Today is the most exciting day of the year for anyone whose teaching or learning has been touched by TPRS®! It is {inter}National TPRS® Day! …not yet an official holiday, but it should be! Today is Blaine Ray’s birthday, and what better day to celebrate the JOY that we have found through his creation, TPRS®!
Like any child, TPRS® has grown and changed and matured over the years, so much so that teachers might not recognize it if they haven’t seen it since its early years. The Green Bible is now in its seventh edition, and with each one it has become more streamlined and broader reaching. One thing has remained constant: Blaine! His infectious enthusiasm for teaching, his sense of humor, his genuine love for students and for teachers. So today, Blaine, we celebrate YOU!
“Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you!”
– Dr. Seuss, Happy Birthday to You!
I am celebrating this {inter}national holiday in two ways:
(1)I’m throwing a sale! Today (Monday, October 24) and tomorrow (Tuesday, October 25), I am discounting my entire store 20%! Click here to start shopping!
(2) I’m giving away a class set of novels! Blaine Ray took the language teaching world by storm with his revolutionary novel Pobre Ana, which was updated this summer to be more modern, more cultural, and more compelling. I’m giving away a class set of Pobre Ana Moderna (35 copies) to one lucky reader! Enter the giveaway by Tuesday, October 25 at midnight AKDT (8:00pm EDT) by entering your name and email address here. One entry per person! Books must ship to a US address. I realize that this will only be useful to Spanish teachers….but don’t worry! I have more giveaways planned in the near future for you teachers of other wonderful languages!
If you are new to TPRS® or the umbrella of Teaching with Comprehensible Input under which it falls, take some time this week to check out this TPRS® 101 series of blog posts.
Celebrate Image Copyright 123Rf Stock Photo
My name is Jorge Gonzalez, I teach Spanish 1 and Spanish 2. I teach 54 minutes classes (non block). This is my forth year teaching these levels and I want to make the switch to a TPRS/CI centered classroom. I want to say goodbye to Verb charts and worksheets.
Traditionally I have taught Spanish by the book because it has been the department model. I come in and say ‘Here’s the grammar’ and put it on the board; then say ‘Here’s the worksheet,’ and hand it out. On good days the students would do some reading or speaking but a lot of it was textbook-driven. While having commonality is important within the district, I believe that the delivery of the content and student engagement suffers because of the lack of interest and interaction. Thus, it becomes I teach you listen.
Many choose not to go with CI centered classroom that utilize TPRS, movietalk, etc… because they do not know the logistics of it. I for example have brought back activities from COACH workshops I’ve attended. I would implement them and love it but after the 3-4 day lesson was over, I’d be at a loss on how to continue the TPRS model and I would resort to the book.
We’re also at a crossroad this year because our district just purchased new curriculum. I don’t want the book-driven model to rule for another 10 years.
I started implementing your curriculum for Spanish I and II and the students already love it. I’m just concerned what the other textbook driven teachers will say. They are so concerned with following the book…
Jorge, don’t we always tell our kids to do what they feel is right, even when others don’t? It’s the same using CI / TPRS. Your kids are going to learn So. Much. More. than they ever would if they are interested in the material instead of being bored and bound to the book. My kids at the end of Spanish 1 now could put shame on what my textbook kids at the end of Spanish 2 used to be able to do. The difference is nothing short of amazing.
I know what it is like to work among the bookies. Hopefully, they will see that what you’re doing is good for kids and good for learning. And even though I have to admit that the first couple of years I did CI / TPRS were super stressful (I mean… no book?! How EVER was I supposed to know what to do next?) and time-consuming, in the end it is actually extremely liberating and I RARELY spend my evenings and weekends correcting papers anymore. I have a real life again!!
At this point, I have about 10 years experience being textbook-bound and about 8 years using CI / TPRS. I would quit my job if I ever had to use the textbook again. Seriously. QUIT.
Be brave and try it. It takes just one spark to start a forest fire.
Thank you Lisa for your thoughtful reply. I’ve been trying TPRS this week and the Spanish 1 students LOVE IT (bless their hearts because they don’t know any different lol). Spanish two has been a but bumpier they’re getting the hang of it.
HW and assessments have been interesting because now I’m at a loss for creating assessments and HW assignments that match how they learned the material in class.
Jorge, what if you quit assigning homework? I mean for reals…just quit assigning homework. Research has proven over and over again that homework doesn’t help, so why do it?
Our Spanish department hasn’t assigned traditional homework for about 7 years now. It is life-changing.
Kids will love you. Parents will love you. YOU will love you.
I could go on dayyyys with my rant against homework and the reasons why making it disappear was the right thing for us. I’d be happy to tell you more but only if you want it. For now, just imagine a world without homework (cue the glittery, rainbow-pooping unicorns).
I never really post comments on blogs although I read them constantly. However, I am in the same unenviable position as Jorge and would like some guidance too. I want to use TPRS/ TCI methods and have researched them extensively and tried using them in my classroom (to some success). I live in Georgia and FL education is seriously underfunded so I have to pay for most of the TPRS/ TCI materials and my PD on my own. It is expensive for me so I haven’t been able to attend a workshop yet, but I see the need to make the switch. I want to attend a workshop, and hope to this year some time. I have done a lot of PD online though. I feel frustrated and sad because I see my students are not progressing. They can’t think on their own in the language. Sure they can fill in the worksheets, but do not understand how to make the grammar work for them in expressing their OWN thoughts. They can fill in the sheet, but do not really know nor understand the information.
I started out the year great. I was using many CI methods and stories. I even moved my desks at one point. However, when we met as a group and were presented with this new book (Descubre) on which they based then entire curriculum (grrr), it derailed me. I have felt divided ever since. I have this curriculum, but it is not working for me. There is so much grammar presented in the first 3 lessons and so much vocabulary. I am trying to find some way to marry TCI with the book, but I am finding it challenging and I am working harder than anyone else I know. This textbook series has not CI supports so if I want to have TCI/ TPRS materials I have to buy them or make them myself (which I am not the best at right now-not having attended a real training plus I am already working so many hours). I feel as if I am on a merry-go-round, moving but not really going anywhere. Teaching from the book is boring for me and the students and most of my students aren’t understanding the grammar although I explain and explain. Students do not study because they usually don’t need to (I teach many gifted students) so that compounds the problem. I feel at a loss for how to do what I feel in my heart is right (TCI) and how to ensure that if I make the switch they will be ready for those high school teachers I know teach from this book. I’ve used many of your units and resources and the students do learn and enjoy learning from them. However, how do you ensure your students are ready for traditional grammar-accuracy focused teachers with a proficiency based approach?
At every training I’ve attended, they have always told me that they just will be ready for those grammar focused teachers. I believe it, but it’s hard to make others try and drink the TPRS Kool-Aid
Dang it… I missed the sale. I didn’t know you’re shop was based on EST (PST struggles…). Is it possible to add an extension for us west coast folk? Pretty please? It will lessen the blow since this is out of pocket.