Unlock with PatreonThe Problem with CI
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Design Thinking
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2 thoughts on “Design Thinking”
Of course, we have to ask what is the end use need of our students. If they are going to a teacher next year who requires verb charts, etc. and (because of that) the students will never actually learn how to communicate in the language, maybe their end use need is to be taught grammar by us. I do have a student like that who goes from New Delhi to England at the end of the year where she will encounter 1950s style grammar. I have to get her ready for that. She wants the instruction because her parents have convinced her of it and went after me at parent conferences a month ago. So guess what she is getting for the rest of the year. Massive grammar. Since I am never happier than when teaching grammar, because I get to show off how smart I am and because I just love French grammar anyway, I very much look forward to working with her in class. And the rest of the class, craving something new yesterday, will get their plates so loaded up with grammar that the prepositions will get caught in their teeth, and they will have adverbs and relative pronouns smeared all over their faces in a month. Hey, most are going to high school settings when their diplomat parents return to their home countries (three year posting here usually), so that end use clause is quite appropriately addressed by me. We don’t have to do CI, y’all…
Funny how things are Ben. Before kids, I was so idealistic with all sorts of new ideas from college and my stay in France. Now that I am a dad, I think that things are fine with making adjustments and letting things flow the way they do.
However, you bring up a good point. I believe that teachers now in this time are seen by many as catering to the needs of what students/parents ask for. Like consumer culture. Even though we may consider ourselves professionals in language education, if a student is going to be evaluated with grammar instead of whether they can communicate then we have to cater to those needs. Anyway, I think that it’s best to chose your battles and focus your energy on the positive.
And yet, my idealistic self though thinks about a charter school of sorts where all types of languages are taught with the work we do. Just a positive thought.