My Pod

I'm excited to be getting an ESL "pod" next year. That means they'll put most, if not all of the 5th grade ESL kids in my room to facilitate inclusion rather than ESL pull-out. I've got the background for it. Having taught at a mostly Hispanic school I was certified in TESOL and have been trained in GLAD and SIOP (why is everything an acronym?).

It was funny coming out to the School by the Golf Course with all this training. When you teach a whole class of second language learners, everything just requires so much energy. Energy and a tremendous amount of thought put into everything throughout the whole day to just make the content comprehensible. Out here, the kids seem to just soak it all in.

I love to teach second language learners, though. I love seeing how far they come in a year. I love when they finally "get" something that they couldn't do before. And their parents are so darned grateful for what we do. When I came out to this school, I was hoping for some ESL kids and I ended up with one. Then she moved. I'll be glad to have my pod next year. The funny thing is, I won't change the way I teach, much. I've still used GLAD this year and have found that it is just a good way to teach social studies and science in any setting. (Insert witty, last line of post--I can't ever think of a good way to end--and it's 10:00. If I don't go to bed I'll be a grumpy GLAD teacher tomorrow!)