Teacher Discussion Forums

[cmq98]

I just finished reading a case study in Negotiating Language Policies in Schools about an ESL teacher in Washington State who claimed the general education teachers questioned her worthiness in the classroom. I can definitely empathize with this woman as someone who travels from class to class as an ESL teacher and am questioned as to why I cannot spend more time with certain kids and so on. None of the other teachers understand what an ESL teacher's job entails or just how limited their time is to try to fit every kid into their schedule. I truly believe the other teachers think that we just sit around and do nothing all day because they do not see us very often due to our busy schedules.

[Sally Olsen]

That will change as the kids improve and they see your worth. Try to do some publicity for the position at breaks and lunch and take a teacher to coffee after school and explain what you do. It might be envy as well though as you have one or two students at a time or a small group and no responsibility for the day to day classroom. Those classroom teachers are supposed to be everything to everyone and feel that pressure, so be sympathetic. You are just one more person that potentially will criticize them because they are not doing something for the ELL students. Be really supportive for anything they do and NEVER talk about what they do wrong to other teachers. It will get back to them and your student will suffer.