Most Likely to Succeed

This afternoon, in lieu of a staff meeting, our faculty, board, and some parents screened the movie Most Likely to Succeed. The movie has been making the rounds at schools and was featured at Sundance last year (I think). The premise is that our education system was designed in the 1880s to create a docile but capable workforce for the assembly lines of the time. And it hasn't been updated since. The movie goes on to examine one school that is taking school assumptions (such as discreet subjects, tests, and scheduled blocks) and turning them on their head. Instead of teaching subject matters broadly, teachers focus on their passions, their interests, and teach deeply. There are no tests, only a public exhibition at the end of the year where the students present their learning. Teachers collaborate across specialties- physics and history, for instance. It was a glimpse, for me, of what I want school to be like. Mostly.
Parents and their many concerns were given a chance to respond to the school's methods, and voiced some valid points. The teachers talked a lot about the trade-offs they were making in terms of content (deep but not broad) and soft skills, such as team work, cooperation, perseverance, self reflection, etc.
I feel like the movie really validated a lot of the choices I've made as a language teacher the past year or so. The idea that we have to change how we teach resonates with me because it isn't working for most of the kids. Language teaching especially seems stuck in the dark ages, no matter how many computer programs you use to call it a 21st century skill.
Of course, the school in the movie uses primarily project based learning (PBL). While I am a huge fan of PBL when done well, I don't think that it has a place in the novice learner's classroom. But- and this is something that one of my colleagues shared after visiting the school- project based does not mean project only. Perhaps PBL is not appropriate for my students at their level. But maybe it will be further down the line for them, as their skills and mine improve. The other case to be made for PBL, and a strong one at that, is that it puts the student first. Now, someone who doesn't speak Spanish may not have the skills yet to be first, but let's face it: schools are demeaning, boring, and often just an endurance test. Instead of learning, instead of curiosity, students are taught that memorization and test scores are what's important. PBL is the opposite.
I was really struck by one moment in the movie where a teacher, after radically changing the way he taught math, was getting a lot of pushback from his high-achieving students. They were explaining that they just wanted to be able to pass the tests and get to college to get on with their lives. I felt a connection with this teacher, because like him I changed my approach, and like him, I got a lot of pushback from high achieving students. Instead of just studying for the test, they suddenly needed to really be able to use the language. Tests were unannounced. They had no study guide to memorize. And it was hard for them!
Which brings me back to my main point: TPRS is interesting, humanizing, and student centered. Sure, the teacher might talk a great deal, but when done well, the stories center around the students' lives and interests. The class feels different and asks students to pay attention in a different way. They have to monitor their own comprehension, follow along, and respond. Tests, instead of huge ordeals that destroy both moral and class time, are quick and easy check ins, and are usually no big deal.
And of course: no desks!

Logistics for Notebooks

Notebooks
 It's best to just buy them for students. There are too many options/numbers of pages available/spiral etc.  for you to control without supplying them yourself.

I use the 200 page wide-ruled composition books.  Spiral notebooks make it harder to store, and 200 pages seem just about right.

Cutting and Gluing
It seems so silly.  After all, I'm teaching middle school kids.  Cutting and gluing is first grade stuff, right?  WRONG.  It turns out that cutting and gluing is a lot harder than I thought.  For me, that meant reframing my expectations, explicitly teaching why and how to do it, and giving time to practice was important. (Hmmm- sounds like any procedure, right?)

Elmers vs. Glues sticks- Elmers or white glue all the way!  Glue stick glue, while easier and less messy to use, will not last a school year.  Sometime in January or February, everything will start falling out.

Dots vs. Xs or lines of glue- 4 dots, 5 if it's a larger document.  This is not a joke!  This year, I took more time to model the dots and explain it.  I also let the students know that improper use of glue (say, fingers or desk gluing) would result in the loss of privilege, and the overuse of glue in the notebook would result in a loss of the "Visual Appearance and Organization" grade.  This year, it's working out much better.

Real Scissors- I invested in real scissors.  It was worth every penny.  Having the kids label them ESPAÑOL means that several pairs have found their way back.

In Class-Not everyone has scissors and glue at their homes, so I try to keep activities in class.  Students who need glue are welcome to come in at any time to borrow supplies, and several take advantage of this when they need to.

Teaching the Set-up
I use a slideshow at the beginning of the year for set-up.
I also use a document that the students cut and glue in, for practice.  Sorry that the rubric is on a second page- googledocs did not want it on one.

Assessing and Grading Notebooks

Last year, I tried so many ways to grade these *#*$@-ing notebooks and it almost killed me.  My original idea, and what I told the kids I was going to do, was grade each page, worth about 4 - 8 points.  I created a little excel table, graded each page on "accuracy and completion" (oh, what does that even mean?!?), and spent hours adding sticky notes in their notebooks for feedback.

What I didn't realize then was that a) not everything needs to be graded, b) if accuracy is important, I need to focus on that in class and find a way to give immediate feedback, and c) I had WAY better things to do with my time.  Like plan lessons, and give relevant, timely feedback.

After a few more tries (and some serious thinking about what I really wanted them to get out of the notebook), I came up with a very general rubric.  I also re-organized the pages in the notebook itself so that it would be easier for me to find the things I need to check each grading period- like putting the Table of Contents (I call it el indicé because that's what one of the guides I bought off of TPT suggested) at the very front of the notebook.

I do want the organization and visual appearance to matter, but it is much less important than the accuracy and work itself.

I'm happy to report that this year, I graded my first "batch" of 50+ notebooks in less than 2 hours.

