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High‑school Spanish teacher praises new techniques, urges attention to student mental health
Summary
At the Winslow Schools board meeting, Spanish teacher Trent Nalafen described successful classroom strategies from a regional language‑teachers conference and warned of rising student anxiety, saying staff have begun studying The Anxious Generation to inform responses.
Trent Nalafen, a Spanish teacher at the high school, told the Winslow Schools board that recent professional development has yielded notable classroom gains and highlighted growing concerns about students’ mental health.
“My purpose in being here is firstly to say thank you, and secondly, to give you a quick glimpse into the classroom,” Nalafen said, describing techniques demonstrated at the Educators for a Multilingual Maine conference that led previously reluctant students to participate enthusiastically. He credited a Texas teacher of the year who led sessions the group attended at the University campus.
Nalafen said school staff are also studying Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation to better understand what is disrupting student resilience and to consider instructional adjustments. “It is just a first step,” he told the board, adding that much more work is needed to tune educational practice to current student needs.
Board members responded positively, thanking Nalafen and noting the district’s investment in professional development. The presentation did not include requests for additional funding or immediate policy changes; Nalafen framed the effort as an ongoing staff‑led study and classroom adjustment.
