ESL Teacher. English and Academic Language Development Specialist. Building capacity, efficacy, and knowledge through the power of language.
What I love about my career
My job: to stretch, strengthen, and exercise the critical thinking skills of every child that falls within earshot of my voice while unlocking the scientist, mathematician, historian, poet, artist, philosopher, and general academician within.
My responsibility: to guide students in unlocking the "power" language of American culture (academic English) to develop critical thinkers, thoughtful communicators, and empowered citizens. To empower content-area teachers and English Learners through building capacity and efficacy so that teachers can make their teaching visible and English Learners can make their learning evident. To collaborate with dual-language families, building their capacity and efficacy in order to help them restore the natural power-structure within the home so that parents can engage meaningfully in their student's education.
My mission: to unlock the hidden potential in every student for themselves, their peers and teachers, and their community-at-large, and in so doing, to bridge the gaps in communication which perpetuate hidden barriers that maintain a status quo.
My Philosophy: My hope is that my students remember me as the teacher who expects them to expect themselves to lead.
Words by which I live: He has shown you, oh man, what is good, and what does God require of you but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. -Micah 6:8
When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps. -Confucius
