#LangChat is dedicated to the discussion of topics associated with issues and trends in world language instruction and learning. Educators, administrators, learners, and aficionados of world languages are encouraged to participate and share their experiences and input on various topics such as new ways to teach vocabulary, using music in the language classroom, and making standards-based grading valid. This chat is also unique in that it brings together language educators worldwide and from different contexts (elementary, secondary, higher education, etc.) and languages.
Getting ready to leave campus and head home — if I live stream tonight’s awesome #langchat topic, can someone for the love of Pete tweet what I’m saying and @ me so there’s a record of my contribution?! And maybe block non #langchat weirdos who comment? 😂
#langchat Bonsoir from Bellingham WA! French 2-AP at Mount Vernon High School. Today was all about Bonhomme Carnaval de Québec & telling unique stories. Such as fun & meaningful day.
Hi all! I’m Jana and I teach JH Spanish in Branson, MO. I’m studying Digital Communication in Education with @ghartman This is my first time participating in a Twitter chat. Super excited! #langchat
A1 Unfortunately this year I haven't. I don't really know why. Am I expecting too much of my Ss? Am I overstressed? The few times I've been able to pick myself up are when Ss call me out. #langchat
A1 Usually by recognizing that it's not working out. The students know it, I know it. Best to just own it and say, "Welp, I thought this would go better." #langchat
A1: I'll be honest: Sometimes I don't always keep my cool. I will have to pause the class, pull myself together, and reframe. I ask the kids what they need from me, and go from there. #langchat
A1: take a moment and readjust. And try my best to not take it personally. Had a hard time not taking it personally my first two years, but much better now with LOTS of practice #langchat
A1: I think I'm pretty good about acknowledging when something isn't working. I listen to the kids, or I'll ask them if something is wonky, and if so, I just try to see what I can do to fix it...or toss it! #langchat
A1: Such a hard question.... take a deep breath, try to find root of the problem, and try something new. I ask my students if I can't figure it out - what's not working for them. #langchat
A1 - "This isn't working is it?"..and confab with the students to find out why.... while inside having a private meltdown...and then time to reflect after. Next day - I also acknowledge it didn't work with them! #langchat
Hi all! I’m Jana and I teach JH Spanish in Branson, MO. I’m studying Digital Communication in Education with @ghartman This is my first time participating in a Twitter chat. Super excited! #langchat
A1: I always gauge the temperature of the class throughout a lesson, if things are working, I stay calm and switch to an activity that seems better suited for the Ss needs that day. #langchat
A1 Depends on the class, with most groups I can be honest and just stop what we're doing and say "sorry guys, thought that would be a success but clearly not" and I laugh and switch gears. With other groups I abruptly pop into a brain break before switching directions #langchat
A1: This has become easier as I age b/c I no longer get so upset. I generally ask the kids straight up what they think, what the issues are, then decide to either chuck it or modify. #langchat
A1 It almost always happens because I have planned too many / too high goals. So if I pause and choose just one to focus on the rest of class, I can sometimes turn it around. #langchat
A1 I like the 'try not to take it personally' - and talking openly about it not working gives my stdts 'permission' to fail too - great for helping them to risk #langchat
A1: take a moment and readjust. And try my best to not take it personally. Had a hard time not taking it personally my first two years, but much better now with LOTS of practice #langchat
A1 #langchat--Humor is huge. The students are adults, so when it is jot working we just take a break with a game, and then re-start the topic. Sometimes we dance to get positive.
This also happens to me when I stray from my original plan in favor of what I think is "better." Having the original in place helps bail me out when the ship starts sinking. #langchat
@mllesulewski Or if I had a 'great idea' but perhaps did not really think it through (there are times not to count on the road less planned!) #langchat
I agree. Humour is often a great tool and not often used. The teacher-student dynamic really shouldn't be so formal like it is with younger learners. #langchat
Are you on Tweetdeck? You can have a tab open with the #langchat hashtag. Otherwise, you need to be sure to search the tag on Twitter to see the tweets that correspond!
A1: Don't be afraid of throwing out a lesson if it's not working. I've actually told students "je n'aime pas beaucoup cette activité, on va l'arrêter". #langchat
a1 #langchat I try to scaffold whatever is holding them back- maybe take a quick pause, hit up a tried & true activity that I know works well, and then circle back if I can. Teaching is an art, not a science!
