Long story short: I have a degree in Elem Ed as well as Secondary Spanish. I taught at the elementary level in a rural school for 4 years until “life happened” (marriage, 9-11, etc) and now teach at the secondary level in an urban district. In the end, I have 16 years of teaching experience.
As an elementary major, I never had a Spanish methods course and have learned on the fly. For years I was so frustrated because my students couldn’t actually communicate in Spanish and complained all the time. My “rock bottom” was the day I confessed to my husband that I hated going to work everyday and wanted to work at the local grocery store as a cashier – it seemed so much simpler! He told me to find a way to teach differently instead. I began to investigate comprehensible input and tprs. Eventually, I found this PLC and I am so much happier because of it!
This is my first year using the techniques discussed here, and things are going very well. I’m impressed with how much my students are able to do compared with students from past years. I LOVE the fact that I don’t hear complaining all day (well…not about Spanish anyway – they are teens after all!). I enjoy what I do and feel like I have a much better relationship with my students than in the past. Even my lowest students seem so much more comfortable! It’s definitely been a positive change.
I feel like the most telling day was last month when my department head asked us to check our students’ course registrations for next year. Usually, after pushing and “bribing” the kids before registration, about 70-75% continue to the next level. After checking all the numbers this year, 93% of my students CHOSE to go on to level 3 – and I never said a word about registration at all! Since I have all of the 9th graders that take Spanish and there are no other factors (such as a different level 3 teacher or something), I feel like it’s a major accomplishment. No one else in the department had that percentage continuing on to the next level. I secretly did a little happy dance and then went back to work. I must be doing something right…
I don’t comment much, but I read each and every post. (Not ready for output yet?)
Thanks for helping me!
Kelly