 |
|
2007 Administrator of the Year
Lowell J. Billings
Chula Vista Elementary SD
Language is an untapped natural resource and Subtractive bilingual education makes no sense. Why would we want to eliminate a child’s first language at the elementary school level then offer to teach a “foreign language” later on in secondary schools? We need to be additive in our approach. Indeed, the well-developed first language provides the base for second level literacy. We must strongly support successful bilingual programs that develop full biliteracy in two languages. There is nothing better for an English learner than a rigorous bilingual education. We need to be able to meet standards in English and another language in order to be biliterate. This is not an easy challenge. We have not mastered this yet in the Chula Vista Elementary School District but we are making significant progress. Our students are capable of reaching our highest goals for them. All they need is time. Fifty percent of our CELDT 4 & 5 students are scoring Proficient/Advanced on the CST.
Dual language education provides the opportunity for all children to learn in more than one language. Two-way immersion enhances the status of both languages for all students in these programs. We need to provide choice in matters concerning language of instruction. It is important to respect the distinctly personal decisions that parents make within the context of their family and their culture. No matter what the choice, it is important to provide instruction in a language the child can understand. It is equally important that assessment is conducted in a language the child can understand and that assessment is valid and reliable. Data is critical to continuous improvement. Nothing speaks louder than success.
2007 Distinguished
Irene O’Brien
Pomona USD
My students came from a variety of backgrounds that reflected a mix of cultures and social class. I recognized that my students could achieve high levels of engagement when I connected my instruction more closely to the students’ home experience. I also realized that I would need to become acquainted with the community in which my students lived, in order to use it as an educational resource.
During the course of my career, I had the pleasure of seeing bilingual education flourish. I witnessed the establishment of organizations such as the Los Angeles County Bilingual Director’s Association, the California Association for Bilingual Education, and California Tomorrow. Our role as bilingual educators is to recognize who our students are and to build upon the experiences, language, and knowledge they bring to us. My role continues to be one of changing attitudes about our students, creating the belief that our students are capable of being successful, and providing our students the educational opportunities they deserve.
2007 Distinguished
Marcia L. Turner
Ocean View SD
Working in the area of bilingual education has been my career goal and focus since 1975. I knew this was the field for me early in my college career. I realized early on that the status quo of how education was delivered was not meeting the needs of many children, especially immigrants and those who come to school not proficient in English. One could say that “enlightened self-interest” led me to believe that working for bilingual education would lead to a better society for all of us. To me, the value of bilingual education is not only that it makes sense pedagogically as the best way to achieve high academic proficiency, but it also makes sense socially and emotionally, as the best way to have students connect with learning and develop a positive connection to society.
2008
Wayne R. Miller
Mt. Diablo School District
Wayne R. Miller was raised in a culturally and linguistically diverse neighborhood in Houston, Texas where he learned Spanish, acquired a love for Mexican culture and history, became infatuated with the arts of Mexican cooking and Mariachi music. He graduated from the University of Houston with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Spanish and English and then served two years as a teacher in the U.S Peace Corps in Liberia, West Africa. When he returned to Houston he earned a Master’s Degree in Education, while teaching for two years in the Houston Independent School District as a member of the Teacher Corps.
|
|
|
|