A1 I tell them all the time "this is my lab and you are my very lovely lab rats" so they know I use my classroom to try & experiment (as it were)#langchat
A1: Honestly some of my best lessons started with a fail. Thinking on my toes leads to more authentic tasks for my students to work on. I end up giving them some random communicative task just to give myself time to think of a plan B. But often the activity takes over. #langchat
A1, also if you've built good relationships with your classes, it's a lot less stressful if something doesn't work. Sts will feel comfortable telling you it's not working. #langchat
A1: I stop and immediately get the Ss feedback or I might say hmm ok this is not working, let’s regroup or go in a different direction. At times we’ve discussed the lesson whil reflecting the day after #langchat
not at all-- teens appreciate when you keep it real and sometimes that means admitting that you aren't as cool as you would like to be/ used to be. :-) #langchat
OMG same! that's the worst! and the students think, oh this isn't working so we don't have to do anything today?! Gotta think on your feet before you lose them! #langchat
@VTracy7 A1: I usually take a page out of @HargadenTina book and just BREATHE. Go slowly and take a deep breath, or a few, and think about how nice it is that someone pays me to breathe. #langchat
I really believe in talking with them about my process - that I am trying and testing things out. They love to hear "you are the first class to do this and I need your input"...#langchat
My only problem is having something worthwhile to fill the void after that... I flounder a lot and then just kind of bluster and lose them more #langchat
A2 It helps show them we are human, first and foremost! Especially if we own the fact that we are failing...I am thankful to have had students that have shown me an enormous amount of grace when I really need it. #langchat
#langchat A1 Only a few times where I have given up during the period & asked students if we could play a French-language board game or read. I couldn't think of any other way to react or readjust. Didn't panic, but didn't retry either.
A2 My "nuggets of whoopsie" show my Ss that I am a perpetual language learner, that I'm still learning how to teach, that I'm a work in progress. I try so hard to model Growth Mindset. #langchat
A2 - That 'failing' is a natural extension of risking. If you don't suffer a small (or large) failure in many cases you are playing it too safe. #langchat
A2 That failure and risk-taking are crucial to learning. The best way we can get a students to be risk-takers in our classes is to model it ourselves! #langchat
A2: Even teachers have bad days. Vulnerability is not a weakness, but a strength. In a sense, it helps build classroom community, and allows Ss to feel that it's okay to make mistakes. #langchat
Our failures can show them that we too are growing and learning everyday, month, and year. We are human and we will make mistakes. Also showing that when we do have a failure, we keep going and try a different approach. #langchat
A2 That failure and risk-taking are crucial to learning. The best way we can get a students to be risk-takers in our classes is to model it ourselves! #langchat
A2: I really try hard to help kids keep things in perspective (ok, maybe not with my tech anxiety). It's just Spanish. We're all ok. Worst case scenario--we talk in TL. Build relationships. #langchat
A2 I also remind them that they choose to 'fail' all the time (hello? video games?) and that they can bring that sense of 'try again' into the classroom! #langchat
A2 Although I feel like in the interest of total honesty, my students were forgiving of my failures because I already "had" them. When I was new/replacing a teacher mid-year, failure was shark bait. #langchat
A2: Acknowledge how frustrating it is to fail in front of the students-“man isn’t it frustrating when something isn’t working?” And sometimes I cont with “well I have 2 options: freak out and let it ruin the class or try something else...which should I do?” #langchat
#langchat A2. When we fail and persevere, we teach students how to fail and learn from that mistake. They also see it is ok to take chances, that they din't have to be perfect either.
A2. That it is okay to fail. So often failure is something that high achieving students are afraid to do. We all need to learn to fail with grace, and our failure are the perfect teachable moments for this lesson. #langchat
A2 . - Ss need to take risks and be willing to fail if they are dabble in the TL. Modeling/showing that it's okay to fail will translate as a green light for kids to speak more TL #langchat
A2 - our failures & our willingness to admit to our failures show students that it is okay to fail and work to fix it rather than give up. Our previous engineering teacher had a slogan on his wall that said "fail fast and fix it." #langchat
Failures can teach so much humanity and give so much connection. Truly, "we teach the whole child," says a beloved mentor teacher. It hits home! #langchat
A2 That it's important to be authentic through a failure and know everything's relative. In my Linguistics class I've been telling students, "Uh, no, I got that wrong. I told you I am not into phonology! Wait til we get to #SLA..." #langchat
A2 that no one is perfect as that we can learn from our mistakes. This is especially true when using the language and I remind my students that we aren’t perfect even in English. #langchat
A2: When I FAIL, I see it as a First Attempt In Learning and I teach my Ss to think of it in that manner. We try again and we SAIL (Second Attempt in Learning). Having a failure teaches our Ss to persevere. #langchat
#langchat
I take a deep breath, find something that I can make the students talk to each other about in French and look for a kahoot or a quizlet live if I am really stuck
A2: It makes us relatable. Especially if we do get a little flustered. WE ARE NOT ACTORS, WE ARE NOT PERFORMING A SCRIPT. We can show them how to live real life - respond and adjust to unexpected changes. #langchat
A2 That taking risks and making mistakes is all part of the process! Hopefully them seeing my struggles can help them take risks and gain confidence #langchat
A2: recognizing your mistake & correcting yourself is as important a skill as anything else. As I said today in class, even the AP rubrics like to see good "self-correction". Student or teacher, we all make mistakes. Learn to recognize them and improve #langchat
#langchat A2 Exactly! and I have tried this language on them: I have run out of lives, may I please press restart on the game? I might find a gif/video to use when this happens so we can create community & empathy.
