WIDA

Today, I learned a new word, WIDA. WIDA is a word that after 19 years of life I had not heard or ever really knew much about. WIDA stands for the World-class Instructional Design and Assessment. So in short, a system of assessments/standards followed in various states that ensure the success of English Language Learners (ELL) in schools around the country. After the past two days, I have been shown that ELL and Teaching English as Second Language (TESOL) is a huge topic that not only has been reasearched greatly, but in many areas it is not as comprehensive has it should be. We are living in an expansive country that is changing rapidly. We are a mixing pot full of immigrants, and different cultures and languages. As a future Educator it is up to me to be aware of the changing population of students and how I as a teacher can help them learn the best. It will be very probable that in my classrooms throughout the years I will have an ELL learner among my students.
      Being an ELL teacher is a field that I have been interested in but very hesitant to pursue. My Step-Mom who has her masters in Pyschology is now a middle school history teacher, but before that she worked at an elementary school in Colorado Springs that had a very high Latino population, and more than half of the students who attended there only spoke Spanish, and most of the teachers there were bilingual. My Step-mom who was a secretary at the time and she recalled to me that even she had to brush up on her Spanish. She told me about a little boy, who's father was in Jail, and he was having problems in school. She told me how most of the kids here, had at least one family member in prison and a lot them were struggling. This particular little boy, ended up forming a relationship with my dad who was a Police officer in Colorado Springs at the time, and my dad became a positive role   model, for young boy who didn't have one.
       Ever since my Step-mom shared her experiences with me, I had an interest in helping ELL students. And in fact for a long time, I looked into learing ASL and being a teacher for the deaf. Something that is very close to my heart, as my 2 year old cousin is deaf, my mom lost her hearing, and it is very likely that I too will lose my hearing by the time I'm 40. My wandering mind didn't hold these ideas for very long, but that does not mean, I won't try again. I still have hopes of learning Spanish and ASL and even moving out west, Colorado ideally, and making a difference. I know that i was put on this earth to make a change and to help others. Whether that be students in a white upper class community or students in the city, I want to inspire at least one student, to strive for more. It breaks my heart when I see people with potential who are so smart and so gifted, but they just were put in the wrong circumstances or they just don't see the point in trying. I want to make it my mission, to not only be a good teacher and role model but to also inspire every young adult and child to strive for more and follow their dreams no matter how hard it may be.