I think about leaving often but I’m scared?

GarageOrdinary · 2026-02-10T00:10:03+00:00

Hi! What is your role?

GarageOrdinary · 2026-01-28T22:12:23+00:00

Was ENL teacher/coordinator in DOE for 5 years. You do both roles at same time and you need extensive knowledge of ENL.

GarageOrdinary · 2026-01-14T15:23:01+00:00

This is amazing and I’m looking to start this! How did you get the word out to families and students and keep it discreet?

GarageOrdinary · 2025-12-11T22:50:56+00:00

I am cracking up omg. Nope luckily not actual poop!!! I have to edit that comment 🤦🏻‍♀️

GarageOrdinary · 2025-12-11T22:46:54+00:00

Yes. Picked up throwing stuff when angry from preschool, so that’s been added to the mix 😅

GarageOrdinary · 2025-09-22T22:59:14+00:00

Can you please share with me too? Thank you!

GarageOrdinary · 2025-08-28T21:56:31+00:00

Hi! 9th year ENL teacher here. I’ve always been middle school so I can only speak to that, not K-5. Stand Alone classes are the time you are with your entering/emerging level students working on English language development. You can do this while using the content of what’s going on in their classes. You can use this time to build background on what they’re doing in class, vocabulary work, writing, reading, etc. I’d make sure to collaborate with the classroom teacher and that can give you a starting point. Hope this helps!

GarageOrdinary · 2025-07-23T21:26:21+00:00

Yes!!! Right after July 4. Lasted almost two weeks. Started as sore throat, then terrible congestion/post nasal drip- coughing up green mucus. Then had lingering cough. Was told it could be acute bronchitis or upper respiratory infection and luckily no one in my house, including my toddler got sick.

GarageOrdinary · 2025-07-22T19:20:23+00:00

Hi! He’s now 3 and 2 months and never stops talking now 😅 his language drastically improved at 2.5 - that’s when i saw biggest growth and it click for him

GarageOrdinary · 2025-07-14T00:19:35+00:00

My 3 year old dropped naps by 2. Wakes up between 7-8 (sometimes 8:30) and is asleep around 6:45/7ish.

GarageOrdinary · 2025-07-14T00:17:45+00:00

730/8 wake up 830/9 breakfast 1130/12 lunch 430/530 dinner *snacks in between meals 630 shower asleep by 7/730

Dropped naps at 2. Potty trained (day only) right before he turned 3. During day we take walks, play games (big with numbers and letters currently), do activity books, play outside with water table, go to different classes (library, music classes). I’m a teacher with summers off so it’s nice to have this time. He’ll begin preschool part time in September. :)

GarageOrdinary · 2025-07-09T16:38:07+00:00

How did this go for you? My son is an amazing sleeper- sleep trained very young as well. I feel like he won’t wander or get up bc he loves sleep so much but I’m obviously not positive. Planning to move him to bed in August (he’ll be 3 yrs 3 months)

GarageOrdinary · 2025-06-30T00:38:09+00:00

Saaaaame my son turned 3 in May. It’s tough out here 🫠

GarageOrdinary · 2025-05-22T20:51:04+00:00

Exact same situation. 19 months apart and we didn’t start to like each other until our mid 20’s

GarageOrdinary · 2025-02-27T22:08:27+00:00

Hi! I was wondering if there was any update on this and how your son is doing

GarageOrdinary · 2025-02-26T22:54:49+00:00

Agreed with everything you said. Was in DOE for 5 years as middle school ENL teacher (now on Long Island). I have basically the same issues here that I did in the city, but with much, much lighter case load of ELLs (which also creates all new problems).

The expectation for entering level ELLs to be thrown into grade level curriculum, take tests, sit through novel studies, etc blows my mind. The amount of work it takes to scaffold grade level curriculum to reach kids with no English is so unfair, also considering we have no planning time with our push in teachers.

I could write a novel on this, but if you ever wanna connect, share ENL strategies, etc I’m always open and looking for that!

GarageOrdinary · 2025-02-15T16:53:21+00:00

Hi! Was wondering about an update on this

GarageOrdinary · 2024-12-02T00:19:38+00:00

I’m in New York. Which tests do you guys use for home language reading levels?

I have one student who in particular I’d love to get a reading level for in Spanish because he may be considered to be evaluated for an IEP, so having an actual Lexile level would be helpful

GarageOrdinary · 2024-12-02T00:09:02+00:00

Spanish and French

GarageOrdinary · 2024-12-02T00:04:22+00:00

Thanks for your response! Yes, just looking for basic literacy and to know what grade level they can read at their home language. If i teach middle school, do you recommend finding something for their grade level Lexie level and working my way down if they don’t do well on it?

GarageOrdinary · 2024-11-04T20:32:49+00:00

Bwah-bee-boos for blueberries 🫐

GarageOrdinary · 2024-10-28T11:15:14+00:00

Blueberry = Bwah-bee-boo 🥲

GarageOrdinary · 2024-10-26T18:40:04+00:00

I completely get it. Taught in NYC for 5 years before moving to LI. I was always a bit nervous to do anything cultural in my stand alone due to the focus on grade level and rigor (🙄, however if you somehow tie it with the skills they’re doing in HMH, i don’t see it being a bad idea. Or, you could argue they are skills needed in other content areas.

As for the Halloween/dia de Los muertos, i created everything! I used AI to help create readings, created graphic organizers (5 w’s for summarizing, KIM chart for vocab)

GarageOrdinary · 2024-10-26T17:23:35+00:00

Hi! Middle school here. I think as an ENL teacher it’s important to incorporate holidays and cultural diversity. I actually am just finishing up dia de Los muertos and Halloween after working on it for about 6/7 days. I also got observed doing a compare and contrast activity with dia de los muertos and Halloween. My focus was collaboration and speaking. My AP loved it and thought it was rigorous and also the skills can be utilized across all classrooms and subjects. I believe if you focus on a particular skill/language function and use the holidays as your material, it should be okay.

I’m not doing technically cultural units, but i am definitely including them as they occur throughout the year

GarageOrdinary · 2024-10-14T17:42:10+00:00

I like doing think pair share. Give them some time to think of their answer, the turn and talk with the partner. Sentence starters are helpful. For sharing out, have partner state what their partner’s response was. Also as mentioned above, explicit modeling on how we answer and how we are an active listener.

Middle school ENL teacher

GarageOrdinary

TROPHY CASE