Theme 3: The Need for More Support from School Counselors (Roxas, Gabriel & Becker, 2017, pp. 20-22)

It was emotional reading the perspectives of ESL students on how the staff and school can help them in their learning experience. Emotional because I know for a fact that they’re not getting the specialized support they need, even from the first day of my student teaching. The common denominator shared through the comments by these students is their need for the school to be more welcoming, accepting, and patient. You would think that since the children don’t understand the language that they won’t know what’s going on at school, for example, not understand the homework, but they don’t need to know the language to feel the difference that exists between them and the other students. A difference that they consider racist and makes it a challenge for them to fit in.

Taking into consideration the student’s suggestions on what could help them during their transition, I want to use it as motivation for me to one day be able to educate or make aware to students and colleagues that we are a part of an ESL student’s school experience, not just the English lessons. It’s important for all staff and non-ESL students to accept, be patient, be comfortable, and support immigrant students during their move from a different country or school. Now, what is too much support?, is there such a thing as too much support?, and how do we help? are all questions of boundaries. When an ESL student suggested that another student could help them read a book, I thought: is that asking too much of a student? should that be their responsibility? For me, that would be so thoughtful, but I’m not sure if there’s a student that would do that. Sometimes I think I’m doubting the next generation’s capability and desire to help others, but I believe I can help that desire grow, it’s one of many reasons why I wanted to become a teacher in the first place, to make global citizens out of any and all students.