Teacher Discussion Forums

PLEASE HELP!!!

I just wanted to see if anyone had a word of advice for me. I am a brand new ELL teacher in the US. I have been hired by a district that has, for the last 5 years, only had Spanish speaking tutors. These tutors are highly qualified and have done a great job. For some reason the district wanted to hire an ELL certified teacher to teach "English", not only assist the students with their classwork.

The problem is that my job is basically fluff right now. There has been so much confusion about what my job is to be. The district first wanted me to teach a newcomer class of k-4th grade for several hours each day. I tried this for several weeks but finally went to my supervisor and asked to have my schedule changed. The new schedule started today. I am teaching a set language program which is scripted. I am using the same curriculum for the kindergarteners as well as the 4th graders. (by the district's request). I guess I find myself jealous of the tutors. They are able to stay at the same school, teaching whatever they feel will be beneficial to the students. Not only helping them with classwork. Basically, they are doing what I was trained to do.

I have waited to spend my school money, because I have been wanting to see what would be the most beneficial in my class. Now, I have no idea what to spend it on, because I don't feel I have any freedom to use my skills as a teacher.

In addition, when I travel to the junior high, my "class" is very often skipped because the kids have a test they must stay with the tutor to take. My class is totally optional. The tutor convinced the administration that I needed to be helping the kids with their classwork, because they would pick up all of the conversational English that I was teaching, in their everyday lives. I feel like the tutor has portrayed to the kids and everyone that my class is not as important.

I now this is a book, but I am so frustrated right now. has anyone been in my situation? I really am beginning to question my decision to take this job. I love the kids and teaching English,but I am not able to do what I went to school to do.

Any words of advice would be greatly appreciated!

I am a tutor who is studying to be an ESL teacher, and I agree with the tutors. The younger children will pick up English from their peers at recess- as long as they are able to be with the native speakers and are encouraged to interact with them. But for the older kids, maybe the ESL English class should be their regular language class until they reach a certain level of fluency. I have a sixth grader who needs seperate language class because he doesn't know English and the teacher doesn't want to even try to teach him in hers. (He even struggles with reading in his L1) The first grader who didn't know English that I had last year was able to catch on fairly quickly in a regular class.

Hi...I don't think I was clear in my post. Part of my frustration comes from knowing that much more goes on in the ELL classroom than merely conversational English. I don't know why one would go to school and become trained as an ESL/ELL teacher if it were only about what the children could pick up on the playground. I know that that will come naturally. My issue is that I feel I am having to prove what ELL is.

I was hired as an ELL teacher, but am not being allowed to be that. What do you think the difference in an ELL teacher and a tutor is? Do you think kids should be taken out of my class for the day to complete a test, or do homework with their tutor?

Please don't get me wrong, I totally respect the tutors. It is just that I don't know what my role is when I was hired to teach children to read, speak and write English. I am just frustrated. I know it will all work out, and should be about what is best for the kids. In my ELL classroom I would teach content, but not in the context of translating everything to the children. I would take advantage of all the great resources out there to introduce them to, and help them grow in their knowledge of English.

Thanks for your input. It really helps me think all of this through.

I would hold a meeting with all the English teachers and tutors as well as the department head to clarify your role in the school. Everyone has to be on the same page.
Failing that, you may want to sound the dept. head of the English dept. and ask her/him for advice but be firm in your stance that you need more support for your ELL class.
It seems that the students are not the problem here---it's the coworkers.
It may also be that tutors are afraid of losing their jobs and don't want to give up their time so you can fill in.
I'm just making wild guesses here as I don't teach in an elementary school but am familiar with the political ramifications of introducing anything new and which upsets the neat schedule others have already established.

Thanks, Ann. I think part of the problem has been that there has been confusion over what a tutor does and what an ELL teacher does (from the administration down).

The tutors are excellent. They just don't happen to be certified in ELL. A lot of the time instead of just working on the classwork, they see the needs of the students, and work with them beyond translating, etc.

I think a lot of the problem has come from a lack of communication, like you said. It is getting better, slowly but surely. I have communicated more (with administration) and feel much better about everything.

When I was so discouraged. one of my harder-working students who I would have expected to learn on his own, began asking me questions about the names of the parts of his face. Here I was thinking "What am I doing here?" the whole time the tutors were telling me to just work classwork, and then I was shown how much the kids really do need an ELL class.

I think anything new is hard for everyone. Thanks for your words of advice.

I assume that you are in a public school. Under No Child Left Behind, you are the one in charge of ELL's. If not, then you're the victim of politics as we all are at one time or another. Check with your ESL supervisor and or get a copy of the state ESL standards. Thie standards will give the exact info on what you are required to teach. If you are not being allowed to teach these standards as a qualified ESL teacher, then the school may be in violation of state and federal guidelines and could conceivably be penalized.
I teach by the standards and also I teach what I think the students need.
As a licensed and endorsed ESL teacher I wouldn't allow anyone but a principal or supervisor to dictate policy. Especially not someone without a teacher's license.
But we all have to get along. So be nice. Say yes. Then lock your door and teach what you want.

One of the main differences in tutors and teachers is the amount of required testing we are able to do. There are some things that an ESL teacher is required to do that an unlicensed assistant can't do. At least here in WI I can't do some of this. When I say tht a younger student maybe doesn't need an official language class, I mean that the vocabulary isn't as advanced, so someone with enough support could learn enough in the regular class, but older students can't pick everything up that quickly. For example, science- first grade learns how plants grow from a seed, and the basic parts, roots, stem, leaves, flower. A sixth grader learning about plants in his class would be talking about chlorophyll, different kinds of cells, mitosis and miosis, etc. No one points out miosis at recess, but you would see fall leaves.

Cgage, you are so right. I think we all are learnng this year.

Senorita Daniels, thanks for your comments. You make a lot of great points.

I am pretty ok right now with my place in the system, and what changes I can possibly make for next year. I am doing the best I can right now to a little bit of both (teaching basics and expounding when it is appropriate). Thanks for your thoughts.