A2: Learning is a mess process and so is teaching! If our students never see us stumble and readjust, then how would they know how to handle their own stumbles? Not to mention, they must learn that we are human, too! #langchat
A2: maybe I'm reading the Q wrong, but failures improve my future lesson plans. They improve my teacher talk time. They improve my classroom talk. They improve my overall pedagogy. Failures are to be embraced!! #langchat
A2: I also will check myself when I am writing in Spanish or English- sometimes I will say- that doesn't look right. I hope that students will feel that it is ok to make mistakes as well #langchat
A1 "Hmm... this isn't working-- any ideas?" Teamwork, patience, humor, resilience, tenacity, and problem-solving sometimes become the lessons of the day when things go horribly wrong. I like to get their help- their ideas are often better than mine! #reallife#langchat
A2: That even Ts make mistakes and that that is the often the best way to learn. Often that learning sticks better than the times we get it right. #langchat
Or - is this it? When someone asks you where it all went wrong you'll say "Feb 26 in Japanese 9 when I tried to recall a word and couldn't?" - they usually laugh! and get it! #langchat
A2: When I FAIL, I see it as a First Attempt In Learning and I teach my Ss to think of it in that manner. We try again and we SAIL (Second Attempt in Learning). Having a failure teaches our Ss to persevere. #langchat
YES. I wonder if we focus too much on "this acquisition stuff is actually EASY! No grit needed!" and that is counterproductive. #lotsoffactors#naturalbutnoteasy#langchat
#langchat A2 I'm a mentor in my district for new teachers. It's a bit easier to say this with a few years under our belts, but in the 1st few years, many teachers take it home & agonize. We should model w/colleagues as well.
A1. Sometimes a quick “y... qué significa...?” with lots of comprehension checks can turn a lesson around. I also remind students (esp 3rd hour, first Spanish 2 class of the day) that they are my “conejos de Indios” (guinea pigs) #langchat
a2 #langchat I have this JK Rowling quote in my classroom: "It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all—in which case, you fail by default."
Great things don't come from comfort zones!
I usually flat out tell the kids we're trying something new, so stay with me while I figure this out. I think it's great dialogue for them to participate in! #langchat
My school did grit book study this summer. It was eye-opening. Resiliency and grit are two things I think would really help students not just in my class but in other classes and in life. #langchat
A2: When I FAIL, I see it as a First Attempt In Learning and I teach my Ss to think of it in that manner. We try again and we SAIL (Second Attempt in Learning). Having a failure teaches our Ss to persevere. #langchat
Definitely. The way we talk about our history and present should acknowledge and welcome failures/learning opportunities. I've had a few managers who see T failures as something wholly negative, especially in meetings. Awful! #langchat
#langchat A2, very true as well. We figure that since we're over 10 years in, we should have this down by now. It's just that I keep trying so many new things that I am still failing. That's when I resort to the basics/things that have worked well in the past.
@PRHSspanish Her dad gave her the advice: If you have to eat crow, eat it while it's warm. Fix it right away. She's done this w/Ss (accidentally embarrassing someone) but stopped and apologized #langchat
A2- It's so important when teaching a WL that our students know we still consider ourselves to be learners still. I just started using a new website and totally lost all this student data. I said "Oops! I am new to this. Please forgive me and do the activity again." #langchat
This is so very very true. At 5 years I was not happy with what I did in 1-4, then at 10 I couldn't believe what I came up with in Yr 5 and then...I discovered #langchat....curse you lovely community! #stilladjusting
#langchat A2, very true as well. We figure that since we're over 10 years in, we should have this down by now. It's just that I keep trying so many new things that I am still failing. That's when I resort to the basics/things that have worked well in the past.
