ESOL teacher Kathleen Dail at her desk at New Directions.Prince William County Schools’ 2016 Teacher of the Year, Kathleen 'Katy' Dail, makes it her mission to reach every ESOL child she works with at New Directions Alternative Education Center and High School in Manassas.
The primary requirement for a teacher of the year is that the nominee’s students have shown continuous improvement, meeting benchmarks and standards of learning. For Dail's ESOL students, meeting those benchmarks means being able to speak the language in a way that makes them eligible for success in a career, a life and a family in the future.
Many students attend New Directions for a second chance at success. Most student choose to stay at New Directions until graduation because they thrive in its supportive environment.
By and large, ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) students differ in that they do not attend New Direction because of discipline problems. Rather, they are there to jump-start their progress in language acquisition.
“We tend to get a student who have been labeled as ‘a long-term English learner.' Their English learning has been fossilized. They come here after years and years of no progress," Dail said.
Many of her students are the children of parents who are young, sometimes near illiterate and often times, living in poverty. Because they have limited exposure to reading in their homes, their children tend to operate on a low reading level, which becomes a significant barrier to their educational achievement. These barriers multiply after the fourth grade when school becomes less about language acquisition and more about acquiring knowledge, using language.
The other kind of students Dail works with are brand new to the country. They are older and speak very little English. They may struggle to reintegrate into their family after reuniting with a parent they have not seen in years. That parent is often remarried with more children.
In a regular classroom setting, both of types of these students tend to fall behind. And, as their language skills stagnate, the further they withdraw from participating in the classroom.
That is the reason Dail’s work is so important. She helps to break a cycle of stalled process by creating a safe community where ESOL students can face their challenges head-on together.
Dail offered multiple reasons why her New Directions classroom is the ideal environment for an ESOL learner, but it is her approach to teaching ESOL students that also makes a difference in their lives. She routinely breaks free of book-learning, using educational props and games to get students out of their seats and interacting with others.
Dail also strives to make her classroom student-centered, connecting with her students on a personal level, and letting them know they matter.
“When I get them here, I individualize everything. I approach them on the whole-child level. I want to know everything I can about them. I try to bond with them," said Dail. "What is it that makes them feel unsuccessful? [I try to] address that, because success begets success."
She believes the difference lies in the empowering the learners by making the classroom a place where they feel safe to try. Often times, just feeling comfortable in class is a challenge for many new language learners.
“They are so reluctant to speak and to read in a classroom," said Dail. "I feel like part of my job is to build that confidence, so they can build on the training and the resources that they have.”
Once students have bought into their own learning, Dail encourages her students to create goals for themselves. As a result, they graduate with a plan for what comes next. She involves parents as well, so to maximize the students potential, and extend learning into the home.
“We don’t want any students to slip through any cracks here," she said.
While non-English-speaking parents often feel detached from their children’s educational experiences, New Directions addresses the language gaps and invites parents in, both literally and figuratively. They employ staff members who speak Spanish and other languages, and they call parents regularly to inform them of their children's progress. They watch closely for absenteeism and let the parents know the teachers are invested in the students.
They also offer after-school activities to benefit both teens their guardians or family members who are new to English. New Direction regularly holds family activity nights where students and relatives play games and produce skits together in English. Everyone has a good time, parents feel welcome at the school, and adult learners also get a chance to practice their language skills.
Dail sees potential in all her students. She wants readers to know that being an ESOL learner is no indication of intelligence level, which is a common misconception people have.
“Just because a student is in the ESOL program, it has nothing to do with his intelligence; it is only a short-term language development program," she explained.
Dail praises the progress PWCS has made with its ESOL program. She notes that all Prince William teachers attend many hours of profession development on how to teach English learners, so they are aware of the support they need and how to best provide that support.
“I think Prince William has started to put in some good interventions,” she said.
As Teacher of the Year, Dail will go on to compete for The Washington Post Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award.
Runners up include Middle School Teacher of the Year, Christina Barcalow of Graham Park Middle School and Elementary Teachers of the Year, Edward Abraham and Adam Dove.
Support Bristow Beat - Donate Today!