WHY?

I found a new passion for my job as a Spanish teacher since I decided to transition from traditional teaching into TPRS. 

I have been teaching for 8 years, and even though I always liked what I was doing, the last couple of years I had just lost that "passion"... Having successful students in all assessments, and students who liked being in the class was not the problem.  It was the frustration to see those "learned" lessons and vocabulary go down the drain just after a couple of weeks. 
It was the frustration of WANTING an immersion environment and never being able to achieve it. 

After 4 years of exploring TPRS (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling), reading books about it and attending workshops and classes, it was until last year that I decided to overcome my fear and try a couple of days of TPRS in my class.  The success I saw with just those two sessions encouraged me to get better training.  I signed up for the National TPRS convention held in Las Vegas the summer of 2012... and that marked the beginning of my new life as a Spanish teacher!

What a difference! It all makes so much more sense now! Learning ABOUT the language VS acquiring it is not only a more fun approach, but also more effective.  Students don't feel uncomfortably forced to produce the language right away; their job is to "listen with the intent to understand", and to have fun!  It is October, and while other teachers are talking about the difficulty of getting momentum going at this point of the year, and struggling to keep their own enthusiasm for the job... for me it has never been more fun or productive!  My students are speaking and understanding the language like they never did before.  One of them, after the first oral exam he took told me:  "this is so much better! it is fun and I can THINK in Spanish... I am so proud of YOU, Mrs. Yedinak!"... that almost got me teary.  HE IS PROUD OF ME! They are appreciative of my efforts to help them acquire the language, and they do understand the work it takes.  It is all worth it!

I have a loooong journey ahead, I need to learn more about the method and resources to enhance it... The TPRS community is extremely supportive and has helped me like I never thought.
My intention with this blog is to trace that journey through TPRS to help me reflect and be a better teacher.  Also, because I know the power of networking, I hope this will be a good source of information for any other teacher who wants to use it!

Hasta la próxima!
Marta Ruiz Yedinak