My job is amazing! My students are smart and work so hard everyday. Some days my ESL students struggle with simple vocabulary or grammar and other days we have deep conversations. Today we spent a great deal of time discussing greed and how it can ruin lives. We read a story called "The Eagle And The Moon Gold" and they had a lot to say after we finished reading. Basically, the story is about one man who is content with his simple life and another who wants more and more until it ultimately causes his death. My students had some amazing ideas and examples to share. Besides not knowing English, they really are very different than normal American students. More than anything, it amazes me how polite and genuinely appreciative they are. They are also extremely goal oriented and very close to their families. We do have some very difficult days though. If you have ever tried to learn a foreign language you know how frustrating it can be. I spend a great deal of time monitoring their emotions in my classroom as well as in their regular classrooms. Sometimes they need me to reassure them that everything will be ok and help them relax while other times they need some tough love and an extra push to help them continue being successful. Overall, I am constantly impressed with their ability to not only survive middle school but to also enjoy and seek out new experiences that can be difficult and nerve-racking for regular students.
What does the frog picture have to do with this? Nothing...I just like frogs! :)
