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Cookier-A-Go-Go: The Tale of an Itinerant Teacher (Day 7)

Day 7 (February 9), 8:00 am.

 

Hmmm . . . I'm a little less spritely than yesterday when the alarm sounds off this morning. I chalk it up to the extra concentration required to teach without being conversant in the classroom's language. All of my senses need to be much more alert, because relying on words alone to make my points is no guarantee that I'll come across as intended. I do a lot more watching and showing. And ironically, I also do a lot more talking and listening, as conversations are rarely two-way. There's usually me, the translator, and the student - and sometimes someone else stepping in to lend another interpretation!

 

I really wish I had paid more attention in high school Spanish class.

 

Day 7 (February 9), 9:00 am.

 

As is now my ritual, I head down to the classroom an hour before class is due to start. I'm a little more apprehensive about today than either of my past two classes, because we have much less time and the same number of projects to complete, with the projects being just marginally simpler. I need to be extra organized before class begins in order to keep myself on track. I proceed to carefully lay out everything in the order that I'll need it. Cookies and icing? Check! Icing tools? Check! Stencils? Check! Stamps? Check! And so it goes through several more items . . .

 

Day 7 (February 9), 10:15 am.

 

We get a late-ish start, so I immediately feel even more time-crunched. I set a fast morning pace, perhaps too fast, and at one point, I seem to have created more questions than I've answered. (The questions - which I don't understand, of course - are coming at me from all directions! ) But thankfully, the translator is worth her weight in gold, and I soon settle into a calmer mental state.

 

Funny that this should be the only class out of three to end early! And with projects that are pretty darn impressive to boot, as you can see. 

 

BeforeClass

The calm before the storm.

 

Class About Midday

The storm circa midday.

 

PrettyEgg Underway

Pretty cookie egg underway.

 

FinishedPlaceCard

Finished place card cookie.

 

Finished Projects

A sampling of finished projects.

 

All Finished

An impressive array of all projects.

 

Day 7 (February 9), 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

 

I spend two hours after class cleaning tools and stowing projects for next week. The Cookie Gal Dream Team (with some new additions) stays even longer! The hotel conference room where I've been teaching needs to be restored to a state of normalcy, since I won't be teaching there again until next Friday.

 Projects Getting Stowed for Next Week

Cookies getting stowed for next week.

 

Day 8 (February 10), 3:00 am.

 

After several hours of fielding a looooong backlog of email (despite the fact that my primary one suddenly stopped sending me messages), I fall into bed, soothed by the smell of gingerbread. Lucky me - the cookies are stowed in my room for the next four days!

Attachments

Images (7)
  • The Calm Before the Storm: Hazy iPhone Photo by Julia M Usher
  • The Storm (aka Class About Midday): Hazy iPhone Photo by Julia M Usher
  • Pretty Egg Underway: Hazy iPhone Photo by Julia M Usher
  • Finished Place Card: Hazy iPhone Photo by Julia M Usher
  • A Sampling of Finished Projects: Hazy iPhone Photo by Julia M Usher
  • All of the Finished Projects: Hazy iPhone Photo by Julia M Usher
  • Projects Getting Stowed for Next Week: Hazy iPhone Photo by Julia M Usher

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Comments (8)

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Originally Posted by Sissygirl/Michelle west Sion:

The projects all look wonderful. I'd say sweet dreams but sounds like you don't have a choice with the smell of gingerbread dancing in your head

It's so fragrant in here, even after I'm acclimated to it!

Wow, what gorgeous projects Julia! I can't wait to try some of these myself! And thank you so much for allowing all of us to take a peek into your awesome teaching adventure, and for keeping us updated! I enjoy your posts and eagerly anticipate reading them! You are such an inspiration! But now you gave me a hankering for the smell of some yummy gingerbread! Hasta luego! 

BUENO COMO MAESTRA, PUEDO DECIR QUE ES ESPECTACULAR , EL PROBLEMA HEMOS SIDO NOSOTRAS ,Y NUESTRO CARACTER LATINO , HABLAMOS MUCHO Y EN OCASIONES FUERTE,SOMOS UN POCO ALEGRES ,ADEMAS DE LA EXCITACION POR PODER PARTICIPAR EN LOS CURSOS DE UNA PERSONA DE LA CATEGORIA DE JULIA. 

ESO SI, HAY QUE PRACTICAR UN POCO MAS EL CASTELLANO.

WELL DONE=BIEN HECHO.

Hello Julia! I just can say THANK YOU for the great class that we had yesterday and the great time we shared with you!!! We were a little bit nervous at the begging because there was a lot to do but I think you do a great job teaching and making us understand the tecniques even without speaking spanish. I´ve learned a lot and as I told you it was honor to meet you!!! Thank you very much for everything!!! my best wishes 

Originally Posted by Veselina Tomova:

Hello Julia! I just can say THANK YOU for the great class that we had yesterday and the great time we shared with you!!! We were a little bit nervous at the begging because there was a lot to do but I think you do a great job teaching and making us understand the tecniques even without speaking spanish. I´ve learned a lot and as I told you it was honor to meet you!!! Thank you very much for everything!!! my best wishes 

It was a great pleasure to meet you, Veselina! And welcome to the site - so happy to have you here!

Oh this looks so wonderfull.

i just send out my aplication to cake atelier in holland last week.

i really would like to have a class with you julia.

and these photo's make me wanna go even more

Originally Posted by Gerrit de Vries:

Oh this looks so wonderfull.

i just send out my aplication to cake atelier in holland last week.

i really would like to have a class with you julia.

and these photo's make me wanna go even more

I'd love to meet you there, Gerrit!

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