STEWART COPELAND

by **Maud138** on 10 Jun 2008 05:53

If you had been my teacher LL, than I would speak french now.
Now I knon only two lines:
Je ne comprend pas
Je ne parlez pas francais.....

Great story. loved it!

by **Schmaffy** on 11 Jun 2008 17:06

I can't believe I'm just now seeing this thread...absolutely fantastique!!!!

My favorite line is this:

"Betsy caught the stick and jumped for joy."

It was probably more like, "Betsy tried to catch the stick, missed due to her lack of reflexes caused by her drunken stupor, and plunged headlong over the front row seats to grab it, all the while uttering a string of obscenties that would make a truck-driving sailor blush like a little French-speaking schoolgirl. Then she screamed - long and loud."

But I can understand if you don't want to pass that little nugget along to your impressionable youths... :wink:

by **luddite lady** on 12 Jun 2008 03:23

[quote="Schmaffy"]

"Betsy caught the stick and jumped for joy."

It was probably more like, "Betsy tried to catch the stick, missed due to her lack of reflexes caused by her drunken stupor, and plunged headlong over the front row seats to grab it, all the while uttering a string of obscenties that would make a truck-driving sailor blush like a little French-speaking schoolgirl. Then she screamed - long and loud."[/quote]

Wow, Schmaffy! I didn't know you were in Buffalo. Your description is much closer to reality than mine.

by **policerule** on 12 Jun 2008 03:33

drunken sailor? moi?

what the fuck?

Love it LL! More memories to come, my dear...

Schmaff, that was pretty close :wink:

by **luddite lady** on 14 Jun 2008 04:24

Upon reading the new thread title, nutters around the world are most likely trying to find a nice facility for Madame to take a "rest" in this summer. These places have euphemistic names like Shady Oaks and Pleasant Dale. But before I settle into my padded cell, let me at least tell you about the game I made up to keep my grade 8 students' interest in their last week of school. In fact, this game might just preserve the little bit of sanity I have left right now.

I have a wall map of the world in French. That's the board. I actually stick it on the class black board with magnets. Then I made these four little magnetized flags, as in The Flag. They're about 2cm squared. I printed up one of the shots of nutters in front of the flag and cut out the teeny weeny flag from the picture. It makes Mini-Flag look like a monster. So then I colour photocopied this little guy and stuck four copies on to small magnets. These are the game pieces.
Here's how the game works. The class is divided into four teams, the same groups that were writing the stories together. All the flags start out in Vancouver on the map. The teams take turns answering questions. I've written up a bunch of comprehension questions based on the story as well as grammar question. Thanks to the Flag-bearer of Copelandia thread, I have a list of all the concerts the flag has and will visit during Tourzilla. If the team answers the question right, their flag moves on the map to the town of the next concert. If not, the flag is stuck in the same place until the team's next turn. The winning team is the first one to get the flag to the final MSG show in New York.

I started playing the game with one of the classes. They were all totally into it. It helps that the grand prize will be copious amounts of chocolate. If a team gets too loud and rowdy, they miss a turn. (Discouraging loud and rowdy is very un-nutter of me, I know. But some of these kids were freakin' screaming. They were so excited.) When they miss a turn, due to noise or an incorrect answer, they're all saying stuff like, "Man, our flag is still stuck in Cleaveland! Team three is in Toronto already!" Some of the boys are hilarious. They'll get a flipping passé composé question right and they're jumping out of their seats and talking trash to the other teams like seasoned NBA players.
At one point, the regular classroom teacher walked in the room during the game. She seemed impressed that the kids were so involved, but I think she went back to the staff room after to look up the number for Happy Acres in the telephone book.

by **Maud138** on 14 Jun 2008 07:03

This is such a great story to start my day with! Please, please, please photo's of the game! Lady, where do you find the time to make all this?
They must LOVE you!

by **smudge** on 14 Jun 2008 07:37

These kids are going to be scarred for life, aren't they? ;-)

by **Madgrad** on 14 Jun 2008 10:21

LOVE LOVE LOVE the game! Copious amounts of chocolate is always good, too.

Did you get a raise after all this? :wink:

Reading these stories is making me miss the classroom.

I love those crazy little middle school buggers.

by **policerule** on 14 Jun 2008 12:35

[quote="luddite lady"]Upon reading the new thread title, nutters around the world are most likely trying to find a nice facility for Madame to take a "rest" in this summer. [/quote]

my first thought exactly. :wink:

by **copeland_girl5** on 14 Jun 2008 12:51

I love it...flaggy & Stewart...chocolate...and LL...

How many kids can say the highlight of their grammar/geography lessons for the school year was the "Flag-bearer of Copelandia" project!!! <family & friends...where?, what?...Copelandia?> :shock:

by **DirtyMartini** on 14 Jun 2008 13:25

BWUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA.

by **IndyGirl** on 14 Jun 2008 13:42

Nice board game, LL. It sounds like the students are really getting into it.

by **samburusunset** on 14 Jun 2008 14:47

Wow, completely awed by the inventiveness of the use of the flag phenonmena in your lessons, LL. Still wishing my 8th grade French teacher had been more like you than the stuffy, gay man.

RE: waaaay earlier post, I TOTALLY think Stewart tossed you that stick because of your hat generosity, Bets.

nou were showing Andy some love.

by **policerule** on 14 Jun 2008 14:51

[quote="samburusunset"]

RE: waaaay earlier post, I TOTALLY think Stewart tossed you that stick because of your hat generosity, Bets.

nou were showing Andy some love.[/quote]

oh, that I'm sure of... there is no other reason for him to single me out. :wink:

I wish that I knew if Andy still has the nasty thing... I would so love for him to wear it one night

by **Schmaffy** on 15 Jun 2008 00:56

I SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO want one of these board games. Maybe I can be your roommate at Shady Maples. :wink:

Oh, and to quote DM: "BWAHHHHAAAAAAAAHAAAAAA." Mini-Flag has spawned Teeny-weeny Flag. Finally he got laid after all these months. Maybe now he can stop humping my leg while I'm driving.

I'm so proud.

STEWART COPELAND

Le Drapeau vert: the story and NOW the board game!

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