Dana Miller-Kitch is the person taking the position I had in New Delhi at the American Embassy School this year. Tina and I got to spend some quality time with her in Philadelphia chez Dick Detwiler this summer. Some of the same kids who launched the Invisibles as 6th graders will be able to finish their middle school French careers with them as 8th graders. Dana (pronounced Danna) has already sent me samples of artwork her kids have produced since school has started for her in India. Anyway, she sent us this important article addressing teacher autonomy and its link to teacher burnout.We need to keep these ideas in our minds as we start another school year. In spite of all existing S/S chains, I do believe that we have the right to think and do what we feel is best for our students. I don’t know why anyone would question that. Our mental health demands no less:
Hi Ben,
I just read this article about the perceived notion of lack of autonomy among American teachers and it makes me think of what you have mentioned in the two books of yours that I’ve read.
I truly hope that I have the autonomy I need to teach French using the Invisibles, given that we’ll have a new admin team in place for the coming school year. I really think this will be the way to teach foreign language in the future.
Dana