Post date: Dec 13, 2016 11:02:59 AM

Phyl’s Classroom Monthly Digest

We have a surprise!

Things are changing and improving.

by Philippe renard on December 2016

Foremost, it is necessary to make an assessment of this past year. 2016 was eventful, even if I spent most of my time at home and did not travel much. New students, new partners, new acquaintances and a new place of living that needs care, which is on the side of the good news since my cafe classrooms seems to be over, finally.

So, what is the surprise then? Those of you who have known me for a long time, you are used to seeing new things coming from me. And that is because my head never gives me any rest and always comes up with new ideas or bring back some old ones. The most difficult part is to implement them. And this newsletter is one of them. I hope you will enjoy it and its content.

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THIS MONTH’S

TOP STORIES

The new classroom website

This is one of the old ideas that needs improvement.

Designed at first to be just a platform to communicate with my students outside the classroom, it started with one website for one of my classes. Bit by bit, more classes were added to it, so many that I had to rename the pages to more general denominations like “advanced”, “elementary”. But then, the site was getting too heavy. Therefore, I created other “sub” websites: Phyl’s classroom Advance, - Elementary, etc., all under one main website: forslinguae.com.

Unfortunately, since those sites were built as and extent of lessons, the design was left untouched and became quite like a patchwork. That is why I have decided to refresh the design and improve the accessibility. Still, do not expect to see any change soon. It will take time and it will be done progressively starting with the part that I am using the most.

Do you have any suggestion? Feel free to let me know. I will be glad to meet your requirements if I can. After all, this website is for you at the first place.

The best way to help me out is to complete this little survey (it will not take more than 5 minutes of your time) and I will take your advice seriously into consideration.

I am opening a school

It has always been one of my dreams and it is finally coming to life!

Well, for a start, it will not be a school but a centre. The purpose of this centre will be to educate the mind as well as the body, based on the ancient “mens sana in corpore sano” of Juvenal, but with the original meaning in the context;

You should pray for a healthy mind in a healthy body.

Ask for a stout heart that has no fear of death,

and deems length of days the least of Nature's gifts

that can endure any kind of toil,

that knows neither wrath nor desire and thinks

the woes and hard labors of Hercules better than

the loves and banquets and downy cushions of Sardanapalus.

What I commend to you, you can give to yourself;

For assuredly, the only road to a life of peace is virtue.

Roman poet Juvenal (10.356-64)

In a word: educate children to be virtuous in order to build a better world.

Opening date: it scheduled for the end of August 2017. Any other period of the year would not have been sensible

Location: Moscow, Russian Federation. The choice is obvious to me: 80% of my students and former students are from Moscow. It i is therefore logical to propose a school for them and their children close to them. There will be other school in other place of the world. But I prefer to start small first. I am sure you understand.

Interested? I will keep you informed about future development, you can nevertheless let me know.

(more news below)

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Summer study trip to London, UK

Some of you knew that I had it in mind for a long time. The circumstances had never given me the chance to organise this kind of trip before. One of the reasons, and the most important, was that my contingent of students was not adequate to have enough people at the same date and also to get a good price. But thanks to some colleagues and partners, it is now possible and I hope you will participate and indulge.

Dates: 18/06/2017 - 01/07/2017 . This is for a start. We are considering organizing a second trip for the beginning of August, but that is not sure yet.

Location: London, UK. In the future, more trips around UK and Europe will be organized.

Programme: English classes, short cultural trips, day trips, sport activities, sightseeing.

For whom? Everyone interested whatever the age and the level of English. The purpose is to have some practice in immersion as well as learn new things about the British culture as well as having a good time. A great vacation opportunity.