podcast this summer or if we just have to have a website or proboards forum first.

So,here is a general breakdown of the plan as of now

I. Search grants/ find funding
II.Survey teachers/college students via email or in person
III. Advertise for Volunteers
IV. Prepare for Interest Meeting (prepare survey for Volunteers)
V. Interest Meeting
VI. Staff Volunteers according to interest
VII. First meeting