Voices_v46n2

FEATURES

From The Editor

A Countdown to Conference and So Much More

By Roselyn Rauch

First and foremost, we welcome back our president, JoAnne Negrin, who has been recuperating from a very unfortunate freak accident: a run-in with a bee while bike-riding. JoAnne, we are thrilled to have your article and to know that you are gearing up for the Spring Conference.

Caia Schlessinger, our Vice President and Conference Chair, gives us a Conference Overview and a synopsis of our keynote speakers. There are presentations by:

Speaking of the conference and whetting your appetite for what else to anticipate, Maggie Churchill describes her May 31 presentation, Making Common the Language of Science. This workshop “will showcase units, lessons, materials, and activities utilizing the [WIDA] Can Do Key Uses for middle school ESL language arts.“ NJTESOL/NJBE president JoAnne Negrin, Marcella Garavaglia, Michelle Land, Larry Bello, Sandy Nahmias, and Howard Pomann give you a heads-up on the Hot Topics for their conference presentations. Marilyn Pongracz, our Technology whiz and Hotlist Webmaster, lists the Technology Highlights for you. Also, a special Advocacy Workshop will be held on Wednesday, May 31; Elizabeth (BJ) Franks provides the details.

And while focusing on the Spring Conference, YOU MUST read Spring Conference and Important Details by Gwen Franks. This piece is chock-a-block full with everything that you need to know to have a smooth experience in New Brunswick right after Memorial Day weekend.      

The question: What can teacher- educators do to help alleviate the shortage of bilingual/bicultural teachers in New Jersey? An answer: …Pursue external grant funding. Bryan Meadows, Teachers’ Ed. SIG Rep., in an interview with Dr. Yiqiang Wu, Program Director of the Success for English Language Learners Project, advises how to apply for financial resources.

Voices has a guest contributor for Technology, Leah Carmona from Bergen Community College. She reviews Flipboard, an application that works with phones; her review comes out of her own experience using this practical app.

If you are a regular reader of Voices, and we do hope that you are, you know that we always strongly recommend that you read all articles since we are all intertwined in our professional efforts. The one piece that stands out in the issue that should appeal to all is Sonya Bertini’s article, Changing Behaviors and Managing a Classroom through Mindfulness. The title is so intriguing and sounds so promising; how could you resist reading it?

Barbara Tedesco, a NJTESOL/NJBE past president and our current historian, interviewed Nadia Ramcharan, Trenton’s Governor’s Teacher of the Year Award Winner. Read her story and see how much resonates with you.

So there you have it: a peek at the conference; there’s still time to register. Remember, no walk-ins.

And much more: so much information to share and relationships to develop. Remember, we are here for each other no matter where you are. (Look for the new advertisement within our “pages”.) No one is alone in this challenging academic atmosphere. Just reach out.

Enjoy the issue.

Looking forward,
Roselyn

Roselyn Rauch, Ed. D, is the editor of Voices and a retired ESL/ESL Resource teacher from the Paterson Public School System. She is a consultant with ESL Unlimited and may be reached at rrauch@njtesol.org.

Educators Ad

Sandee McBride

President's Message

By JoAnne Negrin

I'm Back!

This is my first time writing for VOICES this year. For those who aren’t aware, I was in an unfortunate accident involving a bicycle and a bee back in September, which resulted in a broken arm and a severe concussion. The accident left me unable to comprehend text or even many spoken sentences, and affected my ability to walk and do simple tasks. I recently finished with six months of physical and occupational therapy, and the cognitive work continues. I am only now beginning to regain control of some aspects of my life, including my role as President of NJTESOL/NJBE. I need to express my deep gratitude to our Executive Board, especially to Sandee McBride, who wanted nothing more than to provide occasional guidance and focus on her graduate studies. I also need to thank Caia Schlessinger, who has had to learn her roles as the new VP and Conference Chair, two responsibilities with a very steep learning curve, without the help of her immediate predecessor.

