Dear Ben,
I originally submitted my bio last spring, when I was still just thinking about TPRS. Now, I’m 6 weeks into the new school year and trying to do the best I can with my limited experience.
This is now my third year teaching German, levels 1 and 2, in a High School and Middle School. Each day, I travel between the two schools. So far, my experiences have been very positive. I have had two of the best observations so far (the first one I told you about a little while ago, and just this week our new assistant principal from the Middle School came in unannounced and raved about the energy and enthusiasm in the classroom), and the kids are so much more engaged than they ever were before.
So far, the PQA and circling is going very well for me. I am a native speaker, so I don’t really have to think too much about the language aspect of it and it doesn’t throw me off if the kids ask for some obscure vocabulary words (chubby panda bear or one-eyed Six Flags Man). I manage to keep the momentum going for quite a while and I have no problem spending a whole class period on just one structure. Even though I already started story-asking, I feel that I need to go back and do some more “circling with props” to get to know some of the more quiet kids a little bit better, especially in level 1 since this is their first year with me.
Also, the quick writes are working out quite well. The kids are already writing way more than 100 words in 10 minutes, some of them twice as many, so I told them that we will reduce the time to 9 minutes this coming week. They also love Kindergarten day, which we have done twice so far. In addition, there has been a lot of very positive feedback from the parents. They write little comments on the stories that the kids take home for retells. That tells me I’m on the right track.
On the other hand, my struggles are still plenty. Most of all, as far as asking a story is concerned. We don’t really have a problem coming up with exciting stories, however I have feeling that I’m doing it all wrong. I have an idea in my head where the story should go but then I let the kids just run with it. Sometimes we end up with something that has very little to do with what I am trying to focus on, even though it contains the structures (at least, I make it a point to put in the structures when I type it up to use for the reading the next day). Ben, you mention in one of your books, that the story “…. is your story”. I take that to mean that we should not let the kids take the reins from us when it comes to the direction the story is supposed to take. However, very often I find that whatever the kids suggest is so much more exciting and fun than anything I could ever dream up. That’s where I am torn: should I let them take over or do I need to try harder to keep the story within a certain outline?
I am also concerned about the looming proficiency exam which the 8th graders will be taking in June. While NY State no longer administers this exam, the local school districts have decided to create their own exams and treat them with equal value as the previous exams. In any case, this exam has a speaking component and I feel that I need to practice this aspect with the kids even though it seems to go against everything that you propose. I understand that it is all about CI and that output should come natural and not be forced on the kids. How do I consolidate this idea with what is demanded of them by local district standards. On this particular issue, I would really appreciate some input.
Also, I am worried that the kids might become bored with what we’re doing if it is the same thing week after week, even if the stories change. I know there are tons of suggestions on the blog and out on the internet on how to change up the various aspects of TPRS, but I feel that I am still so new at this that I need to get to a certain comfort level first with the basics before I start changing things around.
All in all, however, I am totally sold on this approach and have turned into somewhat of a preacher among my other FL teacher friends.
Best regards from Long Island,
Brigitte