Bonjour!!
Bonjour! My name is Joanna Gipson, but of course my students address me as Madame. I teach all of the French courses at Stillwater High School: French I, French II, French III, French IV and AP French. Having begun learning French as a freshman in high school, I majored in French in college and later earned a master's degree in French Literature from the University of Illinois. I have lived in 4 francophone countries: I was a college student in France , a Peace Corps Volunteer in Zaire, a mom in Belgium and a missionary in Senegal. I have been teaching at SHS since 2002, and love sharing my enthusiasm for French and francophone cultures with my students. I have taken groups of French students to France six times, most recently in June of 2017.
2021-2-22 teaching schedule:
Fall: Block 1: Plan Spring: Block 1 : Plan
Block 2: French I Block 2: French II
Block 3: French III Block 3: French IV/
Block 4: French I Block 4: French II
Contacting me:
email: jgipson@stillwaterschools.com
Phone: At school : (405) 533-6450 ext. 5130
Office hours: 9:00 - 10:00 AM Monday through Friday
4:00 - 5:00 PM Tuesday and Wednesday
Google Classroom is the platform students will use to find assignments and, especially during distance learning, some materials.
Expectations: Students taking French should expect to work hard to master a brand new set of skills. Starting from day 1 of French I, students learn to communicate in French by speaking, listening, reading, and writing correctly. Such learning requires daily practice in class and at home.
Students have an account for an online textbook (my.hrw.com) and practice materials We make our learning personal, creative, contemporary, and fun, but at heart it is work that each student must commit to if he or she wants to make progress.
Expectations during quarantine, Distance Learning, or extended absence.
When we are not able to meet in person, students must work diligently to develop the speaking and listening skills that we spend so much time on in class.
Students MUST participate in Google Meet class sessions.
Students must use all audio tools in their online textbooks, and complete all assignments with voice recording as well as writing.
Students must keep up with their assignments and assessments each week.
Students must complete work by assigned due dates.
Assignments must be submitted through Google Classroom
World Perspective: Students of French language and culture have the opportunity and the responsibility to become aware of events and issues in many parts of the world. They are encouraged, and sometimes required, to bring in news about a Francophone, or French speaking, country or region. Study of cultural products, practices and perspectives through news, film, art, food, history and literature are central to the French curriculum.
Assignments: Students will have written assignments almost every day, due in class the next day unless otherwise specified. They are expected to practice their French 15 minutes a day, even if there is no written home work. This can include practicing vocabulary, on-line practice, and reading aloud. Assignments completed at home are due at the beginning of the class period, and is considered late if it is not turned in at that time or when called for. Assignments and materials other than textbooks and those distributed in class will be found on each Google Classroom page. Late work will only be accepted at the teacher's discretion.
Work copied from other students or other sources including Google Translate or other online translators will receive a ZERO. It is unacceptable.
Make up policy: Students who are absent have 1 day to make up their work per day of excused absence; this is the SHS policy. Students who miss a quiz or exam will make them up the next day or as decided with me. Most quizzes and tests are made up in my classroom with me before or after school because there are listening or speaking components. Making up quizzes, tests and homework is the student's responsibility.
EAS and Remediation: Students who repeatedly fail to do and turn in homework are unlikely to succeed in French. Students may be assigned time in EAS to complete work. If a student's grade falls below 70% he/she will follow a plan for remediation.
Extra Help: I am very happy to work with students individually and can almost always be found in my classroom before and after school, and at the beginning of the lunch hour. Peer tutoring is also available from advanced French students, for those who would like to work with another high school student. Please contact me for referrals.
Materials needed everyday:
Blue or black pen or neat pencil: No other colors of ink are acceptable.
Notebook to take notes, and Binder or folder for handouts and papers.
White, loose leaf paper for assignments to be turned in;
French III, IV and AP students will need a French/English dictionary at home.
Grading for French I - III
Grading scale is standard: 90 - 100% A; 80-89% B; 70-79% C; 60-69% D; below 60% - F.
Practice, homework, participation 34%
Daily work, homework, and participation : being fully engaged in activities, whether speaking, writing, listening, reading or watching, and showing evidence thereof.
Quizzes 32%
Expect “pop” and announced chapter quizzes.
Exams and projects 34%
Expect 1 test per unit, assessing grammar, vocabulary, reading, writing, listening, speaking and cultural information. There will be semester final exams.
General Classroom Rules:
Prepare, participate, and speak French.
Be polite, be on time, be kind and be respectful.
No candy, gum, food or beverages other than bottled water.
No cell phones, listening devices or other electronic devices, unless permitted for an assignment. Students who wish to use a device for note-taking must have specific permission.