Unlock with PatreonThe Problem with CI
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Here Comes the Boom
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9 thoughts on “Here Comes the Boom”
Hey Ben – yes, I saw this movie about a month ago, and posted something about it here (or the moreTPRS site). What really struck me was when Kevin James’ character decided to inject FUN into his class again – and didn’t care what his colleagues thought about him (like when he got on top of the table and started asking THEM questions: i.e. PQA?).
I also highly recommend this movie — it really resonated with me and what all of us are trying to do in OUR classrooms – we KNOW (down deep in our hearts – Thanks Sabrina!!!) what we’re doing is RIGHT!!!
Ben, could you share what you mean by “the situation is spinning out of control, no matter how much money is being thrown at the schools”? Over here we get hardly any money anymore, but things are stable on a low level (at least you know what to expect – nothing).
Thanks again for the encouraging words, Ben. We are all truly a well-intentioned group of people!
We are awash in money in Denver Public Schools. We have too much money. Diana likes to joke that in the DPS district offices they need to build a new wing for all the young data gatherers. And yet in the buildings, for all the money spent on the structuring of teachers, ostensibly in the name of helping us but really to keep us in line, we get the wrong kind of help. In-services from hell, without a shadow of applicability to what we are doing, data people collecting data to help us but without understanding how and why we in WL/TPRS/CI even assess, class sizes that don’t work (look at the Californians!), rude ass kids, and it just goes on and on. That’s what I meant. And then, with all the microscopes on us, some of us naturally cave emotionally (I now refuse to do that but did for over 30 years) and we become fearful of judgement. This is where I draw the line. Money should be spent to train us and truly help us, not to judge us. This mini-rant is brought to you by those in schools who refuse to realize that if the pressure continues to build on public school teachers (I don’t know enough to comment about what is going on in private schools), there ain’t gonna be any of us left. We will have left in search of jobs that don’t put us down for trying new stuff, for jobs where we don’t have to work with people who shouldn’t be teaching*, those who believe in projects and homework and shaming kids while not really engaging the kids actively in the classroom, and those who misrepresent Blaine and Krashen by saying they do TPRS/CI but don’t and don’t much care if they do or not. The tomb like classrooms that result from these things are the real out-of-control situation I was referring to above, Charlotte. I don’t know if you have that in Germany. But look at France. OMG.
*I refuse to downplay my true feelings on the topic of traditional teachers. Those people are done and should be gone, true dinosaurs. Their time is over. I could see not blasting them if they were doing what they do at no one’s expense, then they would merely be a waste of money. But these teachers who cling to old methods do so at the expense of children, at the expense of the self-esteem and buy-in to life of children. Ignoring that is criminal in my view and why I think that Chris’ focus on the re-education of administrators is the key place to focus the sharing of our gold. That means teaching good classes and letting them see for themselves how much fun learning a language can be. The old style professionals are not getting with the change the new century has brought. Unless you think that a doctor who removes an ingrown toenail by removing the entire foot is an o.k. professional. In the medical profession, they probably would get rid of that guy, but in our profession we keep them without thinking of the effects on the kids. Those professionals are all but lopping off the kids’ language feet before they get their legs under them and enjoy the learning. The standards HAVE changed. The teachers by and large HAVE NOT changed. We need to deal with that as a national teaching core NOW. Of course, certain people on this blog will not hesitate to point out to me that if the person is doing it out of sheer ignorance, that is one thing. And it is one thing, but not a very defensible thing. The fact is the standards are there, the 90% Use position statement is there. The handwriting is, as they say, on the wall, and has been for some time.
Any objections that remain in the minds of anyone reading this content are reminded that this is my blog. Go read the exciting blogs of the traditional teachers, explore all the exciting new things they are doing to help the kids really enjoy their language learning experience as well as up their own joy in teaching.
How are schools funded in CO? In Ohio we have to put levies on the ballot, begging the communities for more funding. Despite how well off my district’s community is, we have many tea partiers who don’t like voting for property tax increases. They go as far as to stand on street corners with signs saying to vote no on the school levies. Although the Ohio supreme court has ruled the way we fund Schools unconstitutional nothing changes, we only become more “accountable”
I think that we all have the levee system. Ohio drives the chevy to the levee but the levee is dry. But not in DPS. In South Jefferson County yes. In Douglas County yes. Those are the rich parts of town. And their school systems have crashed lately. But downtown, the poor people respond positively to every tax initiative that comes their way. Different values I guess.
Oh, I get it now. When I say we haven’t got any money, I should correct that at least we as teachers are paid well. I make about 3300 Dollars a month for teaching from eight to two every day. I’ve heard that in the US some teachers even have to take a second job to survive.
Yeah but you guys over there don’t get to have a big chunk of your gross income go to health insurance, right?
Oh we do. Half actually.