#langchat A2: I hope it shows them that their learning is more important to me than a super neat lesson tied with a bow. If it isn't working for them, I have a responsibility to scrap it, no matter how awesome I thought it was or how hard I worked on it.
My Ss love @gimkit even better than kahoot. Luckily I have a classroom set of Chromebooks. So if something doesn't go right towards the end of class it's competition time! #langchat
In reply to
@Elisabeth13, @Marishawkins, @SraSpanglish, @htrude07, @gimkit, @gimkit
A3 "It's just a job." Lather, rinse, repeat. So hard to draw that line - but on hard days, it's really important to remember, teaching is only my job. #langchat
I seriously believe that being in a new school is one of the toughest things. We are new and different, and we are still trying to figure out how to exist in this new environment. I was in year 12 when i moved, and it was one of the toughest years I've had. #langchat
In reply to
@CatherineKU72, @SraSpanglish, @jonjoTESOL
A2: our failures reinforce that language learning isn’t perfect. They are unique and it isn’t one-size-fits-all! And we CARE enough to change for their benefit! #langchat
A3 I wear my heart on my sleeve. I don't hide my feelings. My Ss do as well. I try to model how to deal with my feelings in safe & respectful ways. #langchat
A3 share and talk with your colleagues, your PLN and more. Learn that they do too! I truly believed if we shared at least 1 failure (#langchatfail ? ) we would all realize we all are trying the new & risking to do it #langchat
A3: For my emotion well-being, I need another colleague as a sounding board. I have an excellent neighbor for immediate support and awesome #langchat friends for language support.
A3: From day 1, I let my students know that my class is a judgment free zone. If they choose to ridicule someone for their attempts at language use, they're not welcome. Also, we help each other through our flubs. #langchat
A3 VISUALIZE THE FUTURE. This has become a balm for me. I think of successful students who survived my past failures and envision the future of those I face today. Including my son. #langchat
A3: I need to make sure to keep prioritizing- spend time with my family, make time for yoga even if it is 10 minutes- and get that pedicure in too! #langchat
A2 Sorry to join late - Mara - Span. T from CT - I think that showing our failures shows to our Ss that we too are vulnerable, imperfect & that it's okay #langchat
A3. That is really hard. The only way to learn and grow a skill like #emotionalresilience (I feel like that should be its own hashtag!) is to practice! And yet... failure is something we don’t like to repeat enough to practice. #langchat
TRUE- teaching my students again in upper levels and seeing how much they can do has made me become more forgiving of myself from earlier levels even if I feel like I didn't get to everything I wanted to etc #langchat
A3: As I've become older, I really have been better about putting things in perspective. There are so many other, really, truly stressful things in our lives, and this really doesn't have to be one of them. Can't say I always take my own advice... #langchat
A3 Realize it's all in how they see it: I teach now with a woman who was once my student...at a time when I taught completely differently than I do now. She loved my class #whoknew#langchat
Yesssss! One bad day - even a string of bad days - is not necessarily a predictor of what's to come. And as I always say, you never know who or what you'll know two, four, six months from now that can radically alter everything in ways you could not imagine. #langchat
Yes! I've learned venting on social media is not helpful / mature but I can't live without the ladies I have on perpetual text threads... you know who you are... #langchat
A3: For my emotion well-being, I need another colleague as a sounding board. I have an excellent neighbor for immediate support and awesome #langchat friends for language support.
