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On Being Let Go
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11 thoughts on “On Being Let Go”
I am also sorry about this. I think blame should be cast on textbook teaching in which the emphasis is on decontextualized vocabulary (entomology) and grammar patterns. To take a break from gram/voc there is a tendency to do culture (in L1, in contradistinction to the 5 Cs which, at least in Mass, builds everything on the 1st C –communication).
So it is logical (from a traditional Latin-in-English point of view) to think that we can 1) talk about vocabulary (entomology) and culture in L1 and 2) spread it thinly through a humanities program (think many stadia wide and a digit deep) and we will be 6 quandrans none the worse. And a rich, human language experience is to be sacrificed on the altar of a project-based learning fad. (I can always tell at my school when a project has recently been turned in: the trash cans are full, stacked high, and running over with cardboard and glitter.)
I do hope that the admin can think more clearly on this. But if they cannot, I hope that you will get into a better situation.
Nathaniel
This makes me sick. How is CI/TPRS not the very essence of “experiential”? Idiots. Good luck and if I can do anything for the original poster, he/she can feel free to e-mail me.
Sad. Like, wrenching sadness. I will never understand how the so-called “leaders” of our schools are so far from the human connection. Clearly someone clinging for dear life to the illusion that all those external structures are somehow related to our evolution into our higher selves. We all share this pain. It is important to feel it and let it move through so you don’t get stuck in it. As someone said above, this is also a nudge forward on your path. You will connect with a place that honors you and what you have to offer students. It may not feel like that right now. So sorry to hear this 🙁
This sucks. I feel for whomever had this happen to them.
I just today used half of my class to explain this shift, to my students, who were starting to feel like they weren’t getting something that they needed from the class (very quiet and left-brained group). I showed them the video of Diana Noonan interviewing Ben’s French students. I think it really made a difference. Especially about 12 min in with they talk about how if the the students are not contributing, then the class is boring. And when the long black-haired guy piped up with “we’re not learning to communicate with a worksheet or a book, but with a real human being.” Admins need to see this if they doubt.
Jim I have provided that link to that interview with my former students here:
https://benslavic.com/blog/videos/bens-students-interview/
“we’re not learning to communicate with a worksheet or a book, but with a real human being.”
I will remember this response when a student declares, “this is boring!” It’s interesting how I get the “this is boring” comment usually from those students who just have a hard time being still in general.
I’m so glad that this person shared this sad news with us. While they will find another school that appreciates what they do, it still hurts to have to get divorced from the learning community they’ve planted roots in. In no way is this like moving jobs in the corporate world. Our work is more heart-centered. I’ve had to let go of more than one school community I had invested all my heart and soul (and sacrificed hours of sleep) for. It’s not easy, and has forced me to really think about what is important.
Jen called us recently a tribe. As a member of this tribe, thank you for leaning on us.
I’m sorry to hear this. I agree with Nathaniel and James on their points. May this mean the opportunity of finding a school that appreciates and values this teacher!
Even without knowing who this individual is, I can promise you that this move had nothing to do with this teacher nor with TPRS/CI. (His excellence and a stellar program is evidence that passion and skill matter. ) This happened for a number of different reasons that benefit the folks who made the decision. Period. It is about the folks that made this terrible decision, NOT the teacher.
We/He may never know all of the reasons why. In the end, it won’t matter. The powers that be have already decided that it will happen.
There has been good advice and great support offered here. He has a RIGHT to feel hurt, be angry and all that those entail. IT’S A TERRIBLE DECISION. It hurts him and it hurts the students. It hurts the school. It hurts us.
But…………………………………………….it might also be an incredible blessing in disguise. Who wants to work under boneheads who make decisions like that? So many times God and His universe offer us amazing opportunities, but we are so afraid to leave our safety zone that we say no, or sometimes even see these opportunities. I sense that there are amazing things just about to happen.
Sending love, support and hugs,
Laurie
What Laurie said. In particular, don’t deny the emotional impact of this. If you feel depressed, that is normal and natural, because you have experienced a loss. It will be all right, and it will get better, but right now you should accept that if you weren’t experiencing these emotions you wouldn’t be the caring person you are.
This is one of the symptoms of the malaise that infects modern education. I’m praying that your next position is where people understand the difference between education, which is all about developing the whole person, and training, which is all about developing “skills” apart from the whole person.
BTW, I agree with Response #2 in the original post: to your administrator it’s all about schedule, “practicality” and utility.
I could not have said what I feel any better than Laurie, but know that I feel a pain in the pit of my soul every time I hear of one of our members not being seen as the valuable human beings that they are and what value added they are to the schools and more importantly to the children they reach. May you land in a wonderful place where you are appreciated and valued.
Things will get better.
Best,
Chill
Wow – I can’t believe they axed the entire program. At least they kept Latin where I was previously axed!