My crazy challenge: update number 2!

One month and a half into the challenge and still going! Yay!

It’s been more than a couple weeks but here I am finally! In case you’re new here (welcome!), you can check the story of my crazy challenge. This experience is meant to create the best learning/practice routine for my students, even the busiest ones! So let’s take a closer look at this update number 2.

The truth

I want to start with the great news: I completed the first part of Beginner 1! There are 3 parts in this level and I got my certificate for the first one! Woohoo, celebration dance! 😀

Ok, so now that you have the good news, here comes the truth: I didn’t practice at all for a few days… (Booooo Sarah!) What? I was busy! (Yea, right, I’ve heard that before…) Well, actually, do you know the word « procrastination »? Let’s just say I had a phase like that lol.

More seriously, we can joke about it but no shaming; it’s ok, no pressure (we have enough already in this world…). Like I said: the most important is to do the work in the end and not make excuses. I guess my motto could be « expect the best but stay kind »; that goes for both my professional and personal life.

I went back to it and did everything in one day! I got a message saying « Keep going, you got this! »; yeah!

Set a weekly goal

I set a weekly goal to have kind of a guideline: 6 activities per week and Sunday off. But then again, I didn’t practice for a few days and when I went back to it, I did almost all of my weekly goal at once.
So I decided to set a higher goal! This way, my « good student syndrome » (see in update number 1) pushes me to go back to it, because I want to reach my new weekly goal.
This is how you adjust your practice: knowing yourself to use what works for you! 😉

So my new weekly goal is 9 activities per week; we’ll see how that goes on the next update!

I’ve tried to work on my accent by repeating and copying the beautiful melody of Italian language. I do that in English too. I was sharing with a friend of mine not long ago that I like the sound of (what I call) very round English accents, and when I hear it, I try to repeat it.
Some people might think that I do this to make fun of it, but it’s actually the opposite! It’s because I love the sound when they pronounce it that I want to keep it in my English box!

Secret tip: this is how one day you’ll have people telling you « Wow, you don’t have an accent, your French is so good! ». 😉

What I’ve learned from it

I guess I’ve already started to tell you what I’ve learned from it…lol!

In the last update, I told you I was thinking of changing the time of my phone reminder, but I haven’t done it yet. What I did is write down on my agenda my daily practice. In that way, when I take a look at my program for the day, my practice is in there.

Also, what I’ve learned in Italian so far is not very hard; but I was thinking that when I’ll reach higher levels, I might not go as fast as right now… I guess we’ll see that « en temps voulu », like we say in French. 😉  

My advice

My advice regarding pronounciation is to listen and repeat, but when you repeat, do not be afraid to exagerate. Yes, really, come on: I want to see those lips moving and this mouth opening!
It’s more fun and actually a very good practice for your sound system (throat, mouth, nose).

Now, like I always say: don’t be too hard on yourself! Life happens; some days, you’re going to be tired, super busy or maybe sad and just not into learning. And that is ok; your learning journey is supposed to be fun and challenging in a good way, not something else to add on your to-do list or another thing to make your heart or mind heavy.
If you need a break, take it! And then go back to your learning/practice with a clear mind and a big smile! 😉

I’ll keep you posted for the next steps; stay tuned!