Talking Baseball

ONE OF THE great things about teaching in an international school that offers the international option of the French Baccalaureate (OIB) is that I get to teach a lot about...America. [Note: the OIB that I teach is the American option which was created with the facilitation of the Franco- American (Fulbright) Commission based in Paris -- a detail you may not have really required I suddenly realize].

Anyway, I get to teach a lot about American foreign policy, politics, and economics. And tomorrow I begin a unit on America in the 1920s and 30s. I'll start with a lesson on New York. I use New York as a symbol for the rise of the United States in the first part of the 2oth century. I also use this time to introduce French students to baseball -- the sport that dominated the 20s and 30s, particularly on the East coast.

So I'll spend half the time talking about rise of NYC in the 20's (Empire State building, banking, business, trade, culture, Wall Street) and I'll spend the second half of the lesson explaining how much I hate the Yankees! Should be a good lesson.
CJS