In episode 191, I shared three things that didn’t work in my classroom this year. Then in Episode 192, I reflected on behavior, classroom culture, relationships, expectations, and some of the lessons I learned from a challenging freshman class.
But reflection isn’t only about looking at what didn’t work. It’s also about paying attention to what did.
Because if we’re going to improve, we need to know what to change, but we also need to know what to keep.
A few weeks ago, I surveyed 158 students. And as I worked through those surveys, I saw some patterns about what students actually experienced in my classroom, what helped them learn, and what helped them feel successful.
And what stood out to me was that the things students valued most weren’t the flashy activities. They weren’t the newest strategies. They were actually some of the oldest parts of my teaching philosophy.
Today I want to share three things that worked better than I expected this year and why I’m taking them with me into next year.
1. Relationships are key
What happened
One of the questions on the survey asked students how they felt when they entered class. The overwhelming majority selected positive emotions.
- Comfortable.
- Happy.
- Welcomed.
- Relaxed.
- Excited.
Now let’s be realistic. This doesn’t mean every student loved every lesson. It doesn’t mean there were no behavior issues. And it definitely doesn’t mean every day was perfect.
But it does tell me something important. Most students felt safe when they walked into my classroom.
As I read through the comments, I kept seeing the same themes.
Students talked about enjoying conversations with classmates.
They liked getting to know each other.
They mentioned interviews, discussions, funny moments, and opportunities to talk about their lives.
One student wrote that class felt comfortable and welcoming.
Another said they enjoyed getting to know people better.
What I learned
After recording Episode 192, I spent a lot of time thinking about relationships.
One of the lessons I shared in that episode was that relationships don’t teach skills and don´t prevent behavior issues. And I still believe that’s true.
Relationships alone won’t teach students how to listen.
They won’t teach students how to participate appropriately.
They won’t eliminate every behavior challenge.
But relationships do create the conditions where learning can happen.
We know that language learning is vulnerable. Students are taking risks every day. They’re speaking before they feel ready. They’re making mistakes in front of their peers.
And students are much more willing to do those things when they feel known and supported.
This is something I’ve talked about in several episodes over the years and written about on the Growing With Proficiency blog. Students learn better when they feel connected, valued, and safe enough to take risks.
What I’m keeping
Next year I’ll continue:
- Greeting students at the door
- Learning about their interests
- Student interviews
- Personalized questions
- Celebrating successes
- Making time for conversations that remind students they are more than learners of Spanish
Those moments matter. And this year’s survey reminded me not to underestimate them.
2. Comprehensible input is the essential ingredient for language acquisition.
What happened
Another survey question asked students whether they felt they improved in Spanish this year.
The vast majority said yes. Many selected “Yes, a lot.”
Others selected “Yes, somewhat.”
One out of 158 students reported little or no growth.
But what caught my attention even more was what students listed as their favorite parts of class. Again and again, I saw the same things:
- Stories.
- Reading.
- Class conversations.
- Cultural units.
- Interacting with classmates.
Several students specifically asked for more stories next year. That one made me smile.
What I learned
One of the themes I’ve returned to repeatedly on this podcast and on the Growing With Proficiency blog is the importance of understanding the foundation before chasing strategies.
The episode with Dr. Krashen about reading is key, the two episodes, here and here, with Dr. Bill Van Patten related to language acquisition and the episode with Dr. Karen Litchman and Jason Fritze about the 3 key skills for acquisition driven instruction are gold.
Sometimes it’s easy to get distracted. There’s always a new strategy. A new trend. A new activity. A new tool. And none of those things are necessarily bad.
But if we don’t understand the foundation of language acquisition, it’s easy to mistake activities for learning.
This survey reminded me that students enjoy understanding. Students enjoy feeling successful. Students enjoy being able to follow what’s happening.
When students understand what they’re hearing and reading, they feel more confident.
And when they feel confident, they’re more willing to participate.