A3: I see a lot of advice like 'keep on going' - but how, why, where, when? I do reflections on my classroom and work mentally, and every weekend kinda informal in a cafe. These help my mental state a lot. #langchat
A3 One of our school's behavioral expectations is Empathy. We are empathetic. My Ss said in the beginning of the year this looks like not laughing at classmates when they try Spanish, not judging Hispanic cultures. Empathy is huge. #langchat
A?: @PRHSspanish "Ss see right through us" #langchat "Where's the positive framing?" Model emotional resilience and help them w/ their WHAT-NOW." #langchat
"I will not labor under the delusion that this class is the most important thing in ANY of our lives." Repeat repeat repeat until we ALL believe it. #langchat A3
A3 "It's just a job." Lather, rinse, repeat. So hard to draw that line - but on hard days, it's really important to remember, teaching is only my job. #langchat
Q3: I laugh and remind myself I'm not perfect and I tell the kids the same thing. Sometimes I tell them certain words are not what I use everyday and have to look it up and I'm not Kissinger and always at the Superior level. Of course then they look at me strangely. #langchat
A3: This is difficult b/c no matter where we are w this as humans, as Ts we are constantly being beat down by self-reflection/evals/admin/public opinion etc. Try to separate our teaching 'product' from our worth as a beautiful human soul. #langchat
Jajajajaja :)
I have trouble with that line, too. I know it feels balancing and helpful for some people, but it just makes me feel unimportant as a professional and stupid for putting in so much work. #langchat
A3 Read a great blog post from @cultofpedagogy @ finding your marigold in the workplace - we need to connect to other positive people who can lift us when we need it & then we can do the same for them #sharedjourney#langchat
I'm sometimes self-conscious about my Spanish as a non-native speaker. I need to remind them even more that when they feel that way, they are not alone! #langchat
Q3: I laugh and remind myself I'm not perfect and I tell the kids the same thing. Sometimes I tell them certain words are not what I use everyday and have to look it up and I'm not Kissinger and always at the Superior level. Of course then they look at me strangely. #langchat
A3: I’m taking a course on mindfulness and have incorporated meditación miércoles into my students lives. Yoga keeps me emotionally present after I leave the classroom. Just gotta keep trying to do your best. A friend’s mantra: we can do hard things. #langchat
I am so guilty of tying my entire identity to a specific picture. Teacher. Homeschooler. Blogger. Consultant. And then when the picture changes, I feel I've failed everyone. #langchat
In reply to
@CoLeeSensei, @SraSpanglish, @MlleSulewski
A3 - I have a binder that a group of seniors made for me many years ago where they gave me handwritten letters. Any time I get a sweet note from a student, I add it to the binder. On bad days, it helps remind me that I am doing a lot right. #langchat
A3 - As I say to some "teaching is quite solitary because we spend our days trapped in a room with your kid and 29 of their friends and no one really ever leaps into the space and tells you "kickass lesson! well done!" - you never know your impact until years later #langchat
A3 Something I thought a few months ago applies today:
Some days, you're riding the struggle bus.
Other days, you know exactly what stop you got on the struggle bus and how much you paid for the fare.
#langchat
A3: probably my biggest weakness, having imaginary arguments with people because of imaginary problems are work. Good because I think it's my brain trying to prepare itself for different situations. Bad because sometimes I need to relax! #langchat
A3: Talk, vent with your colleagues, job-allies and PLN. Strive to improve, not for perfection. Failure is part of the job, and like Annie says, “tomorrow’s just a day away.” #langchat
#langchat A3 I tend to agree with you on the mixxing of the roles. But then somehow I feel as though one role is going very well & I'm frustrated when I can't get the same results in the other roles.
In reply to
@SECottrell, @CoLeeSensei, @SraSpanglish, @MlleSulewski
A3 Sometimes you just have to shut the door and say some bad words-hopefully with someone who understands, will nod, and then say "OK, now what are we going to do about it?" #langchat
A3: We teach something called GRIT. Sometimes we have to teach them how to fail to succeed. Give them something just beyond their grasp. Oprah was fired in her early 20's. Think she would have become Oprah if she weren't? #langchat
A4: Come up with a growth mindset for everyone that embraces failure. As many have noted- admit your own failures, don't be overly punitive for students when they fail #langchat
A4 Well I've tried deep breathing and a glass of Malbec (LOL) but really my answer is in the question. With what we do - when we're trying to improve & grow as teachers - it's "normal".....#langchat
A4 Purposely building activities where my Ss *will* or *must* fail before getting it right or moving forward is contrived, but it's helpful to show them that you aren't going to be right 100% of the time all of the time. #langchat
this is so true. People don't believe me when I say that T can be lonely, even if you're teaching adults. I work abroad as well and I feel this #langchat
Hey #langchat! Freshly home from P/T conferences and I am beat. Had to pop in to say hey, especially while @MlleSulewski is stateside and available to chat!
I will be up in your classroom as soon as I can to yell this! And then run. Can you imagine what the students will say! #langchat We all need someone to bring us flowers or other tokens & brighten our solitary moments.
