My students make me proud!

Wow, my Beginning and Prelit classes have made me so proud lately!

In Beginning ESL we've been reading an ESL version of Romeo and Juliet. They've been SO into it - I love seeing them excited about reading. Last week when they were reading the final story my classroom was SILENT for 35 minutes. ...This just doesn't happen. I was amazed. Now we're working on characterization. Today I gave them a whole page of quotes from the story to sort by character, and they also had to write next to it why the person was prompted to say it. They amazed me with their ability to make connections. Since they've worked so hard lately, I'm letting them watch Romeo and Juliet the 60's version on Wednesday. I was really surprised when they voted for the older version and not the 90's one with Leonardo Dicaprio. They said, 'Romeo and Juliet is a classic and you can't change a classic.' WOW. If this wouldn't make an English teacher happy, I don't know what would.

My prelit students have also amused and amazed me so much lately. A few weeks ago we read a book about dinosaurs, and 2 weeks ago we read about weather and I taught them how to use weather.com to find the weather in their native countries. So I was a little confused last Thursday when a few kids came in and said, "Dinosaur weather!" They asked if they could use the classroom computer, and then guided themselves to weather.com, typed in weather, and proceeded to show me "Dinosaur Weather" for Dinosaur, Colorado. What smart kids! They wanted to see what weather dinosaurs had. They did understand that it wasn't actually weather for dinosaurs in the past...but they thought it was pretty hilarious as did I. You can see if for yourself here: Dinosaur Weather. :)

What do you learn in an American school?

One thing I've been amazed by the past two years is the number of things I've had to 'teach' that I never expected. It has made me realize that there's a lot of things you just learn without realizing it and since it's the first time in school for most of my kids...they've had no need for this stuff before. Here are the most amusing / strange things I remember.

• When the bell rings at the end of a class it means you leave
• It also means that you should walk to your next class and that you're expected to be there in a certain amount of time
  
• You don't go home for lunch in the middle of the day
  
• How to use a pencil sharpener (both manual and mechanic)
• How to click mechanical pencils to get more lead
• Mechanical pencils are actually refillable too!
• The end of the pencil has an eraser
  
• But no matter how hard you try, you can't erase regular pen ink
• And also, not all markers are dry-erase either...
• Oh, and dry erase markers only erase on dry-erase boards
  
• How to use three-ring binders and three prong folders
• How to use a stapler and hole-punch
  
• How to open and use a lock (wow new immigrant students really struggle with this at first!)
• How to hold and use scissors
  
• How to open the glue bottle
• Oops, I should have also taught how to use only a little glue
• How to CLOSE the glue bottle
• Appropriate classroom behaviors-asking permission, raising your hand, not talking over the teacher...
  
• And finally, thank you for your enthusiasm but there is no need to stand on your desk to introduce yourself. I understand that you just want everyone to be able to see you, but we can see you just fine from the ground
  

Full Sentences!

It might seem odd to be so excited about someone speaking in full sentences since I'm not a mother...but my students are my Kiddos and I'm incredibly excited that almost all of my preliterate students are speaking in full sentences in English. This is tremendous. They've only been in America for 3-6 months and most have never been to school before.
It took until May last year to see this type of progress with some of my students.
I'm not talking about the memorized phrases that students learn just by assimilating into American culture, such as, "Miss, may I go to the restroom?"
I'm talking about students conveying their thoughts and feelings! They are fully into the beginning stages of not just learning language, but manipulating language to serve a purpose!
Monday was such a fun afternoon. I was teaching the students about daily routines and asking them what time they eat dinner, go to bed, etc. And the students were able to joke and tease each other. In ENGLISH!
And the first notable sentence from my kiddo that is struggling the most came in this conversation:
Me: "Time for lunch. Good-bye! Have a good lunch!"
Student: "No Ms. No good lunch in the cafeteria!" With giggling.

I wish you could meet my students personally. I know it doesn't seem like much - but the little girl that said that has seemed like one of the saddest little girls I've ever met. She didn't like school. She'd never had an opportunity for school as a refugee. She had no confidence. And now she is learning to read, write and speak in English!

Praise God for the growth I see in my students. It's not by my strength or wisdom but HIS. Sometimes, it seems like the days only grow more and more tedious. But I'm confident that He has given me the wisdom I need to teach these kids. So the early Christmas gift I'm grateful for this year is....Full Sentences.