I hope that you are well rested and ready for the new year. Are you ready for the new decade? 2020 looks like it will bring so many new surprises and experiences. Be look over all of this update so you don't overlook accent, pronunciation, and cultural information.
How do you like winter here in Indiana this year? It has been unseasonably warm, but this weather isn't necessarily unusual. I remember 24 years ago we had a similar, mild winter. Can we predict how the rest of the year will go? You may have sniffles and sneezes. Is it a cold? Is it the flu? Is it an allergic reaction to the hardwood trees that are blooming? (What? So soon? Is this normal? Do the trees know something I don't know?) Will we have a cold February, snow in March and April? After the last few years of record cold days and snow, this just be a nice little respite. Don't be fooled, though Indiana weather can turn on a dime!
I was playing with adding video to our updates. Here is a great little clip. Do you get the punchline?
Hint: 🦈 possessed by an 🦉
International Bible Study: Tuesdays, 9:30-10:30, room 100.
It was good to be back together as we continued our Bible Study in the fourth chapter of the Gospel of Mark, beginning at verse 21. We read three parables that Jesus told to his followers. Once again we see that the Bible (God’s love letter to us) encourages people to trust the smallest seeds of faith to grow and mature and bear good results.
January 13: Please join us as we discuss Mark 4: 35-41: the story of Jesus calming a storm.
International Friends: Tuesdays, 10:30-11:30, room 100.
We celebrated Christmas, finally! Our party was small but so very fun!
January 13: Join us as we play Pictionary, a fun family party game. You don't have to be fluent in English to play!
Conversation: Wednesdays, 4:30-6:00, upstairs classroom.
Thank you to our class members that helped prepare lessons for our preschool students. While we cut out mittens and animals, we talked about the word "mitten" and how it is pronounced "mi-nnn". The "t" makes no sound and more of a break.
Our conversation touched on opioid addition and the epidemic/crisis here in the United States. You can visit the SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) webpage addresses this issue. Some of our topics:
- Illinois made Marijuana legal, but Indiana has not. Is marijuana is really a risky drug (given that it is legal in some states, but not legal federally).
- What is the difference between hemp and pot?
- Opioids have a good reason for existing as a pharmaceutical to help relieve pain, but they also can be addictive when misused. How do you protect yourself and your loved ones from addiction?
- What do you do if you find a syringe on the ground or in a public restroom?
It was great fun to visit with each of the classes. I missed seeing everyone over the last few weeks. There were so many interesting conversations in each of the classes. I learn so much from everyone and every class. The Accent class talked about giving someone a "cold shoulder" which is "dissing" or ignoring someone.
Preschool English Classes: Thursdays, 9:30-11:30, upstairs classrooms.
We read The Mitten by Jan Brett and did mitten and counting activities. Enjoy this read aloud by the author herself.
Listen. You can hear a perfect American pronunciation of the word "mitten". There are so many great idioms in this story. For example, the bear doesn't want to be "left out in the cold" and "noses" his way into the mitten! Getting left out in the cold doesn't necessarily mean being outside in the weather...it can also mean being ignored or forgotten or not included in an activity. Nosing is pushing your way into somewhere you aren't invited. When an animal noses his way into something, he uses his nose to get in.
We will continue the rest of January learning about getting sick, caring for ourselves and others and keeping well.
look over: view
overlook: miss
similar: like something else
mild: gentle
will go: result, end
sniffles: when your nose runs and you need a tissue
clip: short piece of video
punchline: the funny point of a story or joke
hint: suggestion
parable: a short story designed to illustrate or teach some truth, religious principle, or moral lesson
encourage: give hope, confidence, support
bear: proDUCE PROduce (fruit and vegetables)
No comments:
Post a Comment