A3 - As I say to some "teaching is quite solitary because we spend our days trapped in a room with your kid and 29 of their friends and no one really ever leaps into the space and tells you "kickass lesson! well done!" - you never know your impact until years later #langchat
A3: Some days, I'm feeling on top of the world like I have all of my stuff together. And other days, I'm trying to open my classroom with the key fob of my car. #langchat
A4: we can talk about it. Life isn't all rainbows and butterflies. And, no one is a perfect teacher. It just doesn't exist. And, we MUST talk about it. #langchat
A3: Talking to colleagues really helps. Think back to the lessons, maybe just a period ago, when something went really well. I try to remember that a smile can help everyone - the recipient and the smiler :) #langchat
A4 Well I've tried deep breathing and a glass of Malbec (LOL) but really my answer is in the question. With what we do - when we're trying to improve & grow as teachers - it's "normal"..... #langchat
The problem is, when I was teaching full time with kids this was impossible. The schedule *feels* impossible. I agree, my 2-day-a-week gym time is doing a lot for me, but if I were working full time, I couldn't do it. #langchat
#langchat and truly, I love the notion that some districts will never give an A in a WL classroom, bc there is always room to grow in proficiency. Similarly, it is very difficult to fail in #CI classes, unless you just don't try.
A4: We need to introduce failure in our conversations and narratives in formal and informal places. In staff meetings "what didn't go so well, what would you do next time?". At the watercooler: "I had a bad day today. I'm gonna do me later" #langchat
Abso-FRICKING-lutely. I'm trying to look for opportunities to applaud failure, too--to add a positive spin in student conversations about it. #langchat
I take a deep breath, find something for the students to discuss among themselves in French and then switch gears. Sometimes, I go to a kahoot or Quizlet live #langchat
LOVE IT!!!! I'm thinking we need a button - like the Staples "that as easy" and when we feel we have hit it out of the park we take it out and let ourselves hear it! #langchat
A3 - I have a binder that a group of seniors made for me many years ago where they gave me handwritten letters. Any time I get a sweet note from a student, I add it to the binder. On bad days, it helps remind me that I am doing a lot right. #langchat
A4: Just own it. I had a ss ask me about a lesson this week & I was honest-I'm not as prepared as I need to be. He said oh and got back to work. #langchat
A4- I think it's so important to be genuine. Sometimes some Ts go around with this smile on our face like everything is ab-fab. I've found that colleagues I don't know so well appreciate hearing an honest "I tried this new activity and it completely flopped!" 1/2 #langchat
a4 #langchat if we think of big tasks like climbing a mountain: you don't get to the top all in one day, but if we keep striving, keep reaching, we'll get there eventually. And we can enjoy the view, celebrate our accomplishments, each step along the way.
A4: Well, I like to reframe the story a bit. Stuff just bombs sometimes, for whatever reason, and looking at it as a learning opportunity instead of a failure is so freeing. #langchat
We've not managed to get tee-shirts together this year with the #langchat mod departures/changes (including the one who normally handled the shirts ;) ), but perhaps for the upcoming fall! Not out of the question. #langchat
And me for you. I can imagine the answer to the question at the border "why are you coming to the US?" "there's a teacher in Mount Vernon who needs some #langchat love!"
A4: With pre-service and beginning teachers, especially, I think it is helpful to model what "sharing your failures" looks like. I start with, "Oh y'all, let me tell you the story of the time I..." #langchat
A4: If learning / improving is our goal as teachers and the language goal of our students and we care more about that than anything, then failure is part of the journey. We need to embrace and accept it. But's so hard! #langchat
I agree and I would go one further. We need to teach growth mindsets/have a display about it in the classroom/use failures as a springboard for future lessons #langchat
A4: Normalizing failure has to start with the early grades. Starting to encourage grit has to start with the early grades. We can't have students coming to the upper levels going, "What if I make a mistake?!?!" #langchat
A4: Talk about it! To S & peers. Pt out what you learned from it. When a mistake is made, look at it from the perspective of "what can we learn here?" or "what is right here, despite the mistakes?" Then "failure" seems less threatening & can be viewed as positive. #langchat
The need to recognize the superficiality of social media is MASSIVE and urgent. I've seen students in tears because their photos on Instagram had less than X number of "likes". As @PRHSspanish
says, highlight reel or highlight real? #langchat
"Losses are inevitable but the more WINS we can help Ss get the better. When life throws you a bone take it.Also, Ss are resilient " @PRHSspanish#langchat
A4: I point out my own mistakes big and small. Encourage taking risks especially when we do creative tasks as formative activities. I say, “here’s a great place to take a risk since you’ll be (doing this again, editing this, able to ask me questions, etc) #langchat
#langchat A4. We need to own the fact that we are human and fallible and model that for students. I have really embraced the growth mindset idea of the power of yet. Maybe we cannot do something yet, but if we keep working at it, one day we will.
