Congratulations to May’s
NJTESOL/NJBE Member of the Month
Christina Namendorf

Christina Namendorf from the Secaucus Public School District is NJTESOL/NJBE’s member of the month for May. She demonstrates a deep commitment to ESL students and a genuine passion for advocating for multilingual students. She has been instrumental in training staff on best practices to meet the unique needs of multilingual students, and her efforts have greatly improved the support provided to this student population within her school community.

She has attended the NJTESOL/NJBE conference many times, and continuously attends professional development programs on her own time to enhance her knowledge and teaching of ESL students.

She has given WIDA digital presentations multiple times in-district and has been a BER workshop attendee and NJTESOL/NJBE attendee. Christina shares “I am excited and humbled to be recognized as the May 2024 NJTESOL-NJBE member of the month. I have learned so much from this organization and feel blessed to be part of it. I am thankful everyday to work with such remarkable and resilient students. Thank you for this honor.”

Nominate the member of the month!

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NJTESOL/NJBE has so many amazing teachers throughout our state that it would be fitting to highlight some of them. Nominees could be colleagues who are available to answer questions about ELLs or the Bilingual Education code; educators who support students and their families beyond the classroom with projects, college applications, and extracurricular activities; someone who joins committees in support of ELLS or to implement positive change for the community. The nominee must be a member of NJTESOL/NJBE. Nomination Link

Announcements

All members of NJTESOL/NJBE are invited to attend our 4th Countering Anti-Black Racism (CABR) Committee Meeting on Wednesday, May 15th from 7:00-8:30 pm. Register on Eventbrite
We are going to discuss book recommendations for our Summer Book Study and dive into an article about Black students’ access to language programs.

Summer Book Study: Please open this document if you would like to suggest a book or comment on books that have been suggested.

May Focus Article: Please visit the May Resources column of this Padlet for the link to our focus article and follow the directions for adding comments, which will be the foundation for how this month’s conversation will be facilitated.

7 Things English Language Learners
Wish Their Teachers Knew

By Elizabeth Mulvahill

The author asked a veteran ESL teacher what MLs would like their teachers to be aware of.

We have a lot to contribute, but we need time to get comfortable. Students need time to adjust to a new country, customs, and expectations. It’s important not to ask them to do things they are not ready to do.
We want our teachers to “get” us. Teachers need to pronounce the students’ names correctly and learn a little about their languages and home countries.
If we connect with a topic, we’ll open up. Find out about students’ interests and goals, and give them the opportunity to talk about their families and experiences in their home countries.
We need help navigating cultural differences in the classroom. The classroom culture and the nature of social interactions can be very different from what MLs were used to.
Each day, we deal with more challenges than our peers. “In addition to the monumental task of learning a new language, they are also learning grade-appropriate academics as well as processing social, emotional, and cultural experiences.”
Even though my parents don’t speak English, they really want to be involved. The school experience may be different, but parents want their children to succeed, and it is important to communicate with them.
Just like all kids, we just want to belong and have fun. New students need a buddy, but later group work with others in the class can promote a wider sense of community.

Here are the details.

6 Tips for Engaging the Families of English Language Learners
and
Engaging Latino Parents: One District’s Success Story

Congratulations to May’s NJTESOL/NJBE Member of the Month Christina Namendorf

Announcements

7 Things English Language Learners Wish Their Teachers Knew

ARTICLES: SPRING 2024

Congratulations to May’s
NJTESOL/NJBE Member of the Month
Christina Namendorf

7 Things English Language Learners
Wish Their Teachers Knew