I teach Spanish at a small (225 student) Christian high school in Portland, Oregon. When I interviewed for the job five years ago, I asked the principal what he thought of their current Spanish program. (I had observed the teacher who was leaving and found it to be a traditional textbook class.) He said he thought it was “the best.” My response: “Are you interested in something totally different?”
I explained how I taught and later found out he did some research on TPRS. He was enthusiastic about hiring me and has been a huge supporter ever since. He has observed some story building and loves TPRS. I have been given a totally free hand to teach however I believe best. This year I began using Standards Based Grading (or my interpretation of it) and the principal was totally supportive of the change, despite the fact no one else in the building uses this.
Parents have generally been equally supportive. They realize their kids are actually acquiring the language and don’t complain about the lack of a textbook. The majority of my students are on board and have learned to “play the game”
It’s not totally Nirvana, however. I have been dissed by students (even flipped off behind my back in class–”Christian school” doesn’t mean all the students are filled with Christian love). My first couple years were especially rocky–I had previously taught (19 years) in elementary school and some students, I believe, interpreted the change from textbook to TPRS as childish. A student who moved out of state after one year with me came back to visit and announced smugly to the class that she had to take Spanish 1 all over again in California because “everything I learned last year was wrong.” The good news is that there is only 4 years of memory in a high school. Now that I am in year 5, I am accepted for who I am and kids come into class already knowing that they will be expected to speak Spanish, rather than English, in class. Not all kids are motivated to learn, of course, but for the most part life is good.
A year and a half ago I started a coaching group in Portland. Half a dozen of us get together once a month: we spend one hour sharing experiences and asking for advice and one hour coaching each other, generally in PQA or story building. Our group has been the best thing to happen to me professionally since discovering TPRS 10-12 years ago. This year we are each choosing something to be held accountable for each month, which has been great.
I have a long way to go in my delivery of TPRS, but I am learning from my students every day. I need to go slower and deeper and my life is still too hectic. I hope to learn from those of you who, like Ben, have learned to simplify your teaching, so that I can get a life again outside of class. I create nearly everything I use (except the novels) and I get carried away.
Thanks to all of you for all you share here. The wisdom of the group is so much greater than any one individual.