A4 I so believe in the power of "yet." I make students add "yet" onto anything negative that they need to say and I remind myself to do the same. #langchat
A4: Students need reminding that straight A's/high GPA means they know how to do school really well, but that it's no measure of their character or real world skills. #langchat
A4 Maybe it's sometimes just reminding Ss that the journey really is messy and yeah, we're all gonna fall at some point... but the good news is that we can get back up & we have an opportunity to ask for help b/c that's good on many levels #langchat
I know that I purposely design some class activities that they can't complete in the time allotted because (cue my students' eye rolls) "learning is about the process" #langchat
In reply to
@jaybeekay518, @Elisabeth13, @JoyNicole12
Very true - even with pre-service training, we need to demonstrate that failures aren't to be hidden from trainers/instructors. Failures are a fact of life just as breathing. I've had a few essays in my time where I've had to reflect on my experiences #langchat
Q4: Reflect, reflect, reflect. I tell myself it's ok to fail, because if you don't cannonball into the water you won't know if you'll sink or swim. I tell my students the same practicing the lang. #langchat
A4 #langchat It would help if people giving PD would talk about failures as well - most PD tends to just be the "good stuff" and can leave you feeling inadequate
I think that is something to keep in mind too- people post when things are going really well or really poorly- not typically too much in between #langchat
A4: With pre-service and beginning teachers, especially, I think it is helpful to model what "sharing your failures" looks like. I start with, "Oh y'all, let me tell you the story of the time I..." #langchat
You're so correct. I'm 3 years from retirement and believe me you start to really own the fact that 'it is what it is and will be what it will be - once I tweak the unit/change the lesson again (!) of course' #langchat
A very important point. Social media only highlights success. Then again, showing failure on social media can come across as moaning and unneeded (at least in my culture). A lose-lose situation! #langchat
I feel inadequate after a lot of PD actually. Presenters make it seem so EASY - I wish someone would share the X number of years of garbage it took until they arrived at that place...#langchat
A5: One teacher is really good about writing quick notes to herself at the end of each day in her planner about what worked and didn't. I want to do more of this! But that is typically why I blog #langchat
A4: Ya know, also modeling behaviors for our students when we mess up is good, too. From misspellings on the board to re-teaching a lesson that didn't stick, I think an acknowledgement and move-on is a good strategy. #langchat
A4. Modeling miscommunication and giving students strategies for how to roll with it. Asking them what to say or do if someone doesn’t understand #langchat
A5 I think it depends on the why & how of the failure. Some great ideas just don't work for certain kids. If it will work in the future use it. If it's something you'll never do again - you'll remember that! #langchat
A5: Any failure helps me tweak a lesson or redo it or completely go back to the drawing board. The lesson that comes from that failure is always better. #langchat
A5 What can we do better? As teachers it should be our number one priority to always find ways to improve. We need to constantly think of ways to reach all students. #langchat
A5: *cracks knuckles* Oh, I got this one! I always make notes on my lesson plans at the end of the day, and KEEP those plans where I can find/revisit them later. Lots of "DO NOT DO THIS ACTIVITY IT WAS A MESS!" reminders. 😭 #langchat
A5 I'm also forced to ask myself, "Why did I want to try this in the first place?" If it's for any other reason than, "it will help progress my CURRENT Ss language acquisition" then I probably shouldn't have tried it anyway. #langchat
a5: Sometimes a botched lesson just opens up curricular time for a new one! Kick it to the curb, start fresh with some of those #NECTFL nuggets! #langchat
A5: Past failures help to guide future lessons. I reflect on what I could have done better or what improvements could be made. I also ask the Ss their thoughts. Having reflective feedback always me to reassess the lesson and change my design for the next time. #langchat
A5 I'm also forced to ask myself, "Why did I want to try this in the first place?" If it's for any other reason than, "it will help progress my CURRENT Ss language acquisition" then I probably shouldn't have tried it anyway. #langchat
A5: My department colleague and I visit our Google Drive at every meeting and decide what to keep, what to delete. If it doesn't work in our classes, "spark joy," we get rid of it. #langchat#KonMariforlanguageteachers
A5 Reflection brings change. This change makes my teaching better. All units and projects get changes each year. It is exciting to watch things become better! #langchat
Usually when I try new things it's because I think an activity looks cool, without realizing the process that it takes to GET to the point that said activity will be useful...#langchat
A5: Specifically, a 'failed' lesson gives me feedback about changing specific instructional design/practice. But generally, teach me patience w myself, granting myself grace, so I can move forward and best serve my students. #langchat
A5 I do make notes about individual lessons & units as reference for future work. One of the many reasons I dumped the alphabet, farm animal, school activities units, & reworked professions, sports, body parts units, & virtually all of 2nd grade. #langchat
Managers need to play a role in this: not seeing failures are something to give warnings/punishments about to Ts. Teachers have to appease Ss AND the manager sometimes. #langchat
A5. I like to keep my eyes open for new ideas to replace old ones that didn’t work. I also like to ask for help. There are 11 WL teachers in my department. Someone will be able to suggest something else! #langchat
#langchat A5 I find I am way more likely to find "failures" in faulty/lazy unit design...I didn't order my activities to maximize student agency, retention, autonomy, etc. Working on that.
