Ruth in Vermont requests some advice/ideas:
I teach beginning French to grades 6-8. (This is my first year teaching French, but I am not a young new teacher at all.)
I do not see my classes every day. Foreign language in our school is a .5 class, not a priority. We have an awkward alternating schedule. Theoretically, I see them three times one week, alternating with two times the next week, but something is always coming up, so in reality it is rarely even that often. There is no continuity. Anytime we start to get into some kind of flow, class ends and we won’t see each other again for at least two days, more usually. I haven’t been able to come up with any sort of routine or weekly schedule that makes sense and works. The kids don’t get the benefit of regular CI and routine, and I am having trouble keeping up my momentum and spark at this point. The first half of the year seemed to go better as I had fresh energy for teaching French and TPRS, and I just accepted the schedule, got into CI as best I could. Now, I feel scattered, random, frustrated, and ineffective.
Does anyone deal with this kind of schedule in an effective way? I would appreciate any thoughts and ideas. I still love teaching French, but it’s going to be the same schedule next year, and I’d love to find a way to make the most of it. Sometimes it feels like torture to read this blog and forum and not be able to really implement so many of the great ideas that need the continuity of a 5-day week.
Thanks to all of you!
Ruth