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The idea for this blog post has been on my mind since last semester ended in early May. It wasn’t until I was inspired by an Instagram post by John Sifert that I was able to come up with the thread. I won’t even try to quote John here (because I don’t remember and it would take me forever to find the post), but essentially he was talking about wanting our students to take the language they learn in our classrooms OUTSIDE of the classroom. Of course we do! We’ve been hearing and touting the same for years. Nevertheless, it was this thought that hit me in a different way this time as I begin my 30-something year of teaching.
If we’re honest with ourselves as educators and especially world language educators, we all want students to take what they learn in our classrooms and use it in the “real world” (I don’t know about you, but there is nothing realer than my classroom!) Then I started to think about the theme of this blog post that I had been pondering for months and realized the same belief to be true: it’s not just language skills that we can hope students take from our classrooms.
I’ve long said that we have the best jobs in education. In what other class can students and teachers simply interact and by doing so develop the skills meant to acquire in the course? This is true of language, but also for creating and fostering community. No one needs to hear the refrain that the addictive qualities of smartphones and similar devices coupled with post-pandemic diminishment of social skills have led to even more “me” and less “we,” even though “we” is where we need to be, in my opinion.
So, as another school year begins, try to think more of that “we” by engaging more with students and having them do so with each other (all can be done in the target language!) and allowing relationships to flourish. I submit that the language piece will follow quite naturally.
Below are some comments from my own students from spring 2024. The prompt was just to “reflect on your learning” in my class or in general. (Pro tip: I provide choice and WIDE-OPEN prompts always. It lowers the affective filter and students seem to produce more as a result.)
Since I started my time at [college] I have learned that one of the most important aspects of college is building relationships and connections with both faculty and other students. It is important to have a support system and a network of people who are able to help you and give you any support you might need in order to be successful. Building relationships in college allows you to set yourself up for success in your adult and professional life. I understood the importance of applying yourself and taking [the] initiative to attend events like career fairs and employment opportunities which broaden your network and connections to be used in your professional future. Outside of creating professional connections, it is also important to create personal connections and friendships in order to support yourself mentally and socially.
Another lesson I learned is to be open and respect one another. Throughout these semesters, I’ve seen a lot of classmates who have different backgrounds and their own stories to tell. And I have learned to be more open and listen to their stories because I [may] be able to learn a thing or two which can help build a deeper connection than as classmates.
These past two semesters have taught me more about community, than over a span of my adolescence. In Spanish, being in a classroom with many people who struggled with [the language] and having a professor who cared enough about us personally to make sure we at least learned something in her class, was the highlight of the past two years in college. I’ve learned to depend on my peers/classmates for help and that if I’m struggling, I’m probably not the only one. I’ve talked to more people openly and enjoyed going to class because there was always something new and exciting going on. I’ve made plenty of friends with people I never would’ve spoken to if not for the professor making us talk and interact. I also got to experience the nicest professor in my (limited) college experience who spoke to [us] with care and with the desire to always push us to our limit because she knew what we had in us. It feels different walking into a classroom knowing the professor can actually put a face to your name and is willing to take the time to learn about every student.
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