In this news alert, the superintendent from Denver Public
Schools, Tom Broasberg, is proposing a spending increase of $11 million dollars
for English Language Learners (ELLs). In a press conference, he stressed the
importance of investing more in education by increasing the school day an extra
hour. He also talks about hiring more ELL teachers. He plans to set aside, from
moneys in reserve, $8.5 million dollars for ELL teachers and for the extra hour
of instruction. The counter argument was made by board member Teresa Pena when
she said, "We could talk about getting money to our favorite pet projects
all day, we all have our opinions. But at the end of the day, I believe in the
policy of having the money follow the kids," I am not sure what she meant
by that, and she doesn’t specify.
In this narrative, a teacher by the name of James Boutin,
tells the reader about an emotional experience he had in his graduate class and
his first year teaching English Language Learners. His lack of understanding
the ELL student immersed in a new culture, led him to share his concern for one
of his students. His lack of sensitivity on the subject led to the spreading of
tears beginning from the professor and soon engulfing the whole class. I was
glad to read how Mr. Boutin began to understand how important it is to understand
how language development is crucial to a person’s identity. This piece brought
back memories since I am too an ELL.
Two issues are addressed in this article. Increase in spending on programs for english language learners and the other one is for hiring/training more ELL (ESL) teachers. I believe this is a positive proposal. The down side, however, is to extend the school day an extra hour. This is a hard sell. Teachers are already exhuasted by the end of the school day as it is now; but an extra hour? A better alternative would be to re-arrange student schedules. For example, electives like art and music (probably choir) could be adjusted from every day to two or three times per week and the other days student would attend an ESL class. Last year, when the weather forced districts to close for several days, we had to make that time up by extending our day from 2:50 to 3:15. That was exhausting! If this proposal for an extra hour goes through, teachers and their unions are probably going to work extra hard to fight it.
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