If we were having coffee 21 November 2015

NanoPoblano2015, Original Photography, Weekend Coffee Share 2 Minutes

If we were having coffee, then I would greet you with a smile and a hug. I would propose that we sit down for a warm cup of tea and a chat.

You would probably ask me a whole lot of questions, which is understandable seen recent events here in Paris. I would assure you that I am fine, I’d underline that writing over the last few days has helped me a whole lot digest what happened. I am grateful for all the supportive comments I received over the last week, they have been truly heartwarming and touching. I’d also like to thank the person who added my post to the coffee share linky last week.

After talking about all the serious things, we’d move on to lighter topics. You’d probably notice how my apartment suddenly seems bigger. The scaffolding was taken down about a week and a half ago, and it does feel more spacious, the power of optical illusion…
I’d talk a bit about my daughter who is very clingy at the moment, she is teething again and wants to be hugged all the time (she wants to be hugged all the time anyways, but now it is a bit more). She has tried herself as an installation artist at my parent’s house the other day.

Installation art

I’d probably tell you about my teaching adventures. I am seriously wondering if teachers teach or if they just expect their students to know. I don’t mind teaching history (some of my students have history and literature in German, as they are in international sections), but what I think a bit worrying is that it is expected of the kids to teach themselves everything on their own and to understand texts that are over 500 years old without any background knowledge. It’s not as if they were university students…

If we were having coffee, then I’d tell you that my NaNoWriMo project is currently on hold, I just could not continue. But don’t worry, I will get back to it, just I won’t finish 50000 words in November. What counts for me is that I started writing a bit more seriously.
I would be all excited about one thing, my blog has been copying my daughter and is experiencing a growth spurt! Now it’s the first month in which I got past the 1000 views/month, current tally for November is 1134 views (best before that was September with 715 views). I suppose that daily posting has it’s effects, but also the confidence that I have gained lately.

How are you doing? What are your plans for the weekend? For the week to come? What are your projects for Thanksgiving? We have a family reunion on Thanksgiving my dad’s father, brother and sister all come with their families, and my best friend is invited too! If I remember correctly we will be 19 people!

Before I forget, I have a project in the works for December, I want to turn my blog into an advent calendar. Sharing traditions, photos, memories, christmassy short stories. And I was wondering if maybe a few of my readers want to be part of it as a guest? Maybe to share a christmas (or that of another holiday you might celebrate in December) family/national tradition, a memory or a nice wintery/christmassy/festive story? Do let me know 🙂

I do wish you a great weekend with lots of joy! Go on check out the other coffee share posts over on Diana’s Blog Part-Time Monster and join the linky yourself!

© Solveig Werner 2015. All rights reserved.

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34 thoughts on “If we were having coffee 21 November 2015”

  1. //they just expect their students to know// If students know everything then why do we need teachers?
    I can feel this in Germany. In India , (most) teachers’s focus is more on whether students understanding it or not than completing the lecture. But in Germany, it is like “per hour” service which is sad to see. Lectures are often monotonous with rare interaction between students & teacher. I don’t know what to say.
    I am of opinion that parents & teachers plays key to role in the future of nation. And if next generation feels less connected to them , then we are in a spot of worry.
    Any way , this coffee idea is cool. Enjoy your weekend !

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  2. Well my student in question is taught history within the German program by a German teacher… but even those of my students learning German as a language and thus following the French curriculum are faced with teachers that live by the by heart, without the kid understanding anything. It is saddening.
    I love teaching and am starting to think that maybe I should reconsider the classroom, kids need teachers who TEACH!
    I was lucky and had some very good teachers, they made up for the numerous bad ones…
    You should join in the coffee share, it’s every weekend, we have a great community that is always open for other joining in…
    Have a great weekend!

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  3. Lovely to learn a little about what is going on in your life. Just hug that daughter of yours back! I like the idea of your Christmas advent calendar posts – what a great idea. Have a peaceful weekend.

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  4. I used to teach college-level English courses, and it’s amazing what kinds of things kids can get out of school without learning. In some cases I’m sure that responsibility fell partly on the students, but in most cases it felt like their teachers hadn’t really taught them. It’s unfortunate.

    I’m glad that you’re feeling better and glad to hear that you and yours are ok. Corina message me your post last week and had me put it up on the linky—so glad that she did.

    Also, I’d totally be willing to write a post or two about Christmas. 😉

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    1. I have the feeling that I’ll be doing a post about teaching soon… Some responsibility definitely goes to the kids, but teachers are also there to teach them how to learn by themselves, which seems to be omitted and expected…

      Thank you for putting it up, I did not have the heart to do it myself, but I was surprised to see it there.

