Something fascinating happened today, although not necessarily in a good way. One one person showed up for class. One. Sometimes there are slow days where only 5 or 6 people show, but one? To top it all off, another volunteer had prepared a lesson for today (there are several volunteers that can only teach once or twice a month). Since I'm there everyday, I compromised by letting the volunteer sit down one on one with the student for a private lesson, while I graded a stack of homework.
I'm adamant about updating each student's portfolio, because it helps them and myself to see their progression. Since I had a lot of time on my hands, and there wasn't much else that needed to be done (I asked every classroom if they needed a helper - even the nursery!) I took the liberty to reorganize them a bit. I read their latest compositions that we had just spent time on a few classes ago. Amazing. Some of these essays were definitely high school level; for someone that moved to America 5 months ago that is really impressive. And that is what makes my job so easy - these students want to learn. They are driven and positive people. They are my kind of people! I don't feel like I have to hold their arm behind their back to complete an assignment, which is what some of today's high-schoolers do. Their desire to succeed is refreshing, and it makes me work harder too.
By the time classes let out for break, I was well finished with all of my grading. I even had the chance to go over my lesson for tomorrow. I strolled into the Beginner Classroom and introduced myself to another teacher filling in temporarily. Her name was Jean and she was captivating. I loved listening to her stories, advice, and life lessons. So even when she protested that I would be bored helping out with her class I told her I was going to stay. I really wanted to observe her and take some notes. I probably wrote down 5 pages worth, but I'll post some of the more important things to remember here:
1. Make everything tangible.
Just like I had used visuals and animated expressions the class before, making things come to life as Jean said are what really make impressions on them.
2. Identify with them.
Point out any possible thing you have in common with them, "We're both wearing green!" "We both have 3 letters in our first name!", etc. The objective is not to be constantly agreeable, but to break down the wall between tutor and student. By identifying the fundamental basics that everyone has in common with each other, the students will reach out to you and you will both get more out of the experience.
3. Never add a variable to the equation until it's solid.
Meaning, don't throw more at them than they can handle. She especially advised me not to trust students when they say they understand (flashback to my mindless droning in French IV). Tell them to prove it, most of the time they will just tell you they understand because they feel pressured and uncomfortable (Amen!). But learning English from someone you barely know in foreign country is going to be uncomfortable. Roll with the punches.
4. Don't assume anything.
This was probably her most important point, never ever assume that students already know something. You will waste time teaching them at a level they are not at yet. Plus asking about their abilities kills two birds with one stone: it makes them feel confident about all of the things they show you that they can do, and it lets you exactly what their capabilities are.
5. Know the difference between BICS & CALP.
BICS, or Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills, is a social language acquisition and not very challenging cognitively. It is the type of language that a person will learn within the first year of moving to a new country. CALP, or Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency, is an academic language acquisition. Not only does it entail knowing a vast vocabulary, but it presents the ability to compare, synthesize, evaluate and infer. As a tutor of ESL, these are the teaching standards I need to know. Which brings me to my final point,
6. Read, read, read.
Jean gave me some great recommendations about ESL books for tutors that I should read. She told me to research it on the internet, look for classes to take, read manuels and books about making lesson planning - she told me to dive in, and not come to the surface until I know everything there is to know about teaching ESL. And even then, I should read another book, just in case.
I really appreciated the opportunity to participate in the beginner classroom again and especially to talk with Jean. I stopped by the library on my way home and signed out 3 books on tutoring ESL. I really feel as though I've found a nitch in tutoring, especially because of my practice with helping kids at after school programs. There is no doubt, however, that I have a lot left to learn. I can thank my strong will for being up for the challenge.
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