I also need to send a huge thank you to the departments I work for in Vineland (as I always say, I work for them, not vice-versa.) They have handled this challenge like champions. Since I’ve been there, we’ve trained on code, curriculum, sheltered instruction, data analysis, pedagogy - you name it, we’ve done it at some point, or have it in the plans. We have also been able to bring many building administrators in for trainings. In essence, my goal has been to share knowledge with anyone who would listen. People often think being the sole source of specialized knowledge makes them somehow stronger or more valuable. I think that giving away your knowledge is what makes you valuable.

Professional development has been our priority, but I often worried about whether it was “sticking”. Although I would not have wished for us to be tested in this way, I am so impressed and humbled by how very good our professionals are and how well they have handled situations that have arisen in my absence. My favorite moment came when an administrator told me, “Your teachers are crazy!” Nothing could have made me happier! I answered that yes, they are very knowledgeable and passionate about their students, and they protect them fiercely. It was a proud moment.

Another proud moment came when I learned - via two e-mails about an hour apart - that two of our teachers were receiving some high honors in their fields. I often incorporate my ESL, bilingual, and World Languages teachers into an entity I refer to as Vineland L2, because they all really work on different facets of the goals of biliteracy and inter-culturality. We have social events as a group several times per year, allowing group members who otherwise might never get to know each other to do so in a relaxed environment. These get-togethers, aside from being enjoyable, have gone a long way to foster collaborations that may not have happened otherwise. When I learned that one of our elementary Spanish teachers, Caleb Howard, had been selected as NECTFL (the regional foreign languages organization) Teacher of the Year, and is now in the running for ACTFL (i.e., TESOL but for World Languages) Teacher of the Year, I was overjoyed. That joy was compounded about an hour later when I got another e-mail letting me know that a Vineland ESL teacher, Karolina Mills, had been selected as an upcoming WIDA Featured Educator. These two are curriculum experts who share incredible passion for students and commitment to service. Their classrooms are safe spaces for students to not only explore language, but to explore the content areas through language. They are expert guides as students navigate the learning of a new language and culture. I think we will need to have a very big Vineland L2 celebration when I get back.

I am so pleased that the programs represented by these two fine educators are thriving. We also have a K-5 bilingual program that is a Model Program, and a 6-12 program that is in many ways a model as well. None of this would be possible without the hard work and unending dedication of some of the best education professionals New Jersey has to offer.

One of the reasons our programs, and in particular our model bilingual programs, are so successful is because we thoughtfully apply research-based practice. At the Spring Conference, I will be presenting on the use of a student’s first language to improve outcomes in English. During this workshop, we will examine some of the myths surrounding the use of students’ first language in the classroom, and we will examine data from two different programs: the Vineland bilingual program and a pilot program from another diverse, high-achieving school district in which there is no predominant first language for ELLs. In examining these very different settings and programs, we will find ways to incorporate the first language into our classroom academics and culture that inspire achievement and celebrate children and families. I hope that you will join me. I truly look forward to being back with you.

JoAnne Negrin, Ed.D, President, NJTESOL/NJBE
Supervisor of ESL, Bilingual Education, World Languages, Performing Arts, ESSA
Vineland Public Schools


Conference

Spring Conference Registration and Important Details

By Gwen Franks

Haven't registered for the 2017 Spring Conference yet? ACT NOW!

If you haven't registered yet there is still time (until capacity is reached).  You can choose from one of the following three ways:

1. Register online only if paying with PayPal or credit card;
2. Print out the Registration Form and mail in with a check (must be RECEIVED BY May 5th, this date is FIRM);
3. Print out the form and send in with an approved and signed Purchase Order;  (the Purchase Order and Registration Form must be sent together and RECEIVED BY May 5th, this date is FIRM). Requisitions or just a PO number are not accepted. 

Do not send a Registration Form without the actual PO; it will not be processed.  Please follow up with your district to make sure the PO and Registration are processed and mailed on time. Do not assume that is all taken care of as we do not take walk-ins at the conference.

We DO NOT accept emailed or faxed registrations, so act quickly. 

