Voices in a New World

I believe in my students and I treat them as if they have already achieved their goals. I am their cheerleader, advocate, mentor, consultant and the person that writes the new grammar concepts on the board.

But I find that they come to school for so much more. They come to be nurtured, validated and to learn to believe in themselves. They want to learn, they want to see their friends and they want a teacher who, they believe, understands them.

They are in a new country, with a new culture, and they have lost their voice. With me, I hope, they have the experience of regaining it. How do we show who we are? Through our words! If you don't have the words, how do you make yourself known? How do you connect to the larger culture around you? Learning to speak is learning to exist in a new world. I strive to be a worthy guide.