American Association of Teachers of French NATIONAL BULLETIN VOLUME 34, NO. 1 SEPTEMBRE 2008 2008 AATF DOROTHY S. LUDWIG EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AWARD WINNERS AATF Dorothy S. Ludwig Excellence in colleagues to create an annual International we gain a greater understanding of ourselves Teaching Award Day during which students perform and share and our own culture. This is achieved when food and customs from other countries with Middle School Level: Hervé Le Guilloux comparing and contrasting how we per- After getting schoolmates, parents, and the community. ceived ourselves with our perception of a his Licence from She was also instrumental in creating the foreign culture. the Université de school’s Global Studies Academic Program, Finally, by learning a foreign language, Strasbourg, Hervé earning the school Academy status, which we improve our methods of communication has been teaching allows students from throughout Chicago to with our neighbor nations. We connect with in the U.S. where study French, Italian, and Spanish at Schurz them on an equal level because since an he is now a citi- High School. Her contributions to the world eff ort is made on our part to understand zen. He has taught language program have improved reading, their language and their culture, an eff ort French at Durham language, and vocabulary school-wide, will be made on their part to understand our Academy (NC), at not only in foreign languages, but in other language and our culture. In so doing, the Saint Mary’s Hall subjects as well. A National Board Certifi ed barriers of miscommunication are broken (TX), and at Saint teacher, Samantha has mentored several down and false stereotypes are eliminated. Andrew’s School National Board Certifi cation candidates as Eileen is Chair of the Modern Languages (DE), a state where well as new teachers. She has served on the Department at Canisius College (NY) and is he received his Master’s in French literature. executive council of the Chicago/Northern Chair of the AATF Commission on French for For the last fourteen years, he has been Illinois AATF Chapter. Business and Economic Purposes. teaching 7th graders through AP Literature Samantha was honored with one of at Trinity Preparatory School (FL), an inde- 80 Milken Foundation National Educator pendent school on the outskirts of Orlando. Awards. The notifi cation ceremonies are ACTFL Annual Meeting For Hervé, teaching is a passion, and he planned as surprises, and Samantha is the has devoted all his adult life to this profes- only foreign language teacher to be recog- November 21-23, 2008 sion. He created and directed a program nized in 2007. Orlando, FL for his students to stay with families in Per- Post-Secondary Level: Eileen Angelini ros-Guirec Brittany, France. As our world Hervé also loves to be innovative in the today becomes teaching of foreign languages. He has pub- increasingly Inside this issue page lished one article entitled “Are We Teaching smaller through The Imperfect Imperfectly?” and has been Message de la Présidente ........................3 the continuous AATF Sessions at ACTFL .........................4 giving numerous presentations at foreign technological language conferences during the last ten Liege Convention Report .......................6-7 advances in AATF Executive Council .........................10 years. The topics that he discusses are: communication, AATF Commissions ................................11 “The Subjunctive Present After the Indicative it is becoming Highly Qualifi ed Teachers are National ..... Present,” “Are We Teaching The Imperfect more and more Board Certifi ed ...................................13 Imperfectly?,” “The Ten Commandments of important to be Rapport: Séminaire sur la Belgique ........... Oral Profi ciency,” and “ Bringing in Perfect able to under- et la Suisse ...................................14-15 Harmony the Poetry of Verlaine, the Paint- stand and relate Photostory: a Low Tech Storytelling .......... ings of Watteau and the Music of Debussy.” to people from Tool ....................................................21 High School Level: Samantha God- varied cultural Classroom Activity: French Culture ........... den-Chmielowicz backgrounds. Furthermore, with the ever in the Caribbean ............................23-24 Samantha is increasing range of free trade agreements, Classroom Activity: La Culture des ............ French teacher and such as the General Agreement on Trades cafés .............................................25-26 department chair and Tariff s (GATT) and the North Atlantic 2009 Ludwig Excellence in Teaching ........ at Schurz High Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and with Awards ...............................................37 School in Chicago. the economic unifi cation of the European AATF Materials Center ...........................38 She has expand- Union, not only is it imperative that we have Mots chassés..........................................39 ed the global lan- an appreciation for diverse cultures but also 2008 National French Week Contests ....41 guage skills of her we must see a broader understanding of how National French Week Materials ............41 students. Her in- countries and continents are interacting in 2009 ISE Language Matters Award ........42 novative, hands-on international ventures. 2009 AATF Outstanding Administrator ...... strategies have included collaborating with When learning about a foreign culture through the acquisition of a foreign language, Award .................................................43 2008 AATF/CERAN 2008 AATF/CONCORDIA LANGUAGE VILLAGES/ LINGUA OUTSTANDING FRENCH EMBASSY ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR CHAPTER OFFICER Janet L. Robert Fee- from William Floyd High Smith has ney, Principal of School. Mr. Feeney and been select- William Floyd Mrs. Orlando, the high ed as the High School, was school French teacher, 2008 AATF named the 2008 established criteria for Outstanding American Asso- choosing the winning stu- Chapter Of- ciation of Teach- dent. The student had fi cer. She is ers of French Ad- to be a member of the the District ministrator of the French Club who demon- Lead Teacher Year. Mr. Feeney strated leadership and in the Spring was nominated by also had an exemplary ac- Branch the French Club ademic record in French. School Dis- at the high school The winning student is trict in Hous- for his continued Caitlin Ashton, an 11th ton, TX. The support and en- grade student and co- following couragement of president of the French comments are excerpts from those made our French Program. The AATF accepts Club. Caitlin will choose from among the by Region VIII Representative Jacqueline nominations for administrators who go above many Concordia Language Village locations Thomas who nominated her for this award. and beyond the call of duty to promote the around the country. She will be able to spend Janet has served as Vice-President and study of French in their schools. Mr. Feeney two weeks in a total immersion program President (2002-2006) of the Houston Chap- has always been an adamant supporter of where she can further develop her skills in ter, which wins recognition for its continued the program here at the high school. French. We are thrilled for Caitlin, and we growth (Outstanding Chapter, Large Chapter, The “prize” is an all-expense stay at are expecting her to share her wonderful fi rst place in 2006, second place in 2007). Concordia Language Villages for a student adventure with us in the fall. The fact that her chapter continues to attract new members, while retaining the old ones is not surprising, given Janet’s commitment and energy. She invited me to present at their chapter meeting and I saw her in action: a full and engaging program, recognition of her members, and lots of encouragement of new recruits (they were asked to stand to be recognized and were personally introduced = National Board Certifi ed to me). Janet did a lot of local publicity for her chapter , including a radio interview. When the national convention was in Volume 34 Number 1 AATF NATIONAL BULLETIN September 2008 Baton Rouge, Janet organized a van to drive Editor: Jane Black Goepper, Cincinnati, Ohio chapter members from Houston. She hosted AATF, Mailcode 4510, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901. a reception in her room and introduced me Reading Committee: Therese C. Clarke, Dept. of to them. She clearly played a mentoring role Modern and Classical Languages, Buff alo State All items published in the National Bulletin are the to the attendees, some of whom were at the University, NY; S. Pascale Dewey, Kutztown Uni- property of the American Association of Teachers national convention for the fi rst time. versity, PA; Gisèle Loriot-Raymer, Northern Ken- of French. They may be copied for classroom Janet is very supportive of the current tucky University, Highland Heights, KY; Elizabeth or workshop use only if the source and date of Chapter President Wendy Kirkle, whose Miller, Crystal Springs Uplands School, CA; Samia publication are indicated on the copies. comments refl ect Janet’s gifts in commu- I. Spencer, Auburn University, AL. Postmaster: Send address changes to AATF, nicating and advocating for French, “the Mailcode 4510, Southern Illinois University, Car- The AATF National Bulletin (ISSN 0883-6795) has embodiment of ‘vouloir c’est pouvoir.’” As bondale, IL 62901. its editorial offi ces at 2700 Ashland Avenue at the district’s lead teacher, she regularly Deadlines for submissions of materials to the Victory Parkway, Unit 22, Cincinnati,