by Megan Smith | Sep 24, 2018 | Monday Motivation, Teacher Problems, Teacher Talk, What's New
You’ve made it through the busy days of the first weeks of school. You’ve learned names, set procedures, and are inspiring students about a new year of language learning. Everything is going great… until one day, it isn’t. As teachers, we tend... 
by Megan Smith | Aug 10, 2018 | 2 Authentic Resources, AP Themes, First Days, Movies, Proficiency, Units, What's New
Here it is. I’m openly against a “review unit” in the world language class (or any class actually). (If you love them, keep reading. You might change your mind. If not, we can still be friends even if we disagree.) I’ve tried starting the year with a review, and... 
by Kara Parker | Aug 8, 2018 | Class Decor, First Days
The school supply list is out! Are tissue boxes on your list? If so, check out one way to add a little learning to that item. I taught at a school that said tissue boxes and other supplies cannot be for extra credit because students should not be buying their grades.... 
by Kara Parker | Aug 1, 2018 | 1 Planning, First Days, Proficiency
I’m starting to see teachers on social media heading back to school! Where did the summer go?? The syllabus can be one way to set proficiency expectations at the beginning. We’ve updated our past syllabus template, plus added an additional template with a... by Megan Smith | Jun 3, 2018 | What's New
The school year is wrapping up for most teachers and summer vacation is almost here. Transitioning from a busy, action-packed routine to a more relaxed and carefree one can be difficult… right?!? 😉 Looking for a few ideas to enjoy your summer AND get inspired... 
by Megan Smith | May 26, 2018 | Last Days
Published on May 16, 2015 Grammys! Emmys! Golden Globes! Nobel Prize! ESPYs! Every year we celebrate all kinds of accomplishments. Those nominated for the different awards are simply being honored for their hard work and success achieved! Our students also work... by Megan Smith | May 11, 2018 | What's New
by Kara Parker | Mar 1, 2018 | 4 Assessments
Over the years, formative assessments was another aspect that changed as I transitioned to proficiency-based instruction. Here I’ll show you a few examples that worked for me. What is a formative assessment? What is the purpose of formative assessments?... 
by Kara Parker | Feb 5, 2018 | 1 Planning, Proficiency
About 8 years ago, I blogged about my “Stamp Sheets.” In fact, it was “Idea 45” on Creative Language Class. This was one of the first steps that helped me to shift to proficiency-based instruction. Today I’d like to tell you why I still... 
by Megan Smith | Jan 19, 2018 | PD, Proficiency, What's New
Daily objectives (can-do statements) are one of the biggest game changers for me over the years! They force me to narrow in on a purpose for the lesson and help me stay on track as I plan. I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve definitely missed the mark on...