One student wrote that they liked the stories because they helped them understand Spanish better. Another mentioned enjoying conversations about culture and real-life topics.
Those comments reminded me of something I’ve discussed in episodes about acquisition-driven instruction, comprehensible input, and lesson design: students acquire language through understanding messages.
Comprehensible input is not only the essential ingredient for language acquisition, but students enjoy a lot of activities that provide comprehensible input. Students feel excited when they understand the language
And honestly, that’s why I continue to come back to the foundations. The strategies may evolve, but the principles remain the same.
What I’m keeping
Next year I’ll continue building my classroom around:
- Storyasking
- Reading
- Class discussions
- Culture-rich units
- High-frequency language
- Comprehensible input
Nothing revolutionary. Just continuing to do the things that help students understand messages and use language for communication.
If you’ve listened to episodes about comprehensible input and acquisition but still feel like you’re trying to connect all the pieces, that’s exactly why I created my free resource, The Teacher Guide.
The Teacher Guide helps you understand the foundations behind acquisition-driven instruction so that strategies make sense. It includes support for comprehensible input, classroom community, routines, lesson design, and creating a classroom that aligns with how languages are acquired.
Many of the topics I’ve explored in past podcast episodes and blog posts come together in that guide.
You can download it at growingwithproficiency.com/teacherguide.
3. Routines and Structure creates success
What happened
This lesson might have surprised me the most.
After spending Episode 191 talking about how lack of structure created problems in my classroom, I noticed something interesting when I looked at the surveys.
Students consistently named some of the most structured parts of class as their favorites.
Two activities stood out more than anything else.
- Free Voluntary Reading.
- And asking about their day.
Neither activity is flashy. Neither activity is something people are going to stop and admire on social media. But students mentioned them over and over again.
And when I thought about it, it made complete sense.
Students knew exactly what to do.
They knew how to participate.
They knew what success looked like.
What I learned
Earlier this year I realized that many of my freshmen needed more structure than I expected. The survey confirmed that realization.
Students don’t necessarily need constant novelty. They need clarity. They need routines. They need predictable ways to participate.
One of the biggest lessons I learned this year is that routines are not the enemy of engagement. In many cases, routines are what make engagement possible.
When students know what to expect, they can spend less energy figuring out procedures and more energy focusing on learning.
What I’m keeping
Next year I’ll continue using:
- Free Voluntary Reading
- Asking students about their day
- Clear routines
- Structured interactions
- Modeling expectations
- Strong procedures
Because structure supports participation.
What students would change
Of course, not every comment was positive. And that’s important too.
Some of the most common suggestions included:
- More vocabulary support
- Reducing English conversations among classmates
- Reducing unnecessary noise
- Including more group activities
I don’t think every suggestion automatically becomes a classroom change. But every suggestion deserves consideration.
Because feedback helps us see our classrooms from a different perspective. And sometimes our students notice things that we miss.
Final thoughts
When I look back at Episodes 191, 192, and now 193, one thing stands out. This year didn’t teach me a completely new philosophy. It reminded me of the foundations.
- Relationships matter.
- Comprehensible input is essential.
- Structure creates success.
None of those ideas are new. I’ve believed them for years. But this year’s survey gave me something valuable.
Evidence. Evidence from 158 students who reminded me that sometimes growth isn’t about finding something new but recommitting to what already works.
As you wrap up your own school year, I’d love to hear from you.
What worked better than you expected? What challenged you? What are you planning to keep, change, or let go of next year?
Send me a message, reply to the episode, or connect with me on social media and share your reflections. One of my favorite parts of this community is learning alongside other teachers, and your insights often help me think differently about my own practice.
And if you’re looking ahead to next year and want support as you continue building an acquisition-driven classroom, be sure to join the waitlist for my membership, Growing With Proficiency: The Spanish Teacher Academy.
Thanks for spending this time reflecting with me.
