Online Skype Spanish with Senor Gamache

[Starstar]

Hi - i seem to not find a website link for senor Gamache online Skype Spanish classes. Can someone inform me the website and also when are Spanish 1,2,3 classes offered?

[maize]

Here, I think, but it doesn't look like dates have been updated for 2018-2019 yet.

 

http://www.funclase.com/High-School-Spanish-p/hs.htm

[RootAnn]

Unless he's changed formats lately, he doesn't use Skype. He uses Blackboatd Connect, I think.

 

There should be at least one other Gamache Spanish kid who can tell you what the times are for next year. The current kids should know by now.

[Omma]

Sure!  The website is:  www.funclase.com.

 

The class times are as follows:

 

M/W (Aug. 20, 2018 - May 15, 2019)

9:00-10:30 a.m.   Spanish III

10:35 a.m. -12:05 p.m.   Spanish I

12:10 - 1:40 p.m.   Spanish II

 

T/Th

1:00 - 2:30 p.m.   Spanish I

2:35 - 4:05 p.m.   Spanish II

4:10 - 5:40 p.m.   Spanish I

 

Notice that there are three Spanish I classes, two Spanish II classes, and only one Spanish III class.  My dd is nearly finished with Spanish II and is already signed up for Spanish III next year.  She enjoys his classes so much that she is even going to work at Sr. Gamache's booth at our local homeschool convention coming up soon!

 

Blessings,

 

Brenda

[Random]

Hey Brenda,

 

You'd recommend him, then?  I'm looking for an online Spanish class for my high schoolers next year.  I met Sr. Gamache at the GHC in Ft. Worth last weekend and loved him.  But, it's hard to tell from a five minute conversation.  He struck me as the type of person who is doing what he was put on earth to do.  As in, he seemed like a gifted instructor. 

 

Is the course pretty rigorous?  I want my boys to learn a lot of Spanish.

 

[Omma]

Hi Random,

 

You are right.  Sr G loves his work and all his students.  Spanish is my dd's favorite class.  I know that it is rigorous enough because he uses an accredited college textbook (you keep the same one over three years) and we got approval from Wilson Hill Academy to transfer in foreign language credits from his program.  Sr G emphasizes conversation while still covering all the grammar.  He uses Blackboard and sends students into various 'rooms' to practice what they are learning.  As a warning, the workload is uneven and he is known to be sometimes disorganized, but that is why he gets student helpers to manage the homework announcements, etc.  He calls it 'funclase' because he knows the brain can learn a language better if one is having fun in the process; Sr G has quite his own quirky sense of humor, but he so enjoys what he is doing and it shows!

[RootAnn]

My dd did all three years with Sr Gamache and was very sad to have no more classes with him. I have left multiple reviews about his classes over the years. You should be able to find one on the Online Class thread pinned to the top of the general board.

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/638806-master-list-of-on-line-classes/?do=findComment&comment=7477217

 

I will note a few things. Girls tend to do better in his class, IMO. Not sure if that is an executive function thing or something else. Senior is a bit ADHD and it annoys some of us and isn't a great fit for some people. Just an observation.

 

Also, it is not a secular class. He is proud to be a Christian and will talk to the kids about Jesus sometimes. It isn't all the time, but enough that it can bother those who only want a secular class.

 

Finally, my DD sat in on a college Spanish 102 class a few weeks ago. That particular college uses the same text Sr Gamache does. She said she remembers the class when they were doing that exact same lesson. The college prof breaks his class into groups just like Sr (but, of course, in person).

 

The biggest issue we've had after Span 1-3 with Sr is what to do for Span 4 and 5.

Edited March 20, 2018 by RootAnn

[Omma]

My dd will be working at his booth next month at a homeschool convention.  I may ask him how many more years he plans on teaching his online Spanish classes as I believe he just retired this year from teaching at a school in Florida and can now give his undivided attention to funclase.com.  At the time I asked him prior to beginning Spanish I, he said he planned on six more years.  We are in year two of that six year plan so there still seems to be plenty of time for newbies to have him all the way through a complete three year cycle if just starting this September.  This is a question I would want to find out, though.

[Renaissance Mom]

My oldest dd did Spanish I at home with me then took II and III with Sr. Gamache. She then took the CLEP test and received credit for four semesters of college Spanish. To add a Spanish minor to her degree, she only needed to take three more courses. We were very pleased.