The Importance of Community, part 2

This is part 2 of a two-part series. Guest contributors are Erica Peplinski, Gary DiBianca, Bess Hayles, and AnneMarie Chase.

Wow - what a response I got from my part 1 blog post on the importance of community! Many of you wrote me off-blog to talk about how much you have received from your own CI community. I am so glad to have written something which resonated with so many people! As educators, especially as CI/ADI teachers, we so need each other.

Maybe you are in a teaching situation where you are craving CI community but do not where to find it. Luckily in this 21st century age, there are TONS of options:

1. Facebook groups - While there are numerous CI Facebook groups, the primary one which I use is IFLT/TPRS/CI Teaching. If you have a question about how to do something, you can post there. Need a resource? You can do a search to see if anyone has posted something about it. There are SO many CI-folks whom I only know online and from whom I have learned a great deal through Facebook groups, so it is always really weird finally to meet them in person! If you ever attend an in-person CI/ADI conference like CI Summit, Comprehensible Iowa, Mitten CI, NTPRS, Agen, etc, these conferences also have their own Facebook groups.  
2. Blogs - When I first started going all-in with CI/ADI, my primary means of learning was through reading CI blogs. If you look at the sidebar of this blog, you will see a number of blogs (I cannot verify how recent or updated they are) which I have followed and still do. 
3. In-person CI/ADI conferences - To me, this is the best way to develop an in-person community. Being immersed in a conference setting completely dedicated to CI/ADI (CI Summit, CI Iowa, Mitten CI, CI Midwest, NTPRS, Agen) is a perfect breeding ground for community - you are already surrounded by like-minded people who desire to grow in their knowledge and usage of CI. General state and local world language conferences can only go so far with that. Those who attend these CI/ADI conferences are definitely looking for community!
4. Professional Leaning Communities (PLC) - Consider creating one of your own, whether it be in-person or virtual!

Here's my final round of guest contributors from this summer's CI Summit and their thoughts on the importance of community. These are people whom I SO highly respect and from whom I have learned a great deal about the CI classroom:

"I taught for ten years before I ever attended a teacher conference. They always felt too expensive for our budget. But I had been following the IFLT Facebook group for a while and felt so drawn to the sense of connection there that I finally made the leap and signed up for my first CI conference at an IFLT in Chattanooga. I didn’t know anyone else attending, and as a busy mom of three, I was honestly looking forward to quiet nights reading and swimming alone. On the very first morning, though, I met a forever friend in the elevator. We clicked immediately, became conference besties, and are still friends to this day. What I thought would be peaceful evenings turned into nights filled with laughter, new friends, and energizing conversations. By day two, I knew this would not be a one-time event. That conference didn’t just give me new tools for the classroom, it gave me a community. And that’s what has kept me coming back year after year.

Humans are wired to connect, literally. On a neurological level, our brains and bodies thrive on social connection. We are at our healthiest and happiest when we feel a sense of belonging. There’s something deeply human about the way we gather, whether in the same physical space or through glowing rectangles across time zones. That connection has sustained me as a CI teacher. Teaching can be isolating, but the CI/ADI community has been my reminder that we were never meant to do this alone. From quick messages that spark new lesson ideas to late-night heart-to-hearts at conferences like CI Summit, this community fuels my creativity and helps me stay grounded in purpose. We teach language to connect people, and it’s through these connections with other educators that I’ve grown, healed, and stayed inspired to keep going, even on the hard days." -Erica Peplinski

"So much of my career and classroom successes are because of the CI/ADI community of world language educators that has been cultivated and encouraged to flourish over the years. The game changer for me were the connections made from early TPRS conferences and workshops that later turned into online group support networks and now personal friendships. So yes, I tend to be super dedicated to my profession but my sustained commitment has been because of the people with whom I enjoy spending time and our shared passion for helping all students communicate. For all teachers just starting out on your journeys with ADI/CI, know that there is a strong network of educators and new friends that want to help you along your way. - Gary DiBianca 

"I could not do my job without my CI community, which includes teachers from all over the United States. Teaching French can be so lonely because I'm usually the only teacher in my building. Through conferences, I have found my people and we get together at least once a month to touch base and share ideas. It is so refreshing to meet with people who are like-minded and positive! Instead of complaining about kids, we talk solutions, wins and cheer each other on. If you don't have others to share with yet, there are blogs, Facebook groups, TikTokkers, Podcasts, etc to keep you going! Don't give up! - Bess Hayles

"They say "no man is an island," and that's especially true in our profession! Personally, it's the CI community that has taught me, problem-solved with me, inspired me, laughed with me, and commiserated with me along the way. Outside of my in-real-life colleagues, the iFLT/TPRS/CI Teaching Facebook group is my go-to space when I'm looking for advice, fresh ideas, or new resources. The digital collaboration there is fantastic—more than 14,000 generous and passionate teachers striving to teach in alignment with language acquisition principles. Teaching is a tough job, especially if you're transitioning to Comprehensible Input or you're the lone language teacher at your school. There's no need to go it alone—and the ride is so much more fun when you're connected with like-minded educators." - AnneMarie Chase