It’s been a year of growth for the Path 2 Proficiency community: more than a dozen new teachers joined as authors and readership almost doubled, but most importantly the reflections and conversations grew well beyond this site. This blog doesn’t exist to promote anyone or anything. This blog doesn’t exist to showcase the perfect teacher. This blog doesn’t exist to provide all the answers. Instead, this blog allows regular educators like Michele, Jaime, Rebecca, John, Matt, Sharon, Tim, Christi, Maris, Paul, Juan Carlos, Holly, Rose, Amanda, Valerie, Betsy, Alyssa, Lisa and Meredith to share their reflections about what is working in their worlds, what failed, and how they plan on helping their students further their own path to proficiency. If you are a reader of this site, please take a moment to thank these brave teachers for sharing their reflections in such a public format. It’s because of them that we all become better educators. Of course with growth comes growing pains and some parts of our site are currently not functioning properly but that should all get cleaned up in January along with some other exciting updates.

Since all of our posts are very personal reflections some posts hit nerves with readers more than others. Here are the most-read posts of each month in 2017. They just might inspire your own reflections as you start the new year.

January 2017:

Forget about your goals this year!

February 2017:

Food for thought: Feeding proficiency with effective feedback

March 2017:

Clashing the Personalities in the Target Language

April 2017:

Enough is as good as a feast.

May 2017:

Let your students lead the way

June 2017:

Proficiency Has Made Me A Better Teacher

July 2017:

Transitioning from a Traditional PK-12 World Language Program to an Oral Proficiency-based Program

August 2017:

Becoming a better language advocate

September 2017:

Can It Wait?

October 2017:

When I’m Not There: Sick Days and Proficiency

November 2017:

Allowing retakes: how well is your parachute packed?

December 2018:

Interpersonal: are they talking with each other or at each other?

 

 

 

Published by Thomas Sauer

Thomas Sauer is the Director of Design and Communication for AdvanceLearning and an independent consultant. He previously held positions as world language specialist in the Fayette County Public Schools and Jefferson County Public Schools for almost ten years and taught German at the University of Kentucky, Georgetown College and Kentucky Educational Television. He has directed a variety of state and federal grants, most recently as program director and consultant for several successful STARTALK programs. Thomas has served as President of the Kentucky World Language Association as well as on the Board of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, the National Association of District Supervisors of Foreign Languages and the Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. Named the 2011 Pearson/NADSFL Supervisor of the Year and a 2010 Global Visionary by the World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana, Thomas is passionate about helping educators making the shift from teaching to learning.