The Polyglot Floor
2017-18
Living-Learning Community
Elon University
Description of the Polyglot Floor
The Polyglot Floor is part of a unique cohort of living-learning communities here at Elon that offer students a supportive environment in which they can grow intellectually in an area that interests them and grow personally through their interactions with like-minded peers and faculty mentors. By choosing to live here, you are on Elon’s path to becoming an engaged learner, an inspired leader, and a global citizen.
Through regular participation in Global Neighborhood and in community-specific activities, residents will have opportunities to reinforce their language skills while they expand their intercultural awareness and engagement. Residents share a common passion for languages and cultures, and they work together to foster a unique cultural and educational atmosphere in the Polyglot House, in the Global Neighborhood, on the campus at large, and in the community.
Learning Community Goals
The Polyglot Floor is one tree with many branches. It is a home for students who want to improve their linguistic skills in a specific language while also learning about cultural diversity in general, helping them to become better global citizens. Goals for the Floor are to provide a warm and intellectually stimulating environment where students will:
▪improve their language fluency in a relaxed environment
▪learn about various cultures (from each other, from guests, and through participation in cultural activities on campus and in the community)
▪prepare, maintain and further enhance their language skills if they plan to study abroad or upon return from a program abroad
▪plan and participate in activities that promote leadership, personal responsibility, teamwork and group identity
▪spread awareness on campus about the Polyglot Floor living-learning community
Mentors & Resources :
Your Faculty Advisors:
Ricardo Mendoza () (Carlton 322)
Olivia Choplin () (Carlton 222)
Global Neighborhood Faculty Director and Community Director:
Professor Jennifer Zinchook (Faculty Director), who lives in Thames House
Kaila Price (Community Director), who lives in Tigris House
Peer mentors:
Molly Lankisch, your RA.
Megan (Meggie) Vorpe, your Cultural and Linguistic Mentor for French.
Faculty in the Department of World Languages and Cultures
Guidelines
Each resident of the House is responsible for active involvement in as well as promotion of its events and activities on campus. Residents agree to make every effort to speak in their target language when participating in group events and in common areas of the hall--remembering that you can always teach your buddies a few new words in a new language : ). Also remember that working or studying together in the target language is a great way to use each other as peer resources. (Check with your course instructor if you aren’t sure you are allowed to work together on something.)
Floor Rules :
Since we are a community, together we must work to keep the floor in good condition and ensure that the Polyglot Floor continues to exist.
To this end, residents should do the following:
❖Speak the target language as much as possible in the common areas and at all times during official events. Native and advanced speakers, please be leaders in the promotion of the language on the hall.
❖Attend floor activities and contribute to their planning. Each language represented should organize and lead at least one activity per semester.
❖Abide by the Elon University Social and Honor Codes.
❖Keep all exterior and room doors closed.
❖Be considerate of other residents who are trying to sleep or study by turning down music, tvs, and talking quietly.
❖Be prompt in doing assigned chores. (Will only be assigned if necessary.)
❖Throw away trash when leaving a common area.
❖Wash, dry and put away dishes immediately after using them.
❖Leave kitchen items belonging to the House in the 4th floor kitchen. Please keep your personal items in your room.
❖Keep the house presentable in case of visits by faculty members, Residence Life staff, or future students.
❖Respect the kitchen items and decorator items that have been donated to the house by faculty and friends and purchased by the Department of World Languages and Cultures.
❖Attend lunch with Madame Choplin and Ricky Mendoza at least twice per month on Tuesday, OR drop by to visit them during their office hours if you are unable to attend the Polyglot Lunches.
❖Inform Molly (your RA) and Mme Choplin and Ricky Mendoza immediately of anything suspicious around the house.
❖Create a community environment.
❖Respect others.
❖Participating and doing an excellent job allows you to reserve a room for the next semester.
❖Pictures that we take during each activity will be posted on the “ Polyglot Floor”Facebook page—go «like» it if you haven’t yet!
❖
❖For French-specific activities, check out “All Things French at Elon”:
❖For Spanish-specific activities, check out “All Things in Spanish at Elon University”:
Event Planning Calendar: Our events this year will be guided in large part by the Global Neighborhood calendar, but we have lots of other event possibilities too. Remember that as part of the Global cohort, you have events planned for first and third Tuesdays. We strongly encourage you to attend these events and enthusiastically represent the house when you go. Below you will find the GN calendar and the additional Polyglot House events that have already been planned. MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW for these events! Your attendance is expected!