Must be mailed to:
NJTESOL/NJBE, Inc.
230 Ashland Ave
Cherry Hill, NJ 08003

Registration Forms can be found on our web site: www.NJTESOL-NJBE.org and by clicking on the 2017 Spring Conference Registration and Information link. When filling out the Registration Form, please use your personal email address; many schools are using blockers that will not allow your confirmation to go through. Once you receive your confirmation: Please read the confirmation in full to make sure that your registration is correct. Check the date(s) you are registered for carefully, that your name & affiliation are correct! If there is a problem, please email Gwen Franks at gfranks@njtesol-njbe.org so that we can straighten it out.

Haven't received your confirmation for your conference registration yet?

THEN FIND OUT WHY!

  • Email confirmations are sent out to all those who are registered and supply a valid email address.  If you paid and registered by check or PayPal/credit card account and have not received your confirmation please contact me right away.
  • If you turned in your registration to your school since they are paying with a purchase order (PO,) please check with your school’s business office FIRST to see if it has been processed and mailed. Please do not assume that since you turned it in to your school that it has been sent out.  Do not send registration forms without the purchase order or vice versa.
  • Do not wait until the week before the conference to follow up as it will be too late to register. Last year we had to regretfully turn people away since we had reached our maximum capacity.  If your school said that the PO and registration have been sent out, then contact me so we can double check on your registration.  Please check with your school first.

Other Important Conference Information:

READ BELOW!


Gwen Franks is the business administrator and a conference planner for NJTESOL/NJBE. She may be reached at gfranks@njtesol-njbe.org .

 

Vice President

Spring Conference 2017 Schedule

By Caia Schlessinger

Planning for the 2017 NJTESOL/NJBE Spring Conference is well underway. On a Saturday in early December, the extremely dedicated members of the volunteer Executive Board gathered to review the proposals for the Spring Conference. Our volunteer Board members reviewed proposals that are in their area of expertise, and then began to build a schedule for our three day Spring Conference.

Last year, under the guidance of JoAnne Negrin, the NJTESOL/NJBE Spring Conference expanded from two days to three days. We will continue the same format this year with different interests represented on different days. Wednesday, May 31, and Thursday, June 1, are dedicated to the PK-8 teachers.  Friday, June 2, focuses on high school, higher education, adult education, teacher education, and PK-12 program administration. There will be workshops that will appeal to a general audience on all three days, and vendors will be available each day as well.

We will continue the schedule of 75-minute presentations with 15 minutes of passing time in-between. In addition to the regular presenter sessions, we look forward to keynote speakers each day who will address the specific interests of the targeted groups. The Department of Education will be there each day and we will also have featured advocacy sessions and invited featured speakers all three days. We plan to have a preliminary conference schedule available to you with plenty of time for you to make planning decisions.

I hope to see you at what promises to be our biggest and best Spring Conference ever.

Caia Schlessinger, Vice President/Conference Chair, NJTESOL/NJBE

Vice President's Message

Conference Overview and Keynote Speakers

By Caia Schlessinger

It’s March 14th and I’m sitting at home with my family hopefully watching the last snow storm of the winter. It’s hard to believe that before we know it, the NJTESOL/NJBE Spring Conference will be here.

We are continuing with the three-day format. We will have workshops geared for preschool through middle school on Wednesday; more elementary and middle school workshops on Thursday; and high school, K-12 administration, higher education, teacher education, and adult education on Friday. Of course, each day we have workshops that are of general interest, workshops from the Department of Education, and advocacy workshops.

As always, breakfast service and registration begin bright and early. Come early to get a good parking space, relax over breakfast, and peruse the many vendor booths. Our keynote presentations begin promptly at 8:30 am. Our workshops run until 3:45 pm, followed by a raffle at 4:00 pm in the exhibitor area. You must be present to win. You will also have the option of relaxing with a yoga class at the end of the day on Wednesday and Thursday, so wear comfy clothes if you plan to take advantage.

On Thursday evening, the President's Reception at 6:00 pm will recognize our student scholarship winners and our award recipients. Please note that there is an additional charge for the reception and the proceeds go to providing scholarships for deserving ELLs in New Jersey.

