Libby writes in her bio (we have 34 now and are approaching the half way mark for everybody getting into the Group Members category for reasons expressed in the past few weeks here):
I never wanted to be a teacher. I graduated with a degree in French and a minor in Psychology. My parents pressured me into taking an Ed class in my senior year of college. I dropped it aftern the first day (I was not excited about designing bulletin boards and creating lessons…. NOT FOR ME. I got married right after graduation and my husband and I moved to California where he was stationed in the Air Force. Out of financial need I applied to be a substitute teacher (no responsibility or lesson plans and flexible hours). I started with my first assignment at 22 years old. After transferring to Idaho I continued to sub as I raised my two daughters. Bill got out of the Air Force and we moved back home to Indiana. I continued to sub and be active in the school where my kids were enrolled. As I became more popular as a sub, administrators started asking me what I was certified to teach. In would laugh this off, I didn’t see myself with the responsibility of teaching.
One summer, after my girl were old enough to take care of themselves (high school and middle school), a friend of mine noticed an ad for a teaching position at a private school just down the road a few blocks. It was a mixed level class for one period a day. The French program was being phased out. My friend and family convinced me to apply. Without a certification I was hired on the spot. I spent the next three years there and i went back to school to become certified to teach. When I was there, I built the program in three years to 4 classes a day (part time). I often talked to the Spanish teacher about how she taught her classes. She was a grammarian 4 %er all the way! I mentioned TPR to her and she went off on how stupid it was and that I shouldn’t waste my time! Like a new teacher, I took her advice and yet I never stopped thinking about TPR and that it just seemed right.
Four years ago I got a phone call from an administrator friend of mine in the public school. He recently started as principal and he needed a language teacher to replace the Latin teacher who had just retired. I left my private school after 4 years and started with another new program to build. My first year there was teaching French to kids who were expecting Latin. Talk about a tough crowd! in the middle of my first year there I began experimenting with TPRS methods. I didn’t really commit to the method completely until the following year. I went to a workshop in Chicago and I was hooked. I’ve been using the TPRS exclusively in the classroom for the last two and a half years. Last year was a disaster for my students because I was ill for 9 weeks due to a chronic condition and they had a sub who didn’t know French. He gave them the textbook and said, do these pages. My students had never seen the book! I can tell I am still trying to clean up THAT mess. I link that to many of my discipline problems. This year is still better than last. I am looking forward to sharing this year with you all. I do love teaching kids and I am still surprised that I am a teacher. Lol 