Remember that “Almuerzo/Déjeuner” happen every week from 11:45-12:45 in Lakeside. If we have a meeting or other conflict, we will email you to let you know, but you should still feel free to each lunch with each other ☺!
(Events in parentheses are optional, but there for your information- GN House Dinners and the GN Film series are expected-they are awesome, so take advantage of them!)
August:
Friday, August 25th:
Neighborhood Welcome: 7:30-8:30 pm McCrary Theatre, Center for the Arts
First Night Elon: 9:30-10:30 pm Global Quad
Tuesday, August 29th: 6:30 p.m. (doors open at 6:00) LLC Kickoff in McKinnon
September:
Tuesday, September 5th: Global Neighborhood House Dinner. Upstairs Lakeside, 5:45 pm
North Carolina African Services Coalition Executive Director Million Mekonnen and Operations Manager Latosha Walker
Tuesday, September 19th: Global Neighborhood Film Series 7:00 pm Global Commons Media Room Disruption (52 minutes)
Saturday, September 30th: Global Neighborhood Sports Festival and Tailgate 11:00 am Global Quad - International games, sports trivia, and lots of food before Elon football takes on Albany Great Danes
October
Wednesday, October 4th: Global Neighborhood House Dinner with Burlington Mayor Ian Baltutis. 5:45 pm Upstairs Lakeside.
Tuesday, October 24th: Global Neighborhood Film Series, 7:00 pm Global Commons Media Room
Friday, October 27th: Global Fall Festival. Global Quad
November
National FrenchWeek! Celebrated November 1-8th
Tuesday, November 7th: Global Neighborhood House Dinner, 5:45 pm Upstairs Lakeside.
December
The spring semester calendar will be uploaded to Facebook after we have planned it together ☺!
El Centro de Español Events
Fiesta de Independencia
Patio Area outside Lakeside 3:00pm
Friday, September 15
Hispanic College Coffee
Phi Beta Kappa Plaza 9.40am
Tuesday, September 19
HISPANIC/LATINX IDENTITIES: WHO AM I?
Isabella Canon Room 5:30pm
Tuesday, September 19
Latin night in soccer: ELON VS UNC WILMINGTON
Rudd Field. 7:00pm
Thursday, September 22
La HaBana NIGHT III
Tap House 10:00pm
Friday, September 23
Perspectivas Series III
Upstairs Lakeside 5.30pm-8pm
Tuesday & Wednesday, September 26 & 27
Oratorical Contest: ‘Who am i and why i matter’
The Oak House 5.30pm
Tuesday, October 3
Special Numen Lumen: Speaker Sary Martínez, live music by Lucía Jervis
Numen Lumen Pavilion 9.50am
Thursday, October 5
SWEET PLANTAIN MUSIC PERFORMANCE
McCrary Theater 7.30pm
Wednesday, October 11
EDIN NOÉ LÓPEZ DUEÑAS, GUATEMALAN SCHOLAR
Global Commons Media Room 103. 4:00pm
Thursday, October 12
HECTOR RAÚL ARIZA – COLOMBIAN DUET RECITAL
Whitley Auditorium 7.30pm
Friday, October 20
Hispanic Tailgate
Rhodes Stadium (Tailgate area) 12.30pm
Saturday, November 4
ACCEPTANCE OF SYLLABUS and RESIDENCE AGREEMENT
Please sign and return this form to the faculty advisors Mme Choplin or Ricky Mendoza tonight, Friday Sept. 23rd if you agree to be a member of the “Polyglot House” learning community as outlined in this syllabus.
In particular, I have understood and agree to:
- Participate in all activities
- Let Mme Choplin and Ricky Mendoza and those planning an activity know if I am unable to attend.
- Attend regular monthly events and lunches at least 1/month.
- Respond promptly to email inquiries from the RA, CLM, and Madame Choplin or Ricky Mendoza
- Speak the target languageas much as possible with peers & advisors.
- Be respectful to other members of the Polyglot House
- Plan an activity to enrich the community.
- Abide by the Elon University Social and Honor Codes.
______
Printed Name
______
SignatureDate
Languages you are fluent speaking
- ______
- ______
- ______
off campus events - like the International Festival in the Fall
film festivals off campus.
Work with the Kalonda family.
International dinner.
Movie nights - with international foods.
Book Club
Sticker labels for different languages -
1