Bryce Hedstrom empowers world language teachers with the right training, materials, and support to become confident, successful educators who motivate their students to learn.
As an acclaimed author and educator, Bryce Hedstrom has written numerous books designed to help teachers engage with their students and teach language more effectively. In addition to his own works, Bryce also promotes the sale of books by independent authors whose writings align with his principles of teaching and learning.
Bryce provides training and support for teachers and administrators through one-on-one coaching, classroom materials, and educational resources. From guest teaching and classroom observations to developing strategies and designing curriculum, Bryce uses hands-on methods and engaging instruction to help educators to become more effective teachers.
Bryce is a well-known speaker and regularly presents at regional and national conferences. He loves sharing his knowledge and holds workshops designed to inspire and inform teachers of all levels. Bryce speaks on topics such as comprehensible input-based teaching, classroom management, student engagement, and reading.
September Special
Get ready for el Día de los Muertos…
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This Month’s Featured Author
Adam Giedd
Adam is a Spanish teacher in Virginia Beach. He writes stories for “that kid” in your class who doesn’t have anything to read.
His goal is to provide students with early and frequent success on their journey to literacy in their new language.
In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, coffee, introducing people to the sport of curling, and just doing life with his wife Christi and their three children.
Book of the Month
This is a book I have read and would recommend to you.
Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life
By Héctor García and Francesc Miralles
I read Ikigai years ago and it has stuck with me. The subtitle says it all: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life. I’ve used ideas from Ikigai to enhance my language teaching and I bet it will help you too.
Ikigai consists of four overlapping spheres: 1) What you love, 2) What the world needs, 3) What you can be paid for, and 4) What you are good at. We need all four. When we are frustrated, unsuccessful or unhappy with our work it is often because we are not living in all four of these areas. Over-focusing on one or two of these leads to an unbalanced life and dissatisfaction.
I tell students that if they do not know anyone that is walking in Ikigai to talk to one of their teachers — they’re usually pretty close.
I have used these four area for years to ask meaningful questions in Special Person Interviews with upper level students. Asking them about their plans for the future is almost always compelling for everyone in the class. Students are trying to figure out their lives and they are drawn to discussions about the thoughts and plans of their peers. It’s a way to test out ideas safely. Teachers are not counselors and should not presume to act like them, but we can ask questions to get students to think and talk out their potential plans.
Adam Giedd, our author of the month, uses imagery from Ikigai in one of his most-loved novellas: Pablo Paloma. In a touching scene where Pablo’s grandfather is explaining how he can make good decisions and arrive at his destiny (p. 54), there is a simplified sketch of Ikigai for beginning readers to get the idea. Get Pablo Paloma for your beginning students. I bet they’ll like it.
What Teachers Are Saying About Bryce
“I still use a ton of the tricks I learned when we had you come out. I think that was one of the best PD opportunities I have ever had in 21 years of K12 Education, so thanks again!”
“Bryce and I met at a conference in Chicago many years ago. In fact, I remember going in search of a karaoke bar with you and a small group of teachers. I just want to thank you for inspiring me to try CI. It has completely changed my outlook on helping students learn French. I still remember your caring stories about your own interactions and thinking ‘I want to be like him.’ And now, after all these years, I see how this approach enables us to be real teachers.”
“As a new teacher, I look for all the information I can to help me teach better—podcast, books, Facebook groups, etc.—but the 3 sessions I had with Bryce have been the single most helpful thing to me and my teaching. Also, I was able to instantly apply the knowledge he gave me in my classes and the difference has been astounding.”
“I don’t always use other teachers’ resources, but when I do it’s probably from Bryce Hedstrom. That’s a Dos Equis joke of course, but it’s also the truth. Bryce’s insights and materials have played a foundational role in the way I teach. I know that a lot of sweat and thought goes into his work, always resulting in high-quality stuff. Speaking of stuff, one of Bryce’s books that I have within arm’s reach is called Stuff for Spanish Class. I’m so glad that book exists. I’m even more glad that Bryce exists, because he is one heckuva person.”
“I have had the pleasure of attending several of Bryce Hedstrom’s presentations. Whenever I hear him speak I get something new to help me in the classroom. Bryce is a master at delivering helpful, reality-based strategies that can be applied immediately. His insight into community building, personalization and classroom management make his presentations a must for every World Language teacher!”
“Thank you for promoting so many wonderful Indy CI authors in addition to your own excellent resources. Currently we are working to expand a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiative here in our district. Your site has such an amazing collection of diverse voices and characters. Wow! Just what we need.”
“Of all the presenters, Bryce Hedstrom has had the most profound effect on my teaching and my students. I have been able to create true community and connect in a real way with my students by doing passwords, student jobs and special person interviews. Bryce is the master of relationship building and the psychology of motivating students. I have also used his amazing free resources for free voluntary reading and shared them countless times with other teachers who were looking to implement FVR with their students.”
“Bryce has guided my teaching for years! Watching Bryce model immersive language conversations with students in an engaging, positive, and effective way was invaluable! The students participated enthusiastically and retained an incredible amount of information from the day! The training was a huge success! The students wanted Señor Hedstrom to return! Thanks, Bryce! Your strategies bring joy, enthusiasm, and high levels of learning to all levels of second language learning!”
“I scoured Bryce’s website when I started teaching, soaking in all of the insights and teaching resources. Then, for years, we interacted in online teacher communities where we learned and grew together. Obviously, Bryce has great knowledge and experience, and he takes learning and improving his craft very seriously, but what most stands out to me about Bryce is his humility and generosity. If you are looking for an agent of positive change, then look no further.”
“As language teachers, language is important, so when I say that working with Bryce is easy and delightful, I mean it. Bryce is a leader in the field of world language teaching and learning, but he is also attuned to people, both teachers and students, as he wants all parties to find success. As a teacher, teacher educator, presenter, author, business owner and genuine human, Bryce should be the one to be called upon to work with in whatever capacity you need his expertise. He has been so helpful to me and I’m certain he will be for you and/or your school district”
Comprehensible Input (CI) Teaching Methods
Bryce started developing materials, presenting and blogging because:
“It disheartens me to see so many teachers try and then give up because they cannot make all the pieces of their teaching work right away. I also dislike the way that the inertia in education is crushing the dreams of so many gifted teachers and making students think that they are bad at learning.
It doesn’t have to be this way. I want to contribute to solving these problems of discouragement and abandonment of our profession by giving teachers some hope. I believe that success in the classroom is possible; that students can learn and that teachers can be both productive and happy. Comprehensible Input-based methods, solid classroom management, varied reading approaches and fresh student engagement techniques can help us to get there.”
This website is dedicated to training teachers with his blog, helpful links and free materials, as well as his books and other materials.
Bryce Hedstrom
Author, Educator & Speaker
Learn more about Bryce