I am excited to share with you information for our Keynote Speakers for each day of the conference:

Keynotes:

Presentations by Dr. Adria Klein on Wednesday, May 31st, 2017.
Keynote: Powerful Small Group Practices:  Scaffolding All Students to Read Complex Texts

How can teachers scaffold all readers to understand grade level texts?  We will look at the range of practices in guided and small group reading in elementary schools, and then consider practical ways to support students to meet grade level expectations using a stretch text.

Breakout Session: A Deeper Look at Running Records with English Learners to Support both Language and Literacy Learning

We will share an overview of the foundational importance of oral language, identify teaching that fosters oral language and literacy development, and discuss the reciprocity between oral language and literacy learning.  The focus will be on English learners including analyzing running records to deepen understanding of language structure.

Presentations by Mark Chapman on Thursday, June 1st, 2017
Keynote: ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 Overview

This presentation will provide an overview of ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 to educators who are new to the test. The test purpose, design, training, administration, and scoring will all be discussed, along with many opportunities to ask questions.

Breakout Session: Introducing the WIDA Screener

This presentation will provide an overview of the new WIDA Screener, the assessment that replaces W-APT. The presentation will address the appropriate uses of the test, how to prepare for, administer, and score the WIDA Screener.

Presentation by Dr. Mary Curran on Friday, June 2nd, 2017
Keynote: Teaching for Global Competence

It is more important than ever to prepare all students in the United States for global competence.  We and our English language learners can take a leadership role in this process!  In this session, we will define global competence, share examples of best practices for teaching for global competence, and consider professional development activities that help teachers increase their global competence. 

You can find information on registration, the reception, and a preliminary conference schedule on the NJTESOL/NJBE website: http://www.njtesol-njbe.org/spring-conference/default.htm .

Caia Schlessinger, Vice President/Conference Chair, NJTESOL/NJBE
ESL Teacher, Highland Park School District

 

Liaison

How Do We Teach Them?

By Tina Kern

They come into our classes with varying levels of education, experiences, and abilities.  Though this mirrors a regular classroom, it is a far more difficult challenge when your students are English Language Learners. No matter what the ages of your ELLs are, there is nothing more intricate, or rewarding, than that of teaching our students as they try to master English. The ELL teacher is constantly evaluating and reevaluating the progress and needs of the students.  How do we daily present pertinent and meaningful lessons? How do we teach them?
           
The challenge that seems unique to our profession is the constant change in the population, not just historically, but month to month.  For example, my classroom started with about 6 students, though we knew the student roster would grow as soon as school started.  And it did. First the original roster expanded to 12 and soon to 15.  Then as the global political atmosphere became more charged, I found myself with 26 students in 2 classes.  The school opened a new section and a short time passed before it, too, was filled to capacity, as we scrambled for more desks and chairs. 
           
What does an ESL teacher do when her classroom becomes not only filled with ELLs from different countries and situations, but also becomes a revolving door with students entering and exiting constantly as the school year progresses?  As soon as the teacher becomes comfortable with the progress and pace of the students in the classroom, a group of new students are enrolled, and enter with little or no knowledge of English.  Again, your pace sputters and the progress falters as the teacher tries to juggle the new students’ acclimation with the other students’ forward advancement. How frustrating to review your lessons and realize you have to readjust again to include a great curriculum inclusive for high achieving beginners along with reluctant learners, newcomers, and all of the rest in-between. What does a teacher do to meet the demands of these students?
           
After so many years in the field of ESL and bilingual education at all levels from elementary to college, I realize that there is no solution that will meet every situation.  I learned to remain open to suggestions, seek information, keep current on all technology, websites, innovations, etc.  Just because I have experience, doesn’t mean that I am a magician.  It doesn’t mean that I can even reuse lesson plans.  I am consistently revising and editing for the group of students I currently teach.  Each situation demands a different approach.  Being experienced means I have background with which to search for a solution. I have suggestions and troves of information but am constantly still looking for new and better approaches and material.
           
