Blog Entry #4

As I began this last journal entry, I started to reflect upon my experience in high school, and feeling the odd man out just as these Mexican immigrants felt on a daily basis. Why is it that being a football player, cheerleader, baseball player, etc. makes you any more important than anyone else? What makes them stand out and better than others? Why do they receive privileges others do not? I know I never felt like I was good enough and I remember always wanting to be like the popular crowd, but I wonder would I have truly been happy.

I become very frustrated when I hear others comment and say oh, you teach ELL students. Its as though they do not expect them to succeed. It's like I want to say what makes them any different than American children? They existed and had a life before they came to America, so why can't they succeed, play sports, and be popular with all the other children.

I teach Kindergarten ELL so within the classroom I do not see a lot of "dual existence." Though my classroom is a self-contained ELL class their are many cultures and ethnic backgrounds represented within my class. It is amazing to watch them together. Though they may not speak the same language they still communicate with each other.

One day when we were out on the playground two other classes joined my class on the playground. One was a general education class and the other was an ELL class. As I watched them playing, I noticed the two ELL classes were mingling and playing together, but the general education class did not mingle much if any with the two ELL classes. Why? Do the general education classes feel they cannot communicate with the ELL children? Or, is it what they have seen from their parents and society?

How can we as educators help to dissolve this issue? I would say one way would be to become educated on differences among cultures respresented with a school and community. I have said s before building community within the classroom, school, and community is one way we can help dissolve these issues. We all need to learn to accept our differences and not judge others by the color of their skin.