      I’d love you join in the Christmas fun! I’ll definitely take 2 posts if you want 🙂

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      1. Yes. It’s difficult here, too, because teachers are paid so little and the education system is mired in so many mandated tests and such. Teachers have a frustrating go of it.

        And sounds lovely—I could do two. Shoot me an e-mail at parttimemonster_dg@yahoo.com, if you will, and let me know about any guidelines and when you’d like posts. 😀

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  5. I’m glad you’re feeling a bit better after the attacks in Paris. Writing is cathartic sometimes, that’s for sure.

    I’d love to share a Christmas post, too. 🙂

    Have a peaceful, word-filled week!

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        1. Any length really, well maybe not a book worth… I’ll send you an email to your address you use for commenting is that ok Tara (sorry didn’t know your name)? For the deadline that depends if you want it to go up early or late in the month… How about for the 30th of November? But if I get it by the 15th of December then that will be fine too (you are the first to ask so you get a long deadline :))

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          1. Yay! And it’s no problemo. I just thought since I was going to write something, you should know my name isn’t Daisy, but I answer to that, too!

            Yes, use that email. That’s great. The deadline of 30 November is great. I’m doing writing projects this week instead of working so I’ll fit it right in. Thanks!

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  6. Solveig, what a great idea about the advent calendar! 🙂 I could contribute a story about my first Christmas (at the age of 31) 🙂 And congrats on excellent growth spurt of your blog – well deserved!

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    1. Oh Gulara, I’d absolutely love you to contribute, the more the merrier. I have to do 24 posts in total and I have 7 ideas at the moment and that’s without short stories. So if I can get 10 to 14 contributions then that would be amazing. Seen the positive return to my call for contributions I think I’ll manage to organise that.
      thank you, I do hope that it will continue to grow. I am starting to see it as more than a hobby, something in which I have to invest time and effort. 🙂

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    1. Oh Evelyne, that would be amazing! I’ll gladly have you share that story here 🙂 you can even do so in French if you want.

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  8. That photo of the children’s books set up on the floor by your daughter is so expressive! I could imagine her little hands placing them there.

    As for the penchant for teachers to just make their students learn history material by heart, I don’t understand it. Memorization has its place, but I believe it’s far better to provide students with some background and a framework for understanding, then give them the material-whatever it is, then have a discussion about what they’ve learned to encourage them to THINK. Your concern is valid–you’re a good teacher!

    Your advent calendar/blog idea is lovely. I look forward to seeing it.

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    1. She absolutely loves books, and I saw her again placing those little cardboard books on the floor once again. She does it with a lot of attention to detail, and forgets the world around her. Childhood play is so amazing 🙂

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    2. I did not finish my reply…
      I am currently getting more and more worked up about bad teachers. It’s not ok for 7 graders to be depressed because all they have to do is learn by heart without really learning. Nor for teachers to expect 16 year olds to be able to think and work like a college student. Teach them how to learn, teach them background material and then things will be easier for everyone.
      I am seriously considering getting back into the classroom in order to make a difference.

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  9. I don’t think it is the job of teachers to teach everything. Teachers are there to teach students how to find information, not to “pour material into the student’s mind” like a pitcher filling a glass. As a teacher, it is my job to teach a student where to go for answers, how to find those answers on their own, how to facilitate the learning but I cannot learn for them. They have to do that on their own.

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    1. Exactly Corina! I have had several students who had to read a chapter and learn it by heart without any background knowledge or any tools of how to learn correctly. Without getting the kids interested in the subject they won’t really want to know more, the only thing that keeps them going is the fear of bad results…

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  10. Thanks for the coffee, Solveig. I’ve been thinking about you and Paris during the last week while also trying to get through the aftermath of our hailstorm and the damage to our house. While our dramas are a storm in a tea cup but it is our tea cup . a
    It’s really late here so I’m going to head off.
    Take care and stay safe xx Rowena

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    1. You are welcome Rowena. Sleep well!
      I don’t know if you celebrate Christmas, but would you like to be a guest on my blog for my advent calendar special sharing a christmas memory/tradition or a story set around Christmas? I would love to have you, especially seen the fact that in Australia your Christmas must be so very different from what we have in the Northern Hemisphere.

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  11. You are right. The good teachers absolutely make up for the bad ones. I love your Christmas calendar idea. I love to write guest posts and would love to write one for this, if you are in need of another one.

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    1. Oh I’d love to have you join the fun! I think an eclectic mix of 24 posts on the theme of Christmas will be a lot of fun. (I am planning on doing about half of them, but as I will have to prepare Christmas it is a good idea to “dispatch” a bit of the work haha).
      Thank you so much!

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I won't bite, seriously!

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