At this point in my career, I am at a high school with many, many students with diverse experiences and backgrounds.   I have discovered that before we can reach these students, we have to connect with them, have patience with them, teach them how to “do school,” how to adjust and readjust.  I remember that they have adult problems and experiences in a teenage body.  Then I use the techniques and experience I’ve acquired to create lessons that will “hook” them and meet their needs.  We all have our tricks of the trade.  I hope to share some of mine at our conference, especially methods to help us find time to individualize.  We seem to always have a “new beginner” and have to teach them to the best of our abilities, too.  I want to share how blended learning and Playlists have allowed me to “pluck” a lesson among other lessons to carve a little time for the new student, or the advanced beginner and to give them “their” time.  I want to share with you what has reduced the clamor of our impatient students as they work through their lessons and wait for their turns.  I am looking forward to dialoguing with you about your successes and how we can integrate what we learn so that our lessons grow and pulse with excitement.
           
As we teach, we collect a repertoire of lessons, often organized in themes or goals.  Honestly though, I have never taught the same year twice.  Regardless of the name of my course, the students are so diverse that I rarely can utilize the same lesson in the same way.  Of course, after years in the field, we have the background and the groundwork to create lessons that will energize our classes, but it is a constant search for information and time to do it all.  We gather sources and websites, we look at texts and lessons, but as our population changes, we are still adjusting and refining.   We have so many websites, ideas, etc., but how can we organize and utilize them in the amount of time that we have?  Is there another way?
           
I have found that having an online place to collect and organize lessons, material and practice has become invaluable.  My school uses Canvas, but there are many platforms, such as Google Classroom, to maintain and integrate the same system.  In addition, creating Playlists that are on these platforms can be presented to students individually without sitting right next to each student or hovering behind them for support. I can pull a group of lessons, or a Playlist, and specifically choose it for a student or group of students that need an extra review or even an introduction to new material. Having a group of lessons at my disposal for those times when a new student needs some support at the same time I have a group of impatient teenagers clamoring for me makes sense and lends some sanity to a day when my students want it NOW. My students have had to be carefully taught how to wait for their turn, but when they in need of support, they may revert to those words, “Miss, I need you.  I don’t understand.”  I even provided question marks laminated on paper to assure them that they are in the queue. But even a well-tuned classroom has those times when it seems one teacher is never enough.

When my school started providing staff development for blended learning, my eyes opened wide as I realized how apropos this would be for the constant influx of new students.  It was an epiphany; it was an alternative to the frustration of teaching various levels of ELLs enrolled at various times of the year in our classrooms. How I needed something to be able to multiply my effectiveness in the classroom; to be able to give me some time to reach individuals. Being taught how to blend various types of lessons in various ways and being able to save those lessons in an individualized plan was elucidating.  It required front-loading work that a teacher does, but in return, the teacher is “freed” to individualize.  Using this technique helped make my teaching even more effective. I am always searching for the method that helps me to make the most of the time I have. I want to share these techniques with you.
           
I teach high school students, the majority of whom have experienced trauma and interrupted education.  The techniques I have learned, though, can be used for any student at any age.  It does not require every student to have a Chromebook or a tablet.  Blended learning encompasses both regular classroom instruction with the integration of technology.  Playlists gather various types of instruction into an organized group of lessons that proceed at the pace of the student.  Intrigued? I hope so!
           
How about innovations?  I also want to share that, too, with you at our conference.  Visit our exhibitors, as I will, too!  Look at the newest ideas and think about how to adapt them to your students so that your classrooms reflect the energy and time you put into your classroom planning.

I hope to meet many of you during our NJTESOL/NJBE Spring Conference.  I also will be offering a workshop on planning and creating Playlists on the third day of our conference, Friday. This technique really allowed me to offer more individualization in a large classroom. It created a solution to the new student who just arrived and the time restraint afforded you with a group of ELLs on various levels. You can take what you already have (books, written lessons, technology, websites) and integrate the old and the new.  I think it, too, can, be part of a solution to our constantly changing classrooms – or any classroom! It can help you, too! 

At our conference get ready to learn many techniques and methods, and to share information and peruse material and technology.  The Executive Board of NJTESOL/NJBE, again, is bringing you valuable workshops and keynotes over our three-day blast of information; we have a variety of exhibitors bringing you the ultimate in materials in our fields of education.  I am always excited to see what our exhibitors bring to their booths to share as I am always searching for those books, supportive materials, and technological items that will propel my classroom and motivate students to engage and reach higher.

