English (ESL) with Gwendolyn F.

I have been an English teacher for ten years. Before that, I was a special education paraprofessional. All together, I have two decades of experience working with students and teachers. In that time, I have learned that the most effective form of education comes from personal experience. I cannot expect meaningful growth from a student if I don't connect my content to something that they already know, feel, or think. That is why my pedagogical focus is always toward building a curriculum that is relatable and accessible to every student. I incorporate Universal Design for Learning (UDL) into every lesson that I plan. I try to design modules that not only hone and refine literacy skills, but gives students a choice in what they learn and how they demonstrate their learning. I try to provide as many accessibility routes to my materials as I can, and I am always willing to meet students where they are and journey with them at their pace. I have worked almost exclusively in the San Joaquin Valley where the student population is richly diverse. On average, about 35% of my students are designated as English Language Learners. Many also experience socioeconomic or medical conditions that can be detrimental to learning in a traditional classroom setting.