Q. What does one do without the support of one’s colleagues when trying to make the change to comprehensible input based instruction? How does one react to a colleague who does not wish to implement a non-textbook approach within the same year grouping? How does one go about teaching TPRS to older students who have never been taught in this manner?
A. When face to face with an ocean, and this IS an ocean that we are all just now dipping our toes and feet into together, it is easy to be a bit cautious and long for the safety of the land.
However, we must get wet if we want to experience the fine feel of the water on our skin and to enjoy the long term health benefits that the ocean offers. We must then invite others, those administrators you describe, and, of course our students, to swim for themselves.
This is not easy. But, face to face with an unknown, or just turning back and walking back to the safety of the land, that has not been a difficult choice for me. I know where I have been and I don’t like it, and I know where I am going and I love it.
Go read the category on Administrator/Teacher/Parent Re-education, read the Primers section, read other stuff here in the pages of our PLC. Pull up your trunks, run around on the beach a bit if you must to get your muster up, and then go put that foot in, and maybe even wade around a bit!
I guarantee you that the water is fine and that you will see things about teaching that you never thought possible and then when you tell others they will chastise you for not telling them about it sooner.