Scene I: Placement

“Hello?” I picked up my classroom phone. The call was from the administration office. I wasn’t expecting a call.

“Hi, Michelle? This is Amber. I just have a question about ACCESS.”

“Sure.”

“The roster says you have five kids in your class not taking it. Is that a mistake?”

Perhaps I should have expected this call. The Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State test for English Language Learners was a requirement for all students in the state identified as ELLs. The administrator was curious why five of my dual language students were not scheduled to take the test.

“Nope. Those five have already tested out of Tier C. They are English proficient, according to what they tested last year.”

“Oh. Well, why are they still in the bilingual class?”

“My class isn’t supposed to be ESL. The dual language program is meant to be enrichment. They should be proficient in both English and Spanish by the end of fifth grade. It’s not meant to be remedial.”

“Oh, okay. Just checking in.”

I quietly hung up the phone.

Scene II: Their Silencing (Irresponsive Standards)

At a language arts professional development, I am asked to review the Common Core.

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts:

Speaking & Listening Expectations

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.5.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.5.6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, using formal English when appropriate to task and situation.

Language Expectations

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.3a Expand, combine, and reduce sentences for meaning, reader/listener interest, and style.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal contrast, addition, and other logical relationships (e.g., however, although, nevertheless, similarly, moreover, in addition). (National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers, 2010, bold emphasis added)

Scene III: The Opportunity to See Themselves?

“For the early elementary grades, lists of suggested books contain some written by African-American authors about black characters, but few by Latino writers or featuring Hispanic characters.” (Rich, 2012)

Common Core State Standards: Text Exemplars

“If all they read is Judy Blume or characters in the ‘Magic Treehouse’ series who are white and go on adventures,” said Mariana Souto-Manning, an associate professor at Columbia University’s Teachers College, “they start thinking of their language or practices or familiar places and values as not belonging in school.”

At Bayard Taylor Elementary in Philadelphia, a school where three-quarters of the students are Latino, Kimberly Blake, a third-grade bilingual teacher, said she struggles to find books about Latino children that are “about normal, everyday people.” The few that are available tend to focus on stereotypes of migrant workers or on special holidays. “Our students look the way they look every single day of the year,” Ms. Blake said, “not just on Cinco de Mayo or Puerto Rican Day.” (Rich, 2012)

Scene IV: Their Music

[Strains of music, some students giggle in anticipation of the music stoppage. The music stops, more loud laughter.]

“Carlos, you’re out!” Marisol tells one of the two students who were struggling to sit in the same chair.

“¡No, usted está afuera!” Another student points to the girl next to Carlos.

“OK . . .” she says, curling her hand into a fist, readying herself to break the tie.

“Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!” she throws scissors and he pounds her scissors with his rock fist and grins in the chair, victorious.

“Oh!” Without ceasing to smile, she walks away, toward the students playing the music on an iPad. They begin to choose which Prince Royce song they want to play for the next round.

“Saca la silla!” exclaims another playing. “I’m winning, I’m pushing everyone out of the chair. I’m winning!” He glances at me holding my phone up, the camera on. “Miss, don’t record!”

I couldn’t help but film the evidence of their linguistic treasure.

Scene V: Professional Journal

Throughout this year I have been hearing students and colleagues alike stereotyping my students as “the bilingual class.” On more than one occasion I have told other students that my students do not just learn in Spanish. We get to learn in both Spanish and English! With the increase of Common Core–aligned materials I am given, I continue to notice the lack of student-responsive ideas I am asked to implement. Where is there room for linguistic and cultural differences? I understand that with so much diversity in this country, one cannot have a common body of educational standards that addresses all languages, but when will bilingual language practices be recognized as an asset?

Despite these frustrations, the languages and skills of my students, their laughter, and translanguaging keep me going. Their interactions, much like their impromptu game, are music to my ears.

REFERENCES

National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Common Core State Standards for English language arts and literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects. Washington, DC: Authors. Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/L/5

Rich, M. (2012, December 4). For young Latino readers, an image is missing. New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com