Since Bob and David led the way with this new idea of y’all sending in “Reports from the Field”, I have received a few more. Here is one from Bernard, the French guy of Face 1 and Face 2 fame from Las Vegas. Thank you for sending it, Bernard, and others please feel free to send in more of these.
Bonjour Ben,
I just want to start saying thank you again for the workshops you led at the NTPRS, which inspired me greatly.
So… Sergeant Bernard reporting from the field. Veni vidi vici; that’s how I felt these last two days of “la rentrée” in Park City High.
I was a bit nervous to enter the first day of class with not much more of a plan than having fun discussions about my students’ preferences. I had reread Ben’s description of the CWB and replayed in my head the late workshop from NTPRS. I got the balls from the PE teacher – first time I had ever held a baseball! It was probably the most work I did in preparation of the classes. Then I jumped in.
I always like my students to feel like they are stepping into another world when entering. I do have a sign on my door, taken from “Checkpoint Charlie,” marking this threshold. French music is playing loud and when the bell rings, there is dead silence. I then show a couple of funny videos on learning languages. They laugh. I have established the mood of the class it seems. I write my name and draw a surfer on my paper, inviting them to imitate me, while circling slowly. I walk around to sense the class and select my first student. Here is my football player! Ben, you’re so insightful, I smile. He is rocking on his chair with detachment and a sense of entitlement. The beauty of the technique is that it allows you to address the potential troublemakers right from the start, to implicitly point out the rules of the game without the lecture. But most importantly, I felt complicity with my students right from the start.
The new assistant principal visited the class and left a note : WOW!
During his 10 minutes in my class, Mark was sleeping on his desk, snoring and drooling. At times, he would yell because of a bad dream (a dirty toilet was the cutest answer to what nightmare he was having). Claire, as a contrast demonstrated clear eyes, and Josh the football player square shoulders. Everyone was contributing with aaahs and ooohs… Yes, WOW!
In my advanced classes, the students with whom I am already quite acquainted, just drew their summer highlights. We talked about the past… Oh no, it is already the end of the summer!
Amazingly, after 95 minutes of each of my classes, the board was filled with vocabulary. Did I go too fast? The following quizzes (most had 100%) told me otherwise. And we had only talked about 4 or 5 students! Did I go too slowly? Obviously not, since all but a couple of students were actively involved.
So here it is, my tale from the front line. Will I be able to sustain the fire?
Bernard