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Report from the Field – Michael Coxon
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10 thoughts on “Report from the Field – Michael Coxon”
If I am reading this correctly, Michael, you now have two in your department working to further CI. What about your old school? Is it good to get out? It sounds like a big win for you and I would like to be the first to congratulate you. I am so happy when I hear of lone wolves being taken in by families. And where is the great Joe Neilson in all this?
It’s like when I was in NC last week. Every five minutes I wanted to stop what we were doing and tell them how lucky they were to be riding the CI train together under the leadership of a someone who is determined to get it done. Like instead of talking about crap at department meetings they are going to coach each other. Very badass.
Makes me think of the upcoming War Rooms in MN. Go sign up for iFLT everyone so we can play this summer.
Again, Michael, congratulations on your new position!
Ben- the old school was a grind to make change. Too many teachers, too many languages, and too many students. The upper level and honors teachers are blinded by false results and because of dual enrollment college credit… retention rates were falsely influenced. Admin was supportive but department chair and older teachers didn’t get it. I was able influence the large department to use TPRS novels in every single class and language (minus Latin readers) but the battling becomes exhausting. I thought the novels would be the big catalyst for change but teacher training is the KEY.
It is bittersweet to get out because I am proud of the changes. When the department chair supported the TPRS novels… it was really just to appease me. I now see she was throwing me a bone because she can’t argue against getting kids to read in the TL. I thought it would significantly change instruction but it has been a moderate change because these teachers are not FULLY supported to do so. People might say I could have just closed my door and do what I want but I couldn’t. We had to use common formative and summative assessments and all teach the same things at about the same pace. I can’t do that.
I tell a story about when Blaine came to teach for 2 days and my department chair wouldn’t even look him in the eyes during lunch because she couldn’t accept the changes. I am making the right decision. Will TPRS last at the old school??? Time will tell…
I can say this…TPRS was the reason the new school wanted me. This is how it should be for us…we should be coveted and wanted. They offered me 20% more salary and 60% smaller class sizes…
Joe Neilson? …I email with him throughout the school year. This year, he is department chair with a light teaching load in his 33rd year. I think I will head down to Tucson in the next couple of weeks and see if I can record some classes. I wil be sure to share if and when I do. If I remember correctly he is planning on retiring and getting back to workshops and presenting.
What I can say about Joe is that he will challenge anyone when it comes to TPRS…I just wish he was online more so we can see it 🙂
Joe is a god. If he can get retired and start presenting more we all will benefit. This is very good news indeed.
Likewise with you. You have been lifted out of an unhealthy situation. 20% more salary and 60% smaller class sizes for you now. This is a great boon and a true blessing. It can give others here some degree of hope. If it happened with you it can happen to others.
I especially appreciate this that you said:
…this is how it should be for us…we should be coveted and wanted….
The more we keep at this, just going in every day and trying some PQA or Visual PQA or a story or whatever we can muster that day, the more we are preparing the ground for more and more of us to find jobs in dignified situations. We deserve that.
I have found the extended T/CI family to be very generous and supportive.
In my pre-T/CI decades, I attended workshops & conferences, and helped train new hires in our district, but the HOW was always left to the discretion of each T….When I reflect on that, I cannot believe how absurd it is!! ‘Old days’ teachers would share documents and lists of resources, but never the “how”…a book and some paper activities – and a curriculum map…go figure it out – and since we’re all individuals – do it your own way! No wonder we never had similar experiences to share, analyze and learn from! And the endless search for activities! And the time spent creating the game-playing pieces…and the lack of any long-term retention or gains, or comprehension…
I find your story so inspiring, Michael. In a time where so many teacher decisions are being usurped, you took charge, stood up for what you observe really works, and it ended happily!! Strong departments are built with that kind of underpinning…and the message will be easier to decipher (by parents/the community) if this underlying research drives instruction across the department.
Great line about the Defartment Head not looking Blaine in the eye. Blaine is my hero: guy got fired twice for not being good enough, and then went and reinvented language teaching.
As J. M. Keynes allegedly said, “When the facts change, I change my mind. And you, sir, what do you do?”
I am so happy for you Michael! This warms my heart and lights my fire! You deserve taking the path of better mental health. I know you must feel like, well, maybe I can be more influential in this bigger school with more students and a bigger department. I’m sure you were. Like you said, every little conversation we have with colleagues about TCI starts a ripple effect. But at the same time, I’m certain you will do some amazing things on influencing the greater community when you team up with your TCI colleague at that private school.
I find myself in a similar mess at a big school where the obstacles are just so enormous. As problematic as my kids are at this neighborhood high school in Chicago, at the end of the day it’s the admin that make it difficult for me to teach CI. Sooo frustrating. I’m not giving up but I’m definitely exploring other options.
Anyways, thanks for bringing a big smile to my face today!
“People might say I could have just closed my door and do what I want but I couldn’t. We had to use common formative and summative assessments and all teach the same things at about the same pace. I can’t do that.”
Man, can I relate to that! That was the straitjacket I was in at my last school. All the teaching there, including that of the other world language teacher, was definitely textbook-driven, so that was the pressure I faced constantly. I used TPRS, though, every chance I got. As a result, the elementary-age children loved my classes. I made it fun for them.
Congratulations, Michael, you’ve become a trailblazer.
Sean- it is way too bad that you aren’t supported properly. All students need good teachers even the “problematic” ones. TCI reaches all types of students but I tend to feel like the problematic ones can benefit even more from being taught with love and patience…like with TPRS.
You are exactly right about being at the bigger school. I felt like I could change the lives of more people. I have concluded like with anything…balance is in order. I have taught over 1000 students in this district using TPRS and I think that is a positive spin in the lives of those people.
The other part that needs to be realized for those of us out there teaching large numbers of students is that we are not developing as educators when we are taxed with large numbers and negative colleagues.
Larry- calling those assessments a STRAIGHTJACKET is perfect! In my case I always had to answer to the textbook test. My students never had a problem with them but they were contrived and did not feel authentic to students. And the top down management of the data has benefited no one in 5 years.
I care most about students loving to learn…this is probably why most of us are teachers…at some point we fell in love with learning.
Thank you all for the support!
Congratulations, Michael! Couldn’t happen to a more passionate, effective teacher.
…we are not developing as educators when we are taxed with large numbers and negative colleagues….
Amen three times to that!