This is an update from our Jen Sparano in NJ. Some may recall that discussion in early spring. Here is a recent link:
https://benslavic.com/blog/report-from-the-field-jennifer-sparano-2/
Hey Ben –
You may recall that the year before last, I came to you requesting help from the PLC members because I was going to be meeting with my new principal (2014-15 brought my high school 3 new administrators: principal and 2 vice). The meeting was about me using TPRS and although I presented him with all of the documents the PLC gang suggested, I was still told to follow the brand new text book they decided to purchase. Do you recall?
And that was the end of that for me. I tried to play it their way, and of course, but was miserable. You know I even applied to DHS recently but for personal reasons I had to decline some offers. I am staying in NJ. I am staying in at my current HS.
Well, as luck would have it, my department’s former supervisor (who also teaches English) stepped down from her position and we became great friends and better colleagues due to working together last summer and this one in a day-camp for young kids. She and I were chatting today about the whole textbook nonsense. I mentioned that I just checked my schedule for this year and see that I’m teaching Spanish 2 Honors and Spanish 3 CP. My former superintendent told me that it is because the principal actually changed his mind about my teaching methods and felt I would be able to “get ‘er done” for the upper levels, which explains why this academic year I was also asked to teach Spanish 3 for the first time ever.
So, my friend was in the know about it because of her former position. She thinks our principal never told me he felt differently about my teaching long after we had the meeting because it would have required his humility; apparently, he is lacking.
I’m a bit shocked. I still think I have to play the game and at least make it appear that the text book is an important part of my lessons but now I feel like I can go total-CI this year. My colleague told me that the principal feels that I can get kids from A-Z and have them know what they need. He trusts that I can do it.
With this in mind, I am writing to you…because it has been awhile since I went total-CI and I don’t want to forget important things. I bought The Big CI Book and read through the whole thing. But I still have questions. I went on the PLC and looked up the Beginning the Year checklist but I’d love it if you could let me know if you still believe those things listed are still needed. I know your view on Word Walls has changed to lean toward Verb Walls. I think I understand that those verbs should be the top 100-200 high frequency, right?
Do you only use CWB/questionnaires, the DHS high freq. list and Matava/Tripp scripts? Is that all I need? That and doing the first 7 strategies from The Big book? Is there a way for you to share with me/the PLC what the DHS scope & sequence looks like? Is it just a list of the high frequency words?
So many questions, I know. I just think that this might be my year to go full CI, close my classroom door and “play the game” only when I’m observed…
Thanks in advance for any kind of reply since it’s summer.
Jen Sparano