my name is Elena I am an English teacher I love my job but something is wrong my students do not speak English they read they write but when they try to talk they stop they look scared they say I don't know how every day I see the same problem a student tries to answer in English but then he switches to Spanish another student understands a question but cannot respond I feel frustrated they study so much but they do not use the language one day I sit in the teacher's lounge with my coffee my colleague Mr
Lish sits next to me he looks tired I ask what's wrong he sighes my students don't talk they just memorize words I nod same here I take a deep breath and say we need to change the way we teach Louise laughs change the director will never allow that I bite my lip he is right our school follows strict rules the students use books with long lists of words they do grammar exercises but they do not practice speaking that night I cannot sleep my mind is full of questions why do students learn grammar but not conversation
why do they know vocabulary but cannot ask for a coffee in English I sit up in bed I need to try something something new but how the next morning I walk into my classroom with a plan I smile at my students today no books they look at me confused no Books A girl asks I shake my head no books today we talk I write on the board at the airport the students look at each other what do we do one asks I say you are at an airport you need to ask for your ticket you
need to go through security you need to find your gate let's practice a boy named Carlos raises his hand but teacher we don't know the words I smile then let's learn them repeat after me excuse me where is my gate the class repeats at first they are shy but then they get louder for the first time they are speaking not writing not reading speaking I feel excited then the door opens I freeze the director stands there watching he crosses his arms I swallow my heart beats fast he steps inside his face is serious what are
you doing Elena I try to stay calm I am teaching English he shakes his head this is not in the book the students are silent they look at me waiting my hands feel cold I take a deep breath what will I say what will happen now I stand in front of the class the director is watching me his arms are crossed his face is serious the students are quiet the room feels cold he steps closer Elena where is the book I swallow my hands feel sweaty today we are practicing conversation he raises an eyebrow conversation
he looks at the board at the airport he frowns this is not in the curriculum I feel my stomach twist but the students need to speak English they memorize words but they cannot talk they need real situations the director shakes his head the school has rules follow the book do the exercises I hear a small voice but we like this teacher it is Anna the shiest girl in class she never Speaks now she looks at the director with big eyes he sigh Elena come to my office after class then he turns and walks out the
door closes silence then a voice teacher are you in trouble I force a smile no don't worry let's continue continue the students look at each other then slowly they smile too we continue the lesson excuse me where is my gate your flight is at gate 12a their voices grow stronger I feel hope but at the same time I feel afraid the bell rings class is over I take a deep breath and walk to the director's office inside he is sitting at his desk he points to the chair sit I sit my hands are cold he
looks at me Elena I understand your passion but this school has rules we use books we follow the program I nod but inside I want to scream but the books don't help them speak he sigh that is not your decision you must teach the way we tell you I look at him my heart beats fast I cannot he frowns what I swallow my voice shakes I cannot teach like this it does not work my students are learning more today than in the last 3 months they are speaking he looks at me for a long moment
then he leans back in his chair you are taking a big risk Elena I nod I know he Taps his fingers on the desk if you continue this way there may be [Music] consequences I hold my breath what kind of consequences he doesn't answer instead he stands up go home Elena think about what you were doing I stand up too my legs feel weak I walk to the door before I leave I turn to him I already know my answer he does not respond I step out of the office my heart is racing my mind
is spinning what will happen next the next morning I walk into my classroom my hands are shaking what if the director is watching what if I lose my job but then I see my students they are waiting their eyes full of excitement Anna Smiles teacher today we practice again I look at the door no one is there I take a deep breath yes today we practice again again I write on the board at the hotel the students whisper they are excited I turned to Carlos you are a tourist you arrive at a hotel you need
a room Carlos stands up nervously um hello I need a room I nod good now let's use shadowing I say the sentence again slowly and clearly hello I need a room Carlos listens carefully then he repeats after me hello I need a room his voice is stronger now I smile great now let's try again say it with confidence Carlos stands up straight hello I need a room the class claps he smiles I feel happy they are learning they are speaking next I give them a listening exercise now listen to this short conversation I play an
audio clip of a hotel checkin the students listen with Focus I paused the audio what did the reception is say Anna raises her hand she said do you have a reservation I nod yes now let's practice reading out loud I hand them a short dialogue two students stand up they read the lines their voices shaky at first but with each sentence they become more confident then we move to immersion I point to the door from now on only English you are in a hotel no Spanish the students look at each other some look nervous but
then Anna Smiles okay teacher she turns to Carlos hello do you have a reservation Carlos hesitates then takes a deep breath yes for three nights the class claps I feel a rush of excitement they are really speaking English but then the door opens I freeze it is not the director it is Louise my colleague he looks around frowning Elena what are you doing I swallow teaching English He steps closer you are not using the book I cross my arms no I'm not he looks at the students they are watching us waiting then he shakes his
head you are brave Elena but this is dangerous I lower my voice they are learning Louise look at them Louise scans the classroom the students are excited they want to talk they are not afraid anymore he sigh then he does something unexpected he steps forward and says okay let me try the class gasps I blink what he smiles I want to see if your method Works he turns to Carlos I am the hotel receptionist good evening sir how can I help you Carlos's eyes widen then he takes a deep breath hello I need a room
Lis nods for how many nights Carlos looks at me I whisper three nights Carlos turns back for three nights Louise grins very good the students cheer I feel my heart race Louis is helping me maybe I am not alone but then the classroom door opens again this time it is the director he stands there looking at Louis than at me than at the students no one moves he steps inside looks at the board and reads the words at the hotel then he looks at the students what is this silence then Anna shy Anna raises her
