[Sticky] Chat Thread  

@lindaf

Yes. School year. (Clearly communication is not my forte.) 

The school year was supposed to end May 22, but seniors were to graduate May 15th. So their exams were going to start April 30 and many of our Juniors and seniors take multiple AP classes. Those tests started May 2 so really we only had about a month of uninterrupted class time left. 

I've gotten no direction from my district on how to handle things like ADA or Special Education accommodations in a distance learning environment. They are meeting today to discuss that. We have been told that we cannot make any of our assignments required. 

Some students have already flatly refused to do work (and that was for a senior English class) so I'm pretty sure whatever assignments I do post won't get done. 🤣 

@topperarnold

What a mess! And I hadn't even thought about how all this would impact juniors and seniors preparing for college. That's such a stressful process as it is, without these added complications. I admire your dedication and concern for your students. Please keep us posted on how things are going.

@lindaf

Thanks. I was already integrating a lot of tech in my class so I feel like in that respect it won't be huge leap. But integrating tech and distance teaching/learning are two completely different things. I don't care what anyone says, face to face teaching is invaluable for building foundations. Once you've got that online learning is easier and you get more out of it. 

@topperarnold

Do all the students in your school have the adequate technology setup at home to do distance learning? It seems like a big assumption to make, but I know very little about what scholastic resources are available to families in need.

Posted by: @lindaf

@topperarnold

Do all the students in your school have the adequate technology setup at home to do distance learning? It seems like a big assumption to make, but I know very little about what scholastic resources are available to families in need.

 

No. Our district doesn't even have adequate funding and had to let over 100 teachers go last year. According to the news teachers will make paper packets available for completion and return to the school. I haven't heard anything from my district or principal. I actually don't know what's going on at all. 

@lindaf 

I just finished chapter 17 in La catedral del mar. At least one good thing has happened to Arnau. 😀 

@topperarnold

Thanks for letting me know! I was dreading taking the book back up again. It's hard to believe that I was reading two books about devastating plagues, but neither of them was as emotionally taxing as La catedral del mar!

Posted by: @lindaf

@topperarnold

Thanks for letting me know! I was dreading taking the book back up again. It's hard to believe that I was reading two books about devastating plagues, but neither of them was as emotionally taxing as La catedral del mar!

The issue I have with Catedral is the human cruelty. People choose how to act and it feels like the whole book focuses on the cruelty of people in society. 

This is pretty funny stuff--enjoy!

Kate del Castillo's TV Action Star Tutorial | Peacock At-Home Variety Show

OK. Some random random. I'm not really watching any of the current shows. I gave up on Fatmagül and Cennet. Apparently no show can hold my attention for too long. 

I discovered that the recent remakes of La Usurpadora and Cuna de Lobos were available on Amazon Prime video. I watched La Usurpadora (took me a while even though there were only 25 episodes...) I thought it was good. 

@lindaf I sort of took a long break from La Catedral del Mar, but I've picked it back up again. 

I really don't know what to do/how to participate now that I don't really have access to currently airing shows... 🙄 

@topperarnold

Once you finish Catedral, I'd love to discuss it with you! I'm looking forward to starting Desierto sonoro this week.

I understand how you're feeling about the network novelas. I think I'm going to limit my viewing to my beloved Turkish novelas for the next year or so, although the new one on Telemundo (Todo por mi hija) doesn't interest me. Instead, I'm going to start watching all the Spanish-language series on Amazon Prime that I've neglected all these years. This article lists several that sound great:

14 Best Spanish TV Shows on Amazon Prime (2020)

https://www.secondhalftravels.com/best-spanish-tv-shows-amazon-prime/

@lindaf that's the same article I recently read too! I put some of the shows on my watchlist. I had completely forgotten about Capitan Alatriste. That might be my next watch.

@topperarnold

Before I joined the Compaginar book club, they read Las aventuras del capitán Alatriste and said it was one of the club's all-time favorite selections. You probably know that it's by the same author who wrote La reina del sur, Arturo Pérez-Reverte.

Another of the Amazon series in that article is based on a Spanish-language novel:

Lo que escodían sus ojos: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/18514253

@lindaf I think I do have that series on my watchlist. 

@lindaf I can't remember, do you have Netflix? They have some Turkish shows and one I started watching had a Spanish dubbed audio track. It's called Black Money Love. Kerim from Fatmagül is one of the leads.