Dear Ben,
I have been feeling very “down” lately regarding my foray into TPRS/CI. I feel like I’m under a microscope and have to turn the kids over having “learned” a TON of Spanish. The semester is now at an end, finals are next week, review (of grammar to be sure they’re ready for the traditional teacher) has left me feeling like I failed these kids.
THEN……today, as I was walking out of the main office, I waved and said goodbye to the AP and the two secretaries, and he called me and asked me into his office. He told me that he rec’d a phone call today from the mother of “Wendy”. ‘Wendy’ has been missing a LOT of school over the course of this semester. Many things have played a role in it, and not necessarily her fault, a lot of changes in her life. But she also has a sharp tongue with many adults (because of her experiences). Well, Mom is very concerned about her, and I have been emailing Mom a lot over the past few weeks about makeup before the end of the semester. Bottom line, Wendy has not taken me up on my offers.
BUT, Mom called the AP today and told him that I am “an incredible teacher” – she pointed out that ” other teachers tried their best with her, and were nice; however, Mrs. T. really went above and beyond offering her so many different ways to earn credit in her class, and never lost patience with her, was never rude or sarcastic, but rather always nice, compassionate and caring.” (that’s what the AP wanted to tell me!)”
WOW – he made me cry.
Driving home tonight, I then realized……it’s my attitude that did that. It is because I have found TPRS/CI and the whole community of CI-based teachers who also believe that we should teach the STUDENT first, and then the content. We should step down off our “high horse” of being the EXPERT at teaching “X” language, and just LOVE the kids, have fun with them, PERSONALIZE their learning, and have empathy for the struggles that they encounter in their lives. The poor kids of today have so many more pressures on their little shoulders than we did – even more than kids 5 years ago had!!!
Before I found this wonderful community of CI, I would talk to my colleagues at school and on other forums, and get sucked into the negativity: this kid is lazy, that kid is such a troublemaker, that other kid is always breaking rules, I caught this one kid chewing gum during my class, I sure docked his grade for THAT!!!!! But that really isn’t my personality. The whole philosophy behind CI — to love the kids first — is why I became a teacher. I remember a couple of years ago, pre-TPRS, when everyday was a BATTLE. I cringed and got stressed out about going to work and facing yet another group of unruly kids who HATED to learn Spanish. Now I love every day, and if they give me attitude I don’t take it personally, because I know I am not demanding anything from them except their ability to “be there” and to be respectful to others. But, I need to show respect to THEM too!
I guess I do show them respect, and it IS appreciated! and, if they pick up some Spanish along the way, and get to smile from time to time in my class, then verb conjugations and Direct Object Pronouns be DAMNED! I helped a KID be happy and feel LOVED!!
Thank you Blaine Ray, TPRS, Susie Gross, Ben Slavic, Laurie Clarq, Skip Crosby, Sabrina Janczak (who puts up with me on a regular basis!) Jen, Robert, and all of the rest of you who are just so supportive! Thank you.
Have a great weekend – and be happy knowing that you warmed a child’s heart this week (whether you realized it or not).
Mary Beth aka “mb”