hand she stands up her voice is small but clear this is English sir the room is Frozen the director's face does not change he looks at me come to my office now my stomach drops what will happen now I gather my things I feel a hand on my arm it is Anna teacher she said I want to learn like this please don't stop I smile but inside I feel scared I walk to the director's office my heart is pounding we enter he sits at his desk his fingers ta the table slowly Elena I told you
to follow the book his voice is calm but I can feel the tension I take a deep breath sir the the book is not enough the students need to speak English they need real situations he leans back and you think your way is better I hesitate then nod yes the director sigh do you know how many teachers have tried to change the system and do you know what happened to them I shake my head he stares at at me they are no longer here a cold feeling spreads through my chest is he saying I will
lose my job before I can speak there is a knock at the door the director frowns come in the door opens and to my shock Louise walks in he looks serious sir I need to say something the director raises an eyebrow Louise this is a private meeting Louis nods yes but I was in Elena's class today and I saw something important he glances at me then back at the director the students were speaking English the director stays silent Louise continues not just reading not just just memorizing speaking they were confident they were learning in a
way that I've never seen before the director looks at him then at me so now you're part of this too Louise nods yes for a moment no one speaks then the director stands up he walks to the window hands behind his back back this school has followed the same method for years he says slowly we have rules for a reason he turns around but I cannot ignore results my breath catches what do you mean he walks back to his desk I will observe one more class if if I see real progress I will think about
it he Narrows his eyes but if I don't you will go back to the book I feel my hands trembling this is my chance but it is also my test the next morning I stand in front of my class my hands are cold my heart is racing this is it the director is watching if I fail I lose my chance I glance at the door he is there standing with his arms crossed Lish is next to him the students look at me waiting I force a smile good morning class good morning teacher they say louder
than usual they know today is important I take a deep breath and write on the board at the restaurant the students whisper they are excited I turned to them today you will go to a restaurant you will order food you will ask for the check you will speak English Carlos raises his hand teacher what if we make mistakes I smile mistakes are good mistakes help us learn I set up the activity Anna is the waitress Carlos is the customer the class watches as they begin Anna hello welcome can I take your order Carlos hesitates he
looks nervous I hold my breath come on Carlos you can do this he swallows then says yes I want a hamburger and orange Ju juice the class claps I hear a small laugh I turn my head the director is smiling then something happens the director steps forward I freeze he looks at the students then he does something unexpected he pulls a chair and sits down he clears his throat excuse me waitress he says looking at Anna can I see the menu the room is silent the students stare at him eyes wide is this real is
he playing the game Anna blinks she looks at me I nod she takes a deep breath yes sir here is the menu the director pretends to read it h what do you Rec commend Anna stares at the board searching for Words then she smiles the pizza is very good the students gasp Anna is speaking English to the director the director nods okay I will have the pizza and a soda Anna writes it down one pizza one soda anything else the director shakes his head that's all thank you the students whisper excitedly I hold my breath
what is happening then the director stands up he looks at me my heart stops Elena he says come to my office I swallow I nod as I walk out I feel every student watching me Louis gives me a small nod I follow the director down the hall my mind is spinning was that good was that bad we enter his office he closes the door he turns to me and then he smiles Elena he says we need to talk but about what I stand in the director's office my hands are shaking he sits at his desk
and looks at me is this the end will he fire me he leans forward Elena he says slowly do you know how long I have worked in this school I shake my head 25 years he sigh for 25 years we have used the same method books grammar exercises vocabul lists he pauses and for 25 years students have left this school unable to speak English my heart skips a beat sir he looks straight at me today I saw something different I saw students speaking I saw confidence I saw learning I hold my breath what is he
saying the director sigh and leans back in his chair Elena I am not an easy man to convince but today you convinced me I blink I did he nods yes your method works the students were engaged they were thinking they were using the language not just memorizing it A Rush of relief fills my chest I can hardly believe it then his face becomes serious again but he says raising a finger this does not mean you can do whatever you want you must have structure you must have a plan I nod quickly of course sir I
will prepare activities I will make sure the students learn learn all the important vocabulary and grammar he stays silent for a moment then nods all right you have my permission to continue I feel like I can finally breathe thank you sir thank you so much he waves a hand don't thank me yet this is an experiment if students improve we will talk about changing the method for all classes if not we go back to the book I smile they will improve sir I promise he watches me for a moment then nods go back to class
Elena do your job I leave the office my heart racing not from fear but from excitement as I walk back to my classroom I see Lish waiting in the hallway he raises an eyebrow well I grin we did it Louise lets out a breath seriously I nod seriously he shakes his head smiling I can't believe it I push open the classroom door the students jump up teacher what happened I laugh we won they cheer Anna claps her hands Carlos pumps his fist in the air I walk to the board and write two big words let's
talk I turned to them all right class today we go to the airport they laugh they are excited they are ready and for the first time I know they are really learning English as I sit at my my desk after class I take a deep breath today was a victory but it was not just my victory it was theirs I think about Anna who was too shy to speak but ordered food in English today I think about Carlos who once said I don't know how but now speaks with confidence I think about l who doubted
me at first but became my biggest supporter and then I think about myself I was afraid I almost gave up I almost followed the rules even when I knew they were wrong but learning is not about fear it is not about rules it is about using the language making mistakes trying again I smil teaching is not about books it is about opening doors I stand up and look at the empty classroom today I opened a door for my students and now they are ready to walk through it
