Why I Started Roots to Grow

For most of my teaching career, I did what many teachers do. I figured things out on my own. Late nights searching for resources, trying new routines, adjusting things that didn’t work, and starting again the next day hoping it would go a little smoother. That’s part of teaching, of course, but over the years something became really clear to me. Teaching French, especially in the early years, is important work. We are not just teaching vocabulary or grammar. We are helping students build the foundations of language, confidence, curiosity, and a love for learning. That kind of work deserves support.

I’ve been teaching French for over twenty years now, mostly in Grades 2 and 3 French Immersion here in Ontario, and everything I share still comes straight from the classroom. The routines, the literacy ideas, the songs we sing, the games that somehow keep twenty students engaged all come from daily classroom life. If something works with my students, I tend to share it. If it doesn’t work… well, those ideas quietly disappear. Like many teachers, my approach has evolved over time as our understanding of literacy has grown. I now lean much more into explicit phonics, oral language development, and strong literacy routines that help students build reading and writing step by step. Programs like Son-au-graphe have become an important part of that work, along with decodable texts, structured writing support, and lots of opportunities for students to talk, think, and use language in meaningful ways. There is a quote from Anita Archer that I often come back to: “Cut the fluff. Teach the stuff.” Simple, clear teaching really does make a difference.

For many years I kept most of my ideas inside my own classroom, but slowly teachers began reaching out. It started with a few messages, then more conversations, then questions about routines, literacy instruction, assessment, and how to support reading in French. What I kept hearing again and again was that many French teachers felt like they were trying to do this work alone. That realization is really what led to Roots to Grow. I wanted to create a place where French teachers could share ideas, learn from one another, and feel supported in the work they are doing. Teaching should not feel like a solo sport. Some of the best professional learning I have experienced has come from simply talking with other teachers, exchanging ideas, and leaving with a few practical things to try the next day.

Roots to Grow exists because of my classroom, not instead of it. I am still teaching every day, still adjusting lessons, still trying new ideas, and still learning from my students. They are often the ones who show me what truly works. Teachers know this better than anyone: the most effective ideas are rarely the fanciest ones. More often, it is the simple routines done consistently that make the biggest difference for students.

I created this blog as a place to share some of those ideas and reflections a little more thoughtfully than a quick social media post allows. Here you will find practical classroom routines, literacy ideas for French teachers, reflections from over twenty years in the classroom, and tools that can help make teaching a little easier. Mostly, though, I hope this space reminds French teachers of something important. The work you are doing matters, and you should not have to figure it all out alone.

Bienvenue. I’m glad you’re here.

Angela
Roots to Grow Learning 🌱