About our VCMS Diverse Community
Over 10 percent of students in the United States (more than 4.8 million kids) are English learners (ELs), and the number is on the rise. Here at VCMS we have 79 ELs with an average of 25 per grade level. We include our wonderful group of culturally and linguistically diverse students in everything we do!
Here are three ideas that VCMS teachers incorporate into all the classrooms (for benefiting both native English speakers and Els):
WE CULTIVATE RELATIONSHIPS AND BE CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE
A successful classroom is one in which students feel known, appreciated, and comfortable taking emotional and intellectual risks. That requires intentional planning and consistent messaging by all of us in this building!
We want our students to embrace their culture and their language as a foundation of who they are and to consider their acquisition of a new culture and language not as subtractive, but as additive! Multiculturalism is a WONDERFUL thing and the way to go in our Jaguar Nation!
We create a supportive environment in which we cultivate an appreciation of diversity.
We acknowledge our students' native language and culture and include culturally relevant content in our lessons plans.
WE TEACH LANGUAGE SKILLS ACROSS THE CURRICULUM
English language learners should not be learning the fundamentals of English in isolation; they should be applying their developing language skills to rich academic content in all subjects.
We are ALL language teachers! Math teachers teach the language of mathematics. Science teachers teach the language of science and so forth! We all make sure we teach relevant academic vocabulary in all the subjects! The support system that ELs need come from ALL the subjects, from ALL of us!
WE BUILD MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL OUR STUDENTS!
You've heard it before: the way to reach your students, help them achieve, solve classroom management issues, and create a healthy classroom environment is to build relationships with them. Here are some ways we use to achieve this goal:
1. Spend 1-On-1 Time with a Student. Learn how to pronounce the names of our students correctly.
2. Look for something to comment on. We engage in informal conversation with your ELs on a daily basis. We help them build that confidence as they continue to work on their proficiency in English! (disregard thick accents or/and poor grammar, just encourage them to keep on talking!)
3. We develop an interest in their interests. Hint: soccer, Prince Royce, Ramadan songs and tacos take us places!
4. We share our stories and listen to theirs!
5.We have a sense of humor. Yes! who doesn't like a funny teacher?!!
6. We attend student events.
FYI 1: We have students from the following cultural backgrounds: Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Puerto Rico, Yemen, Vietnam, and China. They speak Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin and Arabic! Let’s consider this information when planning our lessons. Let's make the content with teach engaging culturally responsive!
FYI 2: We have a diverse faculty as well! Greeting to our Jamaican, Colombian, Indian and American educators! We all make VCMS a vibrant and a highly diverse cultural salad bowl!
Here are some pics to welcome the newest members of the VCMS family to our school diversity!
