What's in the Secret Sauce?

Being a good educator for multilingual learners is one thing, but being an amazing educator for multilingual learners is quite another story. What are the secret ingredients that make amazing educators for multilingual learners so phenomenal? 

Chances are, those that are reading this already meet the qualifications for being amazing educators for multilingual learners! 

Multilingual learners need teachers who are above average. They need teachers who recognize the beautiful gifts they bring into our classrooms. These students will do more than survive when they have the right teachers as cheerleaders. They will THRIVE.

The most effective teachers of multilingual learners:

• teach from the heart-they know and understand that teaching is first about connecting and reaching at the individual level. Yes, curriculum and standards are necessary, but without relationships little academic or linguistic progress happens. It's also important to be able to recognize that some of what is good instruction for monolingual students may not be best for multilingual learners. 

• put students first-they understand that kids join our classrooms with varied experiences and levels of proficiency and understanding. This also means that they are able to make ML feel that they belong in every classroom and they they are valuable assets to the community. There's no one size fits all approach to teaching or learning when young minds are concerned. Equity for each child positions students for success and confidence. Multilingual learners are unique in that they possess vocabulary, language, and possibly literacy in more than one language. This requires additional instructional considerations. 

• keep learning-they believe that learning never ends, so they, too, continue to seek out professional growth. As models of learning for ML learners, they read, attend and present at conferences, and connect with teachers near and far to learn more. There is so much to learn. No one has all the answers and research continues to develop. 

• beat the drum-they advocate in small and big ways for multilingual learners and their families. Advocating comes in many forms, sometimes sounding loud and other times just a little whisper. They send out regular emails or newsletters with ML updates, or shine a spotlight on multilingual learners' successes, or attend campus, district, or state meetings to represent and voice matters of concern. They are not afraid to be brave and speak up. 

Being a teacher who supports multilingual learners and their families is a big deal. It's a wonderful and gratifying responsibility. It's a privilege and honor. We are part of the journey of our FUTURE GLOBAL LEADERS. Thank you for being the amazing teacher you are!