June 3rd

Thursday June 3rd, 2010
Our group began today flying over the Monteverde canopy.  The Zipline adventure was exhilirating and I believe we all learned a little more about ourselves.  Despite the nervousness, we all took that leap.  We had very supporting guides. Their personalized attention remidned me of something else I have valued in my Spanish class and believe is necessary in every class, especially those with ESL students.  Personalization and Differentiation.
Our guides were about to "read" us and gave us specialized attention.  They made sure to learn all our names and even though they were only with us for a short time, got to know each of us and discovered our needs.  One in our group was nervous about the correct body position on the zipline and, at the start of each of the nine cables, our guide reexplained the position to her.  Another needed extra help descending the platform at the end of the cable and each time it was her turn the guides reminded each other via walkie-talkie of this.  For others in the group the guides would joke or ask questions to keep us excited or calm, which ever seemed most necessary.  These were only small things, but they helped us feel more comfortable in a risk taking experience.
Similarly, in the classroom, risk taking only takes place when students are at ease.  It is important to create a bond with students and provide an environment in which they feel comfortable to take risks and voice their ideas.
I am excited this week to have a "profesora" at CPI who has created a personal environment.  When it is time to ask questions she uses them to inquire about our families, significant others, likes and dislikes.  She also talks about her own likes, dislikes, etc.  This has created an environment where we are open and take risks with our Spanish.  What has helped in this is the admission by our "Profesora" that she struggles in English as we are in Spanish.  She awknowleges the difficulty of learning a language.
In this way our "Profesora" has also displayed differentiation.  There are only two in my class but I feel as though she has gauged our abilities and (this week especially), our engagement.  I can see a difference in the question format and expectations based upon this.  She has also adjusted her teaching to suit the class.  When we were first practicing conjugation we were frantically writing what she was saying orally and for this reason we had to stop her to ask many questions.  The next class she had notes for the board prepared and used different drawing and labeling techniques which we then copied in our book.  Also, she differentiated to our class when she saw a technique which we enjoyed. At first we were simply repeating vocabulary after she read it.  Tuesday she tried to have us act out the vocabulary and asked how we liked it.  Each day since then we have had some sort of charades activity. 
This translates to my future classes.  Each student will benefit froma different kind of instruction and will need differentiated assistance.  Getting to know my students and then correctly adjusting for these differences will help them succeed.  A Language Learner is constantly in a position of stress as they gather words for use.  It is easier for this learner to remain silent than to risk embarassment.  I experienced this first hand and it was difficult for me to push through and take risks.  But in the right environment, the risks are not so foreboding.  when the leaner feels safe and can sense the personal interest from their teacher they will be more willing to try out what they've learned and risk mistakes.  I can vouch for this personally as my most confident uses of Spanish have come in my Spanish classes and while speaking with my Mama Tica.  In other situations I found myself saying nothing so that I didn't risk humiliation.  I have seen first hand on this trip just how important personal connections can be.