feeling so helpless.....

[Dismom+two]

I work as a Para in a 5th grade classroom. Last week we recieved a new student....a wonderful young lady from Brazil. The past couple of days she has been doing real well...the kids are trying hard to make her feel comfortable. She speaks little to no english which is so hard for her. Today she was very emotional...crying...feeling so lost and frustrated. Girls from other classes stop me and tell me that anytime they see her in the girls room, she is in there crying in the stall.
Being the emotional person I am, I feel so awful and so helpless. I want to help her and keep her happy but its so hard. She is a huggy girl and will frequently come up and put her arms around me.
I know there isn't much anyone can do except be there for her and be her teachers.

I just want to sit here and cry because I feel so helpless. I want to talk to the ESL teacher, who has been very supportive of her and tell her my feelings but I know I will just end up sobbing while talking to her.

I know come June, I will look back and see how far she has come...but right now.....I feel so helpless!!

 

[Hedy]

 

[Vivianne]

Don't cry yourself. She's just adjusting. I would pat her arm and say,

"No, chorar". Which seems to be no cry. I couldn't find don't.

Maybe a Portugese speaking Diser can help but at least you can pick up a semblance of words from this dictionary site.


http://www.freedict.com/onldict/por.html

 

[ADisneygirl]

I'm sure you are doing all you can for her, and that is all anyone can ask of you. She will get through this difficult language barrier in a short time, I assure you. Kids learn english from being surrounded by it, and I have seem kids come in without knowing one word and in a few short months they are speaking in sentences, joking with other kids, etc. Things will come around for her. Don't worry.

 

[CEDmom]

I know it's important for this little girl to learn english but maybe the ESL teacher could help you learn a few phrases in Portuguese. I bet it would it would mean so much to her if you could say "hi", "good job" etc in her native language.

It's nice that you care so much.

 

[Dismom+two]

Don't cry yourself. She's just adjusting. I would pat her arm and say,

"No, chorar". Which seems to be no cry. I couldn't find don't.

Maybe a Portugese speaking Diser can help but at least you can pick up a semblance of words from this dictionary site.


http://www.freedict.com/onldict/por.html

Today, we found a parent volunteer from another class that speaks Portuguese and she came in and talked to her. I told her to tell her that if she cries, she will make ME cry....and she laughed.

I know me crying doesn't do any good....but like I said....I'm too emotional, I can't help it.

Thank you all for your support, advise and hugs!!

 

[missypie]

Our school district is one of those super-competitive suburban districts where the high schools frequently appear in Newsweek's Top 100 high schools in the nation. Last year, the Salutatorian of one of the high schools was a girl whose family had moved here from China when she was in 6th grade; they spoke no English. Since grades "count" starting in 9th grade, that means that in three years, she became proficient enough in English to get close to perfect grades.

I'm telling you this so that you realize that in a year or so, the little girl most likely will have adapted very well.

 

[Dismom+two]

I know it's important for this little girl to learn english but maybe the ESL teacher could help you learn a few phrases in Portuguese. I bet it would it would mean so much to her if you could say "hi", "good job" etc in her native language.

It's nice that you care so much.

I have done some researching and have printed out some key phrases like that and I do try and do that for her. She will even correct my way of saying things.

It would be impossible NOT to care so much....she is such a love!!

 

[Daxx]

I teach Kdg. and have a Russian student who came to the US just 2 months before school started. She knew very little English and I knew v. little Russian (da and nyet). Her mother also spoke Polish and my Grandmother taught me how to say "good" in Polish. When she got something right or worked hard on something, I'd tell her "good" in Polish. I sat her with children who were on the chattery side so she'd pick up more English.

Now, it's Feb. and she's becoming more verbal and confident w/her English language skills. My school does not have an ESL teacher, but she's doing well in my class w/picking things up. She's becoming a bit of a chatterbox and her mother told me that she's started to dream in English.

They say that it takes 3 yrs. for a non-English speaking person to "catch up". Just keep working w/this child and learn to say "good" and a few other key words here and there. That'll make her happy. And, you're right ... by June, she'll be a totally different girl. Just reassure her that things will be ok, that it's ok to be frustrated and that she's doing well and will continue to do well.

Voice your concerns, etc. to the ESL teacher. Who cares if you cry in front of her? She'll realize your compassion and desire to help this girl along.

ETA -- last year I had a pre-K student (I teach a combined Pre-K/Kdg. class) from Rwanda who didn't speak English. I'd have to say "This is a blue crayon. Say blue crayon!" I was totally afraid she'd be behind in Kdg.! She learned so much last year that she seemed bored in Kdg. in Sept. I had her tested and she did so well that they bumped her to 1st grade!

 

[Dismom+two]

I'm telling you this so that you realize that in a year or so, the little girl most likely will have adapted very well.

I totally agree that she will be speaking english is no time and be great at it...its just so hard to see her struggle right now....feeling so lost and upset.

 

[Dismom+two]

Voice your concerns, etc. to the ESL teacher. Who cares if you cry in front of her? She'll realize your compassion and desire to help this girl along.

OH you made me cry again!!

 

[ColoradoBuffaloMom]

Your school is fortunate so have someone as caring and compassionate as you! Just knowing you care will help this girl. My guess is the ESL teacher will be very glad to have another adult looking about for this girl. Share your concerns with the ESL teacher even if you do cry.

I work at an elementary school that is the ESL school for our area. We get kids from all over that speak barely a word of English and in no time at all, they are chatterboxes. It is just that inital adujustment that is so hard for the kids.

Just keep giving her hugs and encouragement. Also it sound like a lot of the other 5th graders care too if they are telling you that the new girl cries in the bathroom. Encourage those girls to include the new girl at recess, at lunch, walking in the hall.

Just remember the only reason it hurts you so much is that you care and isn't it better to care than not be concerned at all.

Hang in there

 

[L107ANGEL]

Can I just say that your post is one of the sweetest, kind hearted things I have ever read here!! You are a special person and a great teacher

 

[Tigger&Belle]

What a wonderful and caring person you are. She's lucky to have you looking out for her. Sounds like she's going through a normal adjustment--I can't imagine being surrounded by a language that I don't understand, but she'll pick it up quickly. It will be such a joy to see her adjust and make friends. I agree that you should try and learn a couple phrases in Portuguese--that might help her a little. How wonderful that you are such a caring teacher.

 

[Liberty Belle]

I'm a para, too, and I know how you feel.

I work almost exclusively with a boy from Japan. He does speak and understand English, but he has language problems and other disorders so it's hard for him to understand what people are saying and he just doesn't get social etiquette much at all. It breaks my heart to see him upset.

Keep showing the girl how much you care and that alone will help her tremendously, I'm sure. I bet she'll never forget your kindness.

 

[megan4777]

You and Liberty Belle are absolutely wonderful!!!

Good luck to both of you

 

[Liberty Belle]

You and Liberty Belle are absolutely wonderful!!!

Good luck to both of you

That's so sweet of you to say. It's a very rewarding (and frustrating and heartbreaking at times!) job.

 

[Dismom+two]

That's so sweet of you to say. It's a very rewarding (and frustrating and heartbreaking at times!) job.

I really do agree with you....it is both frustrating and heartbreaking however its also very rewarding seeing the progress some students make just by us being in the classroom as an extra person helping them.

Thank you all so much for all your kind words!! I will go in tomorrow refreshed and ready to face another day!!

 

[Dismom+two]

Can I just say that your post is one of the sweetest, kind hearted things I have ever read here!! You are a special person and a great teacher

Thank you so very much....that really means a lot to me!!

 

[Boston Tea Party]

TPR and Bertie Segal. Words to live by.