What I Offer

I love to use my personal experiences to inspire others to learn. As someone who grew up in a different country, studied various cultures and languages, had to experience the effect of cultural adaptation, and get accustomed to living in a new country, I would have many relevant points to bring to the table. Since I have received my bachelor's degree in Linguistics, I will have an excellent foundation for an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher in any school district.

As a career switcher, I have had an opportunity to dive deeper into educational and behavioral theories of education. I have a background experience that allows me to associate them with other work environments that I had previously lived through. It is essential to understand the reasons behind curriculum choice and instructional variety (Bergin & Bergin, 2018, p. 194). Based on all of those factors and knowledge of second language acquisition, I believe that education's social constructivist theory fits nicely into the ESL teaching foundation (Webb & Metha, 2016, pp. 372-374). In this field, there are many aspects of the language that need to be considered. These include basic language skills, academic language acquisition, students' preexisting knowledge, cross-cultural awareness, and more (Ferlazzo, 2018).

Many limited English proficiency students are born in the United States; however, their parents do not speak English well at home or at all (Goldberg, 2008, p. 10). Those students typically have better than average ESL student speaking skills; however, they lack literacy. On the other hand, there is part of the ESL population who immigrated to the USA from another country and have no previous living experience. As an ESL teacher, I set a foundation for each student's experiences to work to their advantage while building their background knowledge to help them better understand cultural norms. Scaffolding onto students' prior knowledge allows teachers to use what they already know as a stepping stone to support new information retention and better understanding (Alber, 2014).

ESL instruction approach varies widely and is very diverse, just like the students in the classroom. Being able to adjust quickly and switch between activities are just some of the skills that successful ESL teachers need to possess (Evertson & Emmer, 2016, pp. 144-148). It is crucial to remember that there are many aspects of the language that an individual needs. As an ESL teacher, I use different activities to activate students' interests and enhance their skills. My lesson plans include oral language activities, grammar, and mechanics practice, listening comprehension, as well as visual support. My feedback is also be varied based on students' needs at that time (Evertson & Emmer, 2016, pp. 83-87).

Each successful teacher knows how undeniable classroom management is to supporting success-driven students. The environment that we work in makes a significant impact on almost everything that we do (Wong & Wong, 2018, pp. 80-222). Starting the school year with proper classroom rules, procedures, material, and organization is a solid foundation for any instructional results for the rest of the year (Wong et al., 2018, pp. 2-15). However, an experienced teacher knows that there are times to change the rules or adjust the physical environment to continue improving learning environments. ESL teachers frequently have small classrooms and have to use other teacher's classrooms to provide push-in instruction. Therefore, having all instructional materials handy and prepared ahead of time will be another aspect that I would need to be mindful of (Evertson & Emmer, 2016, pp. 38-43).

As a new teacher, it is imperative to build meaningful relationships with my new colleagues, parents, and students. Building a community is especially important to ESL teachers as they frequently have to partner with other teachers, administrators, and parents to support the pupil's needs. ESL teachers often act as students' interested parties and use their voices to speak up for their needs (Hopkins Lloyd et al., 2016, p. 296). Many foreign-born parents are not accustomed or well-versed in the American school system enough to advocate for their children. That is why it is so essential to have a trusting rapport built with them.

As a new teacher, I would like my students to feel comfortable expressing their creativity. There are many ways where creativity can be expressed while learning English. This may include creative writing, hands-on activities, group projects, language arts, and more. I would love to incorporate everyone's talents in their learning. Often, we focus on subjects and things that children struggle with instead of aspiring them to develop their authentic strengths further. I would love to help my students discover and keep their gifts throughout childhood and into adolescence so that they can become who they are truly meant to be (Trombone Player Wanted Part 1, 2018, 03:15–05:21).

Everyone needs some redirection at times. As a teacher, I feel that it is crucial to support your students in navigating this world. When it comes to rewards and punishments, I find that everyone's inner motivation is the strongest when we see our work results and feel that we make a difference. Helping pupils find their calling and having meaningful interactions will help avoid the need for harsh consequences or punishments. Instead, I like to instill a feeling of responsibility and pride in work by learning how to work with others as a form of consequence (Curwin, 2013, p. 37-39). 

In conclusion, my teaching philosophy is based on a belief in equality, strength, discovery, and creativity. Children in my classroom feel that they can express their opinion and feelings without fear of being judged. I strive to inspire them to show their uniqueness and talents, taking pride in their achievements and diversity. I hope that fostering their linguistic awareness will help them navigate successfully in the world and society. 

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References

Alber, R. (2014b, January 24). 6 scaffolding strategies to use with your students. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/scaffolding-lessons-six-strategies-rebecca-alber

Bergin, C. C., & Bergin, D. A. (2018). Child and adolescent development in your classroom (3rd ed.). Cengage Learning.

Curwin, R. L. (2013). Affirmative classroom management: how do I develop effective rules and consequences in my school? (ASCD Arias). ASCD.

Evertson, C., & Emmer, E. (2016). Classroom management for Elementary Teachers with MyLab Education with Enhanced Pearson eText, Loose-Leaf Version -- Access Card Package (Myeducationlab) (10th ed.). Pearson.

Ferlazzo, L. (2018, March 29). Activating prior knowledge with English Language Learners. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/activating-prior-knowledge-english-language-learners

Goldberg, C. (2008). Teaching English Language Learners. American Educator, Summer(2008), 8–44. https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/periodicals/goldenberg.pdf

Hopkins Lloyd, M., Kolodziej, N. J., & Brashears, K. M. (2016). Classroom discourse: an essential component in building a classroom community. SCHOOL COMMUNITY JOURNAL, 26(2), 291–304. http://www.adi.org/journal/2016fw/LloydEtAlFall2016.pdf

Trombone Player Wanted Part 1. (2018, May 3). [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aesrHT24FM&t=333s

Webb, L., & Metha, A. (2016). Foundations of American education, Enhanced Pearson eText with Loose-Leaf Version -- Access Card Package (What's New in Foundations / Intro to Teaching) (8th ed.). Pearson.

Wong, H. K. (2018). First days of school: how to be an effective teacher (2nd ed.). Harry K Wong Publications.

Wong, H. K., Wong, R. T., Jondahl, S. F., Ferguson, O. F., & N. (2018). THE classroom management book (2nd ed.). Harry K. Wong Publications.