Before we know it, our Spring Conference will be here; see you soon.
Tina Kern, Liaison


Tina Kern, NJTESOL/NJBE Liaison. Feel free to contact me at tskern723@gmail.com

           

Assessment

Making Common the Language of Science: NJTESOL/NJBE Conference Presentation: May 31, 2017

By Margaret Churchill

With WIDA’s 2016 Standard Setting comes the realignment of expectations for English language proficiency levels. WIDA Standards have always been content-based: The Language of Social and Instructional Contexts, Language Arts, Science, Math, and Social Studies. Greater student performance expectations necessitate greater focus on the language used to develop proficiency within content-based tasks. This has always been exemplified in the ACCESS for ELLs assessment, which consistently requires students to explain a process or scientific phenomenon in speaking or writing.

Science content has been a part of ACCESS for ELLs since its inception. WIDA’s 2016 Can Do Key Uses, available from the download library at www.wida.us, is a descriptive guide to the types of academic language typified in school: recount, explain, argue, and discuss. The Key Uses are largely communicative in their purpose: describe a process, state the steps to complete a task, show relationships between cause and effect, or describe factors that contribute to events.; They are a natural extension of the WIDA Standard:  The Language of Science.

As the northeastern representative to WIDA’s LEA Advisory Committee, I have worked closely with WIDA researchers regarding ways to demonstrate language teaching in use. Over the past year, I have developed a series of units to serve as models of the Key Uses as they correlate to the Language of Science. This session, entitled Making Common the Language of Science, will showcase units, lessons, materials, and activities utilizing the Can Do Key Uses for middle school ESL language arts. Participants will develop their understanding of the Key Uses and analyze unit materials that address a variety of proficiency levels. I look forward to seeing you at the conference on Wednesday, May 31, 2017.

Margaret Churchill is the WIDA Representative to the NJTESOL/NJBE Executive Board.

 

Advocacy

Advocacy Summit

By Elizabeth (BJ) Franks

NJTESOL/NJBE will be hosting its first Advocacy Summit on Wednesday, May 31st at the Hyatt Regency in New Brunswick from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM. If you are attending the Conference, stay for this informative meeting. If you are not attending that day, come after school.

Representatives from UndocuJersey will be present to share valuable resources and suggestions on how to advocate for our students and families. State legislators and representatives from Education Law Center will share the status of current initiatives on PARCC and graduation requirements while New Jersey Department of Education representatives will update us on the ESSA regulations.

In addition to hearing from state legislators and advocates we will also be celebrating our Advocacy honorees.

A fee of $25 will be charged. Please join us for an evening of celebration and inspiration.

For registration and more information, please go to our website www.njtesol-njbe.org .

Elizabeth (BJ) Franks is the Advocacy Representative for NJTESOL/NJBE. She is a retired teacher and administrator who also serves as an educational consultant with LLAMAME, LLC. She can be reached at ejf24bb@aol.com .

 

Technology at the Spring Conference

By Marilyn Pongracz

Technology Workshops

  • Social Media as a Professional Development Tool – Karen Nemeth & Judie Haynes
  • Empower ELLs using “Seesaw” (a digital portfolio) – LeighAnn Matthews
  • Playlists: Blending Technology and Teaching for Success – Tina Kern
  • Kidspiration – Suzan Cole
  • Virtual Reality: An Interactive Journey for Students – Raquel Rosa & Bonnie Molina
  • Empowering ELLs: Professional Portfolios using Google Tools – Debbie Kemp-Jackson & Altin Tulay
  • Using Technology in the ESL High School Classroom – Ana Cunha


Marilyn Pongracz is the Technology Coordinator for NJTESOL/NJBE and the English Language Resource Center Supervisor at Bergen Community College

Technology

Favorite Websites: Flipboard - A review based on my experience using it.

By Leah Carmona

Due to the evolution of mobile technology, there are numerous mobile magazine websites and apps that allow individuals to keep track of their favorite topics and filter their favorite articles from magazines, newspapers, and the Internet. Examples of some of these apps are Apple News, Reddit, or Flipboard.

