KENTWOOD, MI - Bowen Elementary teacher Katie Lett artfully weaved a middle school field trip into a lesson on citing sources for her fifth grade English language learners to ensure optimal engagement.
Gathered around the table for the small-group intervention were students eager to learn from several countries, including Bosnia, Tanzania and Myanmar.
Thirty-three percent of Bowen's 340 students are immigrants or refugees.
"Their desire to learn is incredible," said Lett, who collaborates with teachers to make sure students who speak English as a second language are progressing academically while learning the language.
"I think the biggest thing for me has been stepping into their world because there is such a big idea of refugees and immigrants totally assimilating to our culture, but I really have gained a lot of value to my own life in stepping into theirs.''
Students from over 90 countries, who speak 70 different languages, are among Kentwood Public Schools nearly 9,000 students. Superintendent Michael Zoerhoff said their educators are very intentional about helping them overcome challenges to be successful with their knowledge and thoughtfulness.
The district is among eight school systems involved in a partnership with Aquinas College to address the shortage of English as a Second Language (ESL) and Bilingual teachers in Michigan. The other partners are Grand Rapids, Kelloggsville, Godfrey-Lee, Godwin-Heights and Wyoming schools, as well as the Kent ISD and the Diocese of Grand Rapids Office of Catholic Schools.
Last year, Aquinas was awarded a $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The grant provides resources necessary for developing and implementing a series of professional development courses.
Upon successful completion of the full course sequence, participants will be eligible for Michigan Department of Education ESL/Bilingual teaching endorsements.
"When completed, we will have 36 more teachers with training and certification," said Zoerhoff, who said at last count they had more than 1,800 immigrant or refugee students. "We believe this will add even more expertise to our teaching staff when it comes to differentiating EL instruction."
Susan English, dean of Aquinas' School of Education, said they are already seeing positive impacts from the initiative. She said the successful program has been in place for a while but is only now receiving federal funding.
"West Michigan is becoming more and more diverse," she said. "We are giving the teachers and districts a strong toolkit to use with English language learners, so that they understand their learning needs better and how to communicate with them to learn better and faster."
Bowen Elementary teacher Hannah Everhart, who teaches fifth grade, recently was accepted into the program. She said she applied because she wanted to learn how to reach the ELL students in her class better.
"For some of them, this is there first real school experience and I want to make sure it is the best," said Everhart, who has been teaching four years.
"I want to give them the greatest opportunity that I can to have them learn as much as they can. I want to help them grow and feel confident even in their differences, and I feel like this program through Aquinas can help me do that.''
Kentwood has two newcomer centers that helps their immigrant and refugee students transition. Bowen and other district schools also utilize Imagine Learning, an engaging language and literacy software program that accelerates English learning.
Lett, who got her training prior to the new grant program, said Everhart and other teachers do a good job keeping the bar high for students, while also celebrating their progress.
The International Literacy Association recently recognized Lett, an academic interventionist turned ELL instructor, as being among those changing the face of literacy across the globe.
Thirty literacy champions from hundreds of nominees were selected for the second annual 30 Under 30 list of innovative young leaders. Lett will speak at the association's conference in July.
There are currently 88,000 students in need of English as a Second Language education, but only 300 ESL and bilingual programs available to serve students, according to the state.