Hi, Ben,
I had shared this information with Laurie and Jody and Laurie suggested that I send my thoughts on to you given that we have so many of our members just trying to make sense of things and end our year strong and on a positive note.
You may remember that I put out an SOS last fall for a bullet point document that gave a description and rationale of CI as we practice it – one that we could share with admin, counselors, parents, etc. Robert’s wonderful document was the result and it was very effective with my admin.
I just had my summative. My principal was very complimentary. My enrollment is up, he is impressed with my attendance at iFLT and NTPRS, very supportive of my meetings with local practitioners. He likes the brain based connections and the engagement of the students. He agrees that world language education in general seems to be in the middle of some kind of paradigm shift. Keep up the good work was the message. He also said something about reaching out to graduates to ask them to reflect on their French experience with TPRS/CI. All of that was under the commendable area. Then come the comments, observations, and recommendations:
1. “Would like to discuss ways that aspects of the TPRS process might be integrated into the curricula of all our WL courses.” I read this and immediately become ill. My colleagues have never asked me one question about what I do in class, what I did over the summer – not a soupcon of curiosity.
2. “I would like to see our students participating in the National French Examination.” Just shoot me! How can this be, but it is! Sigh…
The funny thing is that I did not see comment 2 until after I left the meeting because I was so shook by comment 1. When I finally got around to reading comment 2, it was a day later. So much for educating the administration. With 120 days/ 40 minute periods to teach in a good year, what would this look like? How could this be? I have no idea where this is going to lead but I am inclined to ignore it. It leaves me wondering whose idea it was to suggest the National French Exam. Perhaps colleagues? Perhaps not.
Meeting at my school with Anny Ewing, Lori Belinsky, and other like-minded tri state folks on Friday, May, 16. Really feeling the need for CI camaraderie! Hope to see many of you this summer. Courage!
Chill