Out of the three, I prefer Flipboard due to the accessibility on the phone as well as the computer. The app asks you to select a topic or topics in which you are interested, and it searches for publications which constantly update on the app. You can choose a variety of topics from current news to Shakespeare and even articles regarding pets. I find this app very helpful because it constantly updates, a time-saver in our busy lives, striving to keep current.

I teach English as a Second Language (ESL) at Bergen Community College and decided to introduce this app to my students in the higher levels of the program; very soon, they will be focusing on their majors and will need to be able to read lengthy articles and take notes. They will also need to write essays that summarize and compare information from different articles on various subjects.

I use Flipboard in my reading class to introduce students to reading strategies.
The three-step process starts with guiding students on how to predict the content and vocabulary based on the title of the article. They do this in groups sharing their background knowledge to predict the content and key words and then create word mappings. I believe this process is very helpful as it prepares the students to find the main ideas easily while reading and scanning for the previewed key words. Moreover, it promotes discussions as the members of the group need to agree on what the most important information is. This is not an easy task. The second step is to find key words and guess their meanings based on clues provided by the writer. I find this step to be very encouraging as it gives students an opportunity to confirm what they have predicted in step one as well as to edit their word mappings and create an outline of the article. All this work prepares students for the final step, summarizing the article with their own words.

During class time, we use the app together to find an article on a specific topic. Students then have the opportunity to continue reading about related topics at home or do a research assignment using a variety of current articles provided by Flipboard.

Leah Carmona is an Assistant Professor in the ESL program at Bergen Community College.

Interview

An Interview with Nadia Ramcharan

By Barbara Tedesco

N

adia Ramcharan is the Lead ESL Teacher at Grace A. Dunn Middle School in Trenton. She was recently selected as their New Jersey Governor’s Teacher of the Year.

Where did you go to college and what are your degrees/certifications?


What made you decide on a pathway to ESL?

As a 1st grade teacher, I had many second language learners in my classroom. When I pursued a career in Reading Recovery, the bilingual and ESL teachers were amazed at how well the ELLs progressed when they were a part of the Reading Recovery Program. After the program ended in the district, the ESL/bilingual supervisor, Ms. Miranda, suggested that I consider becoming an ESL teacher. She felt as though my training with Reading Recovery would benefit the ELLs tremendously.

Have you worked in other districts before Trenton?

I have worked my entire teaching career in Trenton because I wanted to give back to the community that believed in me and helped me succeed. Prior to teaching, I was Site Supervisor for the S.A.F.E. afterschool program in Hamilton and Robbinsville. Trenton has always been my home and I enjoy working there and making differences in children’s lives.

Why do you think you were selected?

I believe that I was selected because I am a dedicated worker. I am also the Universal Coach for PBSIS (Positive Behavior Support in School). It’s a new initiative that we began implementing this year to help build a positive climate and culture in our school. Our climate and culture dramatically improved because of this program. Our shift is to focus on the 90% of the students who are doing the right things instead of constantly focusing on the 10% who don’t. We have several rewards systems in place and we created a game room to reinforce positive behavior and it has been a hit. But, overall, I am a very hard worker who sees things through, and I think many people appreciate that. I am also the Lead ESL teacher in our building, part of the safety team, leadership team, PARCC administration team, and Cheerleading Coach. I would say that I may have been chosen because of the various activities I participate in and the rapport I have with administration, my colleagues, and parents.

Do you have a philosophy of education?

I believe that the purpose of an education is to impart cultural and educational beliefs to our children, so that they can develop social skills, emotional skills, process the use of our language, and develop problem-solving skills and logical reasoning. Education plays a crucial and vital role in a child’s life; it is a necessity that helps them prepare for everyday life in the real world. The scope of a child’s life is limited without an education. An education is something that can never be taken from a person. It has a lifetime warranty.

The purpose of a school is to educate the whole child. Through the school, they will learn values, language, math, verbal communication, physical, emotional, social, and life skills, so that they can be able to function effectively in our society. It is also a place to help children develop their own capacities for success in life. It is a place of security, and a place which generates a positive environment for children.


