Testimonials
Testimonials
How do we make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of the people around us? We nurture our own character, practice active listening and give 100% to everything we commit ourselves to.
“Excellent use of technology in the classroom to enhance instruction for EL students.”
“…Wow! Your diligence is unsurpassed!”
“Great job… You have stepped into a new area and excelled in it. Your organization and passion for our kids is appreciated and noticed.”
“You are doing an excellent job! Your kids have learned so much this year. I can tell a difference in their spoken English and writing.”
“Good work on this Coach Miller. The program and the girls are in good hands.”
“I want to thank you for a job well done yesterday with the assistant principals. I received many compliments about what a great team you and the other coaches were.”
“You taught a difficult concept with ease! The students were able to grasp the concept because you continuously reinforced the three steps and demonstrated with every problem.”
“Thank you for such a wonderful first year and for being such a great leader and coach!”
“You are fantastic with the ELL kiddos…”
Heritage in Me Night Success
The ESL middle school students took part in Leader in Me event: Heritage Night. The students stayed after to school to cook authentic Mexican and Guatemalan tacos with corn tortillas made from scratch. They served other hispanic food and talked with students and families in the community about their heritage.
“I especially want to thank our wonderful ESL teacher Mrs. Miller, who worked so incredibly hard with her kids to make this event special! The Heritage in Me Night was a great success and the kids had a wonderful time. I am looking forward to making it even bigger and better next year!”
-Cain Harbin, Curriculum Leader
A True Story
“I want to apologize to you in advance, my child hates to read! We have to fight with her to do her homework.” The little girl’s mother announced.
Meet the Teacher night was all but over and I was packing my things up in preparation to leave the school. It had been a great success with many students and parents dropping off supplies and stopping by to introduce themselves and ask questions. At the last minute a family of four came running down the hallway. The father asked if they were too late and explained that they had just arrived from India and drove straight from the airport to the school. That hadn’t even stopped to eat or freshen up. After introductions they asked a few questions and I asked them a few questions. I spoke to my new student, their daughter, and tried to make connection and help her to feel comfortable and confident about starting school the following week.
The parents explained to me that while their daughter had grown up in The United States and didn’t struggle with English, she hated to read. Despised it. They told me this with worried looks on their faces and confessed they didn’t know what to do about it and that they were so worried about her education. I smiled at them all and let them know that everything would be ok. I told them my favorite thing to do was to read, and that I thought I might have just the cure for their daughter.
The very first book I chose to read to the students that year was The BFG by Roald Dahl. It had been my favorite when I was younger and I knew how funny and silly it was. My goal, was to make them love stories. I wanted them to have so much fun listening and reading, that they would forget that they were learning too. It was the perfect book. Every student loved it. They begged for me to read to them for longer periods of time each day. When we finished the book, they wanted me to read another Roald Dahl book to them. I took them to the library and we checked out several of his books for our classroom library.
When it was time for second quarter parent conferences, that same worried family came in all together. They sat at the table and they told me they just didn’t know what to do with their daughter.
“What’s the problem?” I asked.
“She won’t stop reading. She stays awake all night reading. We tuck her in and turn the lights out and the next thing we know, she is under the blankets with a flashlight reading.”
What a great problem to have! While I realize it was the genius talent of Roald Dahl that made her fall in love with reading, I still like to take a little credit for introducing her to the magic and adventure that his books bring to us. I think about that child often. That experience, the complaint of the parents at that conference, was the best compliment and reward a teacher can ever have.