It's hard to write. Voices in my head (not the crazy ones) keep telling me to wait a day, who reads anyway. And besides, you reflect just fine on your own .... humm.
A few years ago, the great state of Texas decided that all students in alternative placements must keep their regular campus classes. With that in mind, I added Spanish to my certifications. When it all took effect it was hard to offer, let's say, all the math classes with a staff of 3 HS math teachers for about 16 different math classes in an alternative setting. The Adaptive Behavior Center (ABC) housed with my campus also started to offer Spanish, and needed a Spanish teacher. I started teaching a class period of Spanish to students with emotional/behavioral disorders 4 years ago along with middle and high school math classes AND Spanish at the alternative/discipline school. Last year, my part of the DAEP was phased out, but I continued teaching Spanish to the students at the ABC and math at the alternative school. This year my role has changed again at the alternative school, but I continue to teach Spanish at the ABC. It is this Spanish class that I need to ruminate over.
My Spanish class has been one class period of Spanish 1 and 2 for the last 3 years. Texas also changed the curriculum, making it seem to be more difficult for me to teach the 2 levels at the same time. At times I have only had 1 or 2 students, making conversations difficult. After all, what student wants to speak in a new language to their teacher?
I have struggled with how to teach 2 levels together. This year, in a math workshop, it dawned on me, blended learning! So I started the year with 3 rotations: Direct instruction, computer work (Duolingo, Quizlet), and independent or group work. Things seemed to go well for about 4 weeks, and then, as my students spent more time together, problems typical of students with emotional/behavioral disorders surfaced. I rearranged groups, made the groups static and moved adults, removed disruptive students, went from three to two activities, and realized, at the end of the semester, that my students had not learned as much as I had hoped.
What was missing? Practice. But how do you practice AND avoid the student vs student problems? This was not about students fighting the curriculum and learning new things, this was about the way they interacted with each other.
We got back from break and I gave my students a survey: what did they learn well, what would they like to learn, what could I do better as a teacher. I spent a few weeks trying to stick with the curriculum plan, but I could not see that they were learning, they were not getting enough practice ... so I changed things up.
I started using Quizlet as a teacher directed activity: Spanish word, say it, translation, say it in Spanish again. Do five and repeat. If you don't remember when we go back, time to write the Spanish and the English. The closing activity each day, write some sentences in Spanish using sentence starters and the new vocabulary, oh, and a few extra choices for fun. Spanish 2? One student worked with me and the Spanish 1 students, and then he and I did some NEW learning using the past tense. My other Spanish 2 student (who is a native speaker) worked on an independent project: Animals in Mexico (something she told me she WANTED to learn about). We had a test, all passed. We had a presentation in Spanish, all attended and even asked questions (in English). But there was learning, and I could see it and I could feel it.
Am I following the district curriculum, in a way. We are covering the ideas, the topics, the vocabulary. Are we having conversations, not yet. Are we becoming independent, not all of us. Do we complain? Of course. But, we are learning! Students are gaining confidence in what they know. They are feel empowered to make guesses based on what words sound like. They are repeating more, and more loudly. The complaining is less and the volume is going up! They look ready.
This is not how I would teach a regular class of 30 students in Spanish 1 or Spanish 2, but I do not have that luxury. I had to decide what I wanted: did I want to say, "Look! I am using blended learning." Or do I want to say, "Look! My students are learning!" I know I want my students to be learning.
A few years ago, the great state of Texas decided that all students in alternative placements must keep their regular campus classes. With that in mind, I added Spanish to my certifications. When it all took effect it was hard to offer, let's say, all the math classes with a staff of 3 HS math teachers for about 16 different math classes in an alternative setting. The Adaptive Behavior Center (ABC) housed with my campus also started to offer Spanish, and needed a Spanish teacher. I started teaching a class period of Spanish to students with emotional/behavioral disorders 4 years ago along with middle and high school math classes AND Spanish at the alternative/discipline school. Last year, my part of the DAEP was phased out, but I continued teaching Spanish to the students at the ABC and math at the alternative school. This year my role has changed again at the alternative school, but I continue to teach Spanish at the ABC. It is this Spanish class that I need to ruminate over.
My Spanish class has been one class period of Spanish 1 and 2 for the last 3 years. Texas also changed the curriculum, making it seem to be more difficult for me to teach the 2 levels at the same time. At times I have only had 1 or 2 students, making conversations difficult. After all, what student wants to speak in a new language to their teacher?
I have struggled with how to teach 2 levels together. This year, in a math workshop, it dawned on me, blended learning! So I started the year with 3 rotations: Direct instruction, computer work (Duolingo, Quizlet), and independent or group work. Things seemed to go well for about 4 weeks, and then, as my students spent more time together, problems typical of students with emotional/behavioral disorders surfaced. I rearranged groups, made the groups static and moved adults, removed disruptive students, went from three to two activities, and realized, at the end of the semester, that my students had not learned as much as I had hoped.
What was missing? Practice. But how do you practice AND avoid the student vs student problems? This was not about students fighting the curriculum and learning new things, this was about the way they interacted with each other.
We got back from break and I gave my students a survey: what did they learn well, what would they like to learn, what could I do better as a teacher. I spent a few weeks trying to stick with the curriculum plan, but I could not see that they were learning, they were not getting enough practice ... so I changed things up.
I started using Quizlet as a teacher directed activity: Spanish word, say it, translation, say it in Spanish again. Do five and repeat. If you don't remember when we go back, time to write the Spanish and the English. The closing activity each day, write some sentences in Spanish using sentence starters and the new vocabulary, oh, and a few extra choices for fun. Spanish 2? One student worked with me and the Spanish 1 students, and then he and I did some NEW learning using the past tense. My other Spanish 2 student (who is a native speaker) worked on an independent project: Animals in Mexico (something she told me she WANTED to learn about). We had a test, all passed. We had a presentation in Spanish, all attended and even asked questions (in English). But there was learning, and I could see it and I could feel it.
Am I following the district curriculum, in a way. We are covering the ideas, the topics, the vocabulary. Are we having conversations, not yet. Are we becoming independent, not all of us. Do we complain? Of course. But, we are learning! Students are gaining confidence in what they know. They are feel empowered to make guesses based on what words sound like. They are repeating more, and more loudly. The complaining is less and the volume is going up! They look ready.
This is not how I would teach a regular class of 30 students in Spanish 1 or Spanish 2, but I do not have that luxury. I had to decide what I wanted: did I want to say, "Look! I am using blended learning." Or do I want to say, "Look! My students are learning!" I know I want my students to be learning.
I love that you are back blogging! It's so cathartic to share our experiences, I love learning from and reflecting with my peers. I am so grateful to connect with another #AltEd teacher. Can't wait to read more. - Jillian Damon
ReplyDeleteI have to find my settings so I know when there is a comment! Thank you, Jillian. It is cathartic, and reflective. It has helped me see where I want to be!
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