Update from Bouzigues

I cannot believe that it's already February 2010!

All three kids are working hard in school . . . Please bear with me while I take a moment to shower some motherly praise upon them.

Josey has had several tests lately. I think her teacher is trying to squeeze tests in on each subject before the February vacation begins.

• French "STAR" tests 2 weeks ago, which are country-wide
• Geography last week
• Vocabulary this week (she will be tested on 40 words randomly chosen from this year's 150 words) : with such challenging words as des applaudissements, attentivement, la cathédral, le feuille, fáire relâche, accueillir
  
• History this week

Note: Accents matter! You lose 1/2 point if you miss an accent or write the accent incorrectly.

Articles count, too! If you miss an articl, you have misspelled the word. All nouns in French have an article: la, le, les, un, une, des, l'

And remember, Max and Josey have to learn everything in French and English. We translate things at home, so they will fully understand the meaning of their lessons. Thus, it's twice as much work and effort as a native speaker puts forth!

Josey's teacher also informed us that she will definitely be graduated to "college" (middle school) next year. Yay! We did not take this graduation for granted considering Josey was thrust mercilessly into French school at age 9, with barely any knowledge of the French language. She is up to the French grade level in all things other than French grammar, spelling, etc. Josey is also top of her class in Math.

Max has been doing exceedingly well on his school work - all subjects! He is up to or beyond grade level in all subjects. He is also top of his class in Math.

He has a weekly dictation exercise, which he learns over the weekend for Monday morning testing. This week's was a doozy (on which we just learned he received a 9.5/10!) :

Le dragon était épuisé. Et comme il avait changé! Les ailes étaient complétement brûlées, so peau tante claquée et sa graisse, qui avait foundu au soleil. Si était changée en peirre preciuses.

Translation:

The dragon was exhausted. And how he had changed! The wings were completely burned, the skin blistered, and was melted in the sun. He was changed into precious stones.

Max & Josey also have "American" school subjects that they work on weekly at home, including reading American books, writing book reports in English, writing letters in English to people back home, math, etc.

Alex just started the second half of her Sophmore year of high school. Quelle horreur! I cannot believe that she is almost 16 and almost halfway through high school. As with most teenagers, I am convinced that she is more concerned with her, ahem, social development than with her education.

Coming attractions:

• Max is turning 8 years old on February 5th! Wow!
• Our February vacation in Marrakesh, Morocco & the Pyrenees
• Alex (and all of Spokane) celebrate the Rubber Chicken in February
  
• Our April vacation in Spain with Sophie

Special notes:

• All my thoughts & prayers to Sam See.
• Best of luck & courage to my grandparents, aunts, uncles & parents as they work through some home improvements Chez Foster

Love to all!