My Journey to ESL Certification

As I reflect on my journey to obtain my ESL add-on endorsement, several thoughts come to mind. As a veteran teacher, going back to school was a scary thought for me. Taking classes on-line presented another challenge, but was the best choice for me, as a full time wife, mother, and Kindergarten teacher. The coursework was relevant and helpful to me as a classroom teacher. The classes I took helped to prepare me for what I faced in the classroom each day. I absolutely love working with ESL students and they are the reason I chose to go back to school. I love their enthusiasm and eagerness to learn. No matter what book I read, or game I choose to play, they are always ready and willing. The progress they make during the year amazes me. For them only, did I suffer through the ESL Praxis test. That test, by far, is the hardest one I have ever taken.
The one accomplishment that I am most proud of is the Wiki I created through my classes. It is a great resource to use throughout the rest of my teaching career. I have also shared it with other teachers who have ESL students in their classes. One piece of advice I would give those teachers who want to pursue the add-on endorsement is to know what you want to do. It has not been an easy journey. I have worked really hard and am so glad that I am finished. As hard as it has been, and as much time it has taken, it is truly worth it. To see the looks on my students faces each day, and watch their joy when they learn to read and write, makes it worth it all.

Literature Circles in ELL Kindergarten?

I really enjoyed the literature circle activity with my Kindergarten students. Since my students are not yet reading independently, I did a modified version. I used the big book Mrs. Wishy Washy and I read the book to them. I created an anticipatory guide to use with them before, during, and after reading the story. It gave them a chance to make predictions, analyze characters, and tell how they would change the story. The discussions that emerged were really great. The students loved the story of Mrs. Wishy Washy and we used puppets to act out the story after reading it. The puppets really seemed to help my two students who are still not ready to talk out loud. I think activities like literature circles are great to use with ELL students because it breaks a book into chunks. It really gave me time to talk about the vocabulary and the different parts of the book with my students. For older students, it gives them a voice about which parts of the book they liked best.

I think the activity went well and there isn’t really anything I would change. I have pulled out more Mrs. Wishy Washy books to use with my class. I would encourage other teachers to try this activity. I never would have thought my Kindergarten students would have been able to have such good conversations about the story.

Ethnographic Narrative and Case Study

My observation and case study research of the student, AP, was very informative. By conducting the observation and interview, I gained an insight into his home life, as well as his thoughts on school. AP is an ELL Kindergarten student who is a native Spanish speaker. From the talk I had with him, it seems that he also has a very good home situation. He has two parents who love him and make sure he has what he needs, not only material things, but educationally and emotionally, as well. They encourage him to work hard, and do his best. One of the things he likes to do at home is read with his mom. He is also lucky to have an extended family that he gets to see, and who also takes time to interact with him.

By doing this observation, and focusing on one student, it gave me the chance to view my classroom practices through his eyes. Teachers need to be reminded of how students view school, and how much their home life impacts what they do at school. Using case studies and ethnographic narratives is a great way for teachers to see their teaching styles and classrooms in a different perspective. So many times teachers feel that if the students aren’t learning what they are teaching, it is the students’ fault. I found this quote by Ignacio Estrada that says “If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn.” I think this quote sums up what all teachers need to do.

It is my hope that AP’s teacher next year will recognize him as a student without limitations. He is not only a happy, well-mannered boy, he is also very smart. He speaks very good English, and is very quick to learn new skills. It is obvious that his parents value education and want the best for him. He is proud of his heritage and eager to share that with other classmates and teachers. As his teacher, I try to find ways for him to be a leader in our classroom. I hope that continues next year.