Can you identify one special anecdote in working in the field?

Throughout my career I have encountered many special anecdotes, enough to write a book, but I think one that touched my heart was the first time I did an immigration unit with my middle school students. The students opened up and talked about their struggles to get to the US. Some spoke about how it took them a year to cross the desert; some spoke about how they were abducted and, during the process, they were separated from family members; others spoke about swimming across a river. That day my heart ached so much I believe I went home and cried. From that day on, more than ever, I was dedicated to making sure that my students felt welcomed and safe in our school.

What has been your greatest challenge?

My greatest challenge has always been getting the services that kids need and testing. Quite often, our bilingual students have classrooms with substitute teachers because of the lack of qualified bilingual teachers. Another struggle is that our students experienced things beyond our wildest imaginations: they have seen family members executed; been victims of sexual assault; have had to live with relatives, and been treated badly, while their parents work in the US; or they had a hard journey to the US. And then there is the expectation that they will come to school and magically forget everything that has happened. Testing has always been a challenge. I believe that our students are over-tested and I will continue to advocate for less testing. It’s like “welcome” with the WAPT, then “I’m sorry you have to take ACCESS,” and on top of that, they have district and state benchmarks. It is just too much.

Our readers are interested in reading about your heritage, language, your background, etc. What can you tell them?

I was born in Trinidad and moved to the US at the age of 13. Trinidad is an island located in the Caribbean and it is known for its Carnival, Soca, and steel pan music. English is the spoken language in Trinidad; it is strongly influenced by the British UK. Our “Trini” dialect is said to be one of the world’s sexiest accents.

I moved to the United States because my father needed to get an open heart surgery. The doctors in Trinidad gave up on him, so moving to the U.S. was our last hope for him to get the medical attention he needed. Father is alive and is well. We moved to Trenton in 1995 and I attended the Trenton Public Schools. I was placed in the lowest level 8th grade class when I moved. Although English is my native language, I was constantly asked what language I spoke because of my accent. I was also perplexed when I handed in writing assignments and things were circled in red because all my life I grew up spelling that way. I didn’t know there were different types of English. We spoke British English so apparently some of the words were spelled differently. But, after the first marking period I was placed in honors 8th grade. As I moved to high school, I developed a love for music and I started playing the flute because one of my friends played that instrument. I enjoyed it and persevered with the instrument, joined the marching band, concert band, orchestra, and jazz band. Music became my world.

My senior year in high school was very emotional for me: I received numerous scholarships that I couldn’t accept because I was not a citizen. However, I was blessed to have a principal and teachers who cared tremendously. My principal, Mrs. Dawson, refused to see me not go to college. She practically ordered my music teacher, Mr. Plunkett, to take me to Mercer County College and make sure that I registered for school. They found awards for me that didn’t require me to be a citizen to pay for my two years at Mercer. I will forever be grateful to them. I pursued an AS degree in Music at Mercer County College where I also played in their jazz band. Once I completed my two-year degree requirements, I began working for Trenton as a paraprofessional and they continued paying for school. I completed my BA at Rutgers, became a first grade teacher, and went through the alternate teaching program at TCNJ. I then went on to complete my MA in educational leadership, Reading Recovery Certification, and ESL certification. Twelve years later, I am still working in Trenton and enjoying every minute of it.

I have been fortunate to be a part of my organizations: I was a board member for Trenton Community Music School and I sit on the State Bilingual Advisory Committee. I am a teacher consultant for ETS; a part of the Trenton Area Writing Project at Rider University; PBSIS coach/ Lead ESL teacher Dunn Middle School; and I was fortunate to visit the District of Columbia in February and represent New Jersey at the WIDA test and Bias Sensitivity Review. Those experiences have definitely been valuable.

Last by not least I am blessed to have a very supportive family. I have two beautiful girls, Natasha who is five and Nicole who is two, a stepson, Allan, Jr., and a very supportive husband, Allan Ramcharan. They put everything into perspective for me. They are the best!

 

Features SPRING 2017