My sister-in-law taught in an English as a Second Language school for immigrant students. She had about 8 or 9 languages in the class. But some of the students were further ahead in English learning than others. So, she would teach a concept, have the more experienced English speakers translate terms for the less experienced English speakers. She was beginning to pick up words in several of the other languages, too. I spent a day in her classroom a few years ago. It was an amazing experience. Yes, some teachers are phenomenal people, that go the extra mile. I love this story. It is another very special teacher finding a way to build bridges.
Nancy, your sister-in-law’s classroom adds another dimension to Teri’s story. Once she made room for students to use one another’s language strengths, access became something the whole classroom could help create, with more experienced English speakers supporting newer learners while she learned from them too. Teri shows Lorraine building safety through the choices available to one teacher; your example shows how those choices can invite students themselves into the work of building bridges. I appreciate you bringing such a concrete picture of that kind of classroom community into the conversation.
The other aspect of my SIL classroom was that some of the kids (all high schoolers) had very basic Math skills and some were very advanced. They created another dynamic. But all the students received positive reinforcements throughout the 50 minute sessions.
Nancy, that makes the classroom even more remarkable. The students were bringing very different levels of strength across language and math, while the steady positive reinforcement gave each of them evidence that growth and contribution were still available to them. That kind of classroom can hold differences in proficiency without letting those differences determine who gets to feel capable or included. Teri’s story and your sister-in-law’s classroom both show how much a teacher can shape the conditions under which students participate and learn from one another.
Teri, Lorraine’s choice makes safety operational, visible in specific decisions. She has no authority over what her students may encounter beyond the classroom, yet she can decide whether language becomes another barrier inside it, whether a mistake gets repaired, and whether students receive evidence that an adult is paying attention to what fear is doing to their ability to learn. That turns care into a set of practices through which belonging becomes credible. I’m grateful for the way you let one teacher’s response show how much can still be stewarded within the room she can shape.
What a hero.
My sister-in-law taught in an English as a Second Language school for immigrant students. She had about 8 or 9 languages in the class. But some of the students were further ahead in English learning than others. So, she would teach a concept, have the more experienced English speakers translate terms for the less experienced English speakers. She was beginning to pick up words in several of the other languages, too. I spent a day in her classroom a few years ago. It was an amazing experience. Yes, some teachers are phenomenal people, that go the extra mile. I love this story. It is another very special teacher finding a way to build bridges.
Nancy, your sister-in-law’s classroom adds another dimension to Teri’s story. Once she made room for students to use one another’s language strengths, access became something the whole classroom could help create, with more experienced English speakers supporting newer learners while she learned from them too. Teri shows Lorraine building safety through the choices available to one teacher; your example shows how those choices can invite students themselves into the work of building bridges. I appreciate you bringing such a concrete picture of that kind of classroom community into the conversation.
The other aspect of my SIL classroom was that some of the kids (all high schoolers) had very basic Math skills and some were very advanced. They created another dynamic. But all the students received positive reinforcements throughout the 50 minute sessions.
Nancy, that makes the classroom even more remarkable. The students were bringing very different levels of strength across language and math, while the steady positive reinforcement gave each of them evidence that growth and contribution were still available to them. That kind of classroom can hold differences in proficiency without letting those differences determine who gets to feel capable or included. Teri’s story and your sister-in-law’s classroom both show how much a teacher can shape the conditions under which students participate and learn from one another.
It was truly a remarkable day for me.
Teri, Lorraine’s choice makes safety operational, visible in specific decisions. She has no authority over what her students may encounter beyond the classroom, yet she can decide whether language becomes another barrier inside it, whether a mistake gets repaired, and whether students receive evidence that an adult is paying attention to what fear is doing to their ability to learn. That turns care into a set of practices through which belonging becomes credible. I’m grateful for the way you let one teacher’s response show how much can still be stewarded within the room she can shape.
This is why I love teachers.
me too!
This moved me deeply. Thank you.