My friends, I have a SUPER early flight back to France tomorrow so I must say goodnight and GOODNESS, have I missed the #langchat community! Can't wait to chat with you all again in the fall!
Ya know, I have also been known to jot notes on the lesson plan during the lesson itself, if I'm worried I'll forget.... "Allowed WAY too much time for this!" or "Shoulda reviewed vocab first..." #langchat
A5: I write on a post it to remind myself of what needs to be tweaked or what just needs to be tossed out the window. Back to the drawing board! #langchat
I gotta ask. You may think that you are 'failing' but are you? What do they say? You're getting a result you may not be used to but is it a failure per se? Isn't it just a different result? #langchat
A5: Nobody I've seen has mentioned peer-observations yet. Perhaps intimidating for some, but a good way to get a fresh perspective on your class environment and general pedagogy. They can help us give future advice #langchat
#langchat A5 I find I am way more likely to find "failures" in faulty/lazy unit design...I didn't order my activities to maximize student agency, retention, autonomy, etc. Working on that.
A5 Perhaps another lesson: maybe our failure feels way bigger than it is because we're spending too much time being "impressed" by others' apparent successes online & in PD. So, consider joining me for #SociallySilentSummer . #langchat
A5: I hardly ever do exactly the same lesson two times in a row (even in one day!) Constantly... review, redact, replace, revise THEN re-use if it’s still relevant. Same with assessments but I could be better at re-working rubrics to adjust from failures. #langchat
A5 Awareness/admission of our past failures really can lead us to having much greater empathy toward our students... Were we ever given a 2nd chance? If so, can't we accept that late assignment without condemnation? #langchat
TA I must, will, have to, gotta and need to #langchat again more regularly. My heart is filled and my spirit refreshed. Could you all just move closer please so we could visit (and run into the room telling each other what a great job we're doing?) #langchat
I've now made a WhatsApp group just for me and I've pinned it to the top. All my fleeting teaching thoughts go in there. Absolute lifesaver sometimes! #langchat
Is it possible to go back to what we knew worked with curriculum planning - start with one unit in one level? What about starting with one student per class, or one segment, one transition? #langchat A5
Is it possible to go back to what we knew worked with curriculum planning - start with one unit in one level? What about starting with one student per class, or one segment, one transition? #langchat A5
Same here... I don't always think things out thoroughly, so the gaps and needed changes make themselves known. 😁 Fortunately, I like working on the fly 🤷♀️ #langchat
TA: we need to share our #langchatfail experiences...but also I need to remember that everyone posts their BEST. Comparison is the enemy, and inspiration/encouragement is what we want to get from pd/online stuff #langchat
TA We're all here to help each other so we don't fall. Teaching is hard work but rewarding. As long as we keep striving to do the best for the students in our classes, we are doing wonderful work. #langchat
Like the reflection on the failure--and the legit failure itself--is the basis for the rubric! Could even have an extension of showing modified approach on the next activity to demonstrate that they internalized the lesson from the failure! MADNESS #langchat
In reply to
@SraSpanglish, @Elisabeth13, @JoyNicole12
TA: Failure has taught me to always look for ways to grow and that it’s okay to not always get it right the first time. Tonight’s chat was so good and a great remind that we all need to support each other when we fail. #langchat
TA Failure in my classroom has taught me that I have learned a lot since my first days in @mmebrady's classroom, but I know better what I don't know.
This chat has taught me that we're in our classrooms to Do Good. #langchat
TA: My failures keep me grounded and encourage me to be a reflective practitioner. And as always, this chat is so reassuring and supportive. So wonderful to see Ts caring for each other and lifting e/o up. #langchat
Takeaways: This was my first tweet chat so honestly I just wanted to give it a try. I liked answering but I enjoyed reading others’ answers more. I’ll end with a re-tweet of myself from last week. Failure was already on my mind... #langchat
TA: Sometimes our epic failures can make for funny, relatable, encouraging stories for our colleagues and reassurance for new/pre-service teachers. We keep trying, no matter what, and we learn and refine and repeat, forever and ever amen. #langchat