For grading homework, what seems to be working best for me is to give a quick look at the beginning of class (while students are working on their starters, or Para Empezars.  If I am grading for complete/ incomplete, I use a stamp to quickly mark it.  If I want to grade for accuracy or content, I give them a more substantial starter and mark it check plus if it's correct, check if they would benefit from doing it again or from checking their work, and check minus if it's incomplete, missing, or completely off the mark.  Students know that a check minus means they should plan on coming to office hours and going over it with me.  If they choose not to, they will lose points in the "Work is complete and accurate" category when I grade the notebook.  

Thus, when I grade the whole thing, I can easily see what pages are complete and/or accurate, students get timely feedback, and students have the time to go back to their work

It is also important to note that I give very little homework.    Students occasionally are asked to complete a task at home that is either identical or nearly to one we did in class.  If I give homework once a week, it's a big week!  More on my homework philosophy at another time.

Interactive (ish) notebooks

When I started teaching middle school, I knew that using binders would really frustrate me.  I had used interactive notebooks effectively as a grad student in math, and somewhat effectively as a teacher for writing.  I knew I wanted to use notebooks in Spanish, but I had no idea how.  Luckily, the internet exists.

I found so much information that I was completely overwhelmed.  Eventually, I put some ideas together and started to use the notebooks.

And I learned a few lessons VERY quickly, and some that took a lot longer to sink in.  So, for the edification of the language teacher who wants to use ISNs, here's what I've learned:

Interactive-ish:
Most interactive notebooks suggest that one side is the "input" side and the other side of the two-page spread is the "student" side, where they use mind maps, comics, and a variety of self-selected modes to respond to the input.  Doesn't that sound great?

The reality for me and my middle school kids is that I didn't want to spend class time modeling all the great ways to respond.  It would've taken months away from language learning, and I just don't have that much time with them to begin with.  The idea of choosing how to interact with the information was mind-blowing to the students, and while I still strongly believe in the value of doing so, it just didn't seem like the best use of time.  Thus, interactive-ish.

Instead, students keep all their information, notes, readings, practices, even assessments, in one place.  Occasionally, I collect documents to add to portfolios for P/T conferences, but most everything stays in one place for easy locating later.  Many parents and students love the simplicity of the system, and disorganized kids get some help in being more organized.

The real payoff this year is when I saw a few students using last year's notebook for reference during class!

Going Deskless

After reading a few reflections and posts from other TPRS teachers about going deskless, I really wanted to try it.  At the end of my first year teaching MS Spanish, the students had some big test to take.  All the desks from my classroom had to be moved to another classroom, and that just seemed too good of an opportunity to let slip by.  

The students (mostly) loved it, I loved it, and I resolved to convince my administrators that it would work.  Luckily, I have a great deal of support to try new things, so I started the new year with nothing but chairs and hope.

Also, some very thoughtful planning and reasoning.

Here's how I do it and what I've learned:

Policies that Support the Deskless Classroom

• My largest class is 16 kids.  That makes it MUCH easier.
• We started a no backpack policy this year.  
• I use interactive (ish) notebooks rather than binders.

Furniture and other things that help

• For writing, which we don't do a ton of, I have small whiteboards and a few clipboards.
• There is one round table for those who really need it when we do independent work.
• Spike tape.  It's high quality cloth tape that costs a small fortune, but is worth every penny.  Theatre professionals use it and it can be found in most theatrical stage supply shops.  Spike tape comes in several colors, comes up easily, will not leave a mark on the floor, and is practically indestructible. It works on carpet, tile, wood, laminate, etc.  (I've even used it on 100 year old church rectory floors- no problem!)  I put mine down in late August.  Every single piece is still down!!!

Spike Tape Markings-"spikes"

Managing it all

• Instead of creating several seating charts to reflect the different configurations, I printed up a set of these fantastic character cards (Thanks, Martina!) for seating and taped them to the backs of each chair.  Part of my beginning of class ritual is to greet each student with a handshake and a smile, so handing out these cards is easy.  Random seating EVERY DAY!  Where it breaks down somewhat is when I have 16 seats and only 8 kids, but I'm probably going to assign seats for that class for a variety of reasons anyway.  One class job is to collect the cards daily.
• Tape on the floor to indicate the configuration, and a matching sign.  One student gets to move the sign as we move chairs.  Who knew that flipping a sign was so motivating? 
•  I use azul, morado, círculo, and semi-círculo to indicate verbally what the chairs should do.  (Blue, purple, circle, semi-circle).  I think this week I am going to teach them herradura- horseshoe instead of semi-circle.
• Practice.

What does it actually look like?

So, my classroom is laid out very oddly.  It's not a huge room and I share it with a part-time teacher.  There is a large whiteboard and two bulletin boards on one wall, a wall of windows, another whiteboard that is used by the other teacher at the "back" of the room, and a smartboard/projector that is located at a 90 degree angle to the whiteboard, or "front" of the room, across from the windows.  Since I use the smartboard daily (though really only as a very expensive projector), there are two main focal points of the room- the smartboard and the whiteboard.  At the beginning of class, students need to see the smartboard.  At the start of the year, I knew I wanted a formal chair set up for assessments facing the smartboard, a theatre-style set up for story telling facing the whiteboard, and a more conversational circle for whatever else I wanted to do.  Last week I realized that the formal set-up didn't feel the way I wanted it to feel, so I got to work with more tape and arrows on the floor and created a horseshoe shape that allows me access to about half the whiteboard, but has the students focused on the smartboard BUT ALSO on each other.   Why did it take me so long to figure that out? I blame the wrist surgery + painkillers that kept me out of the classroom for the first three weeks of school.  Right?  

Horseshoe Formation