Welcome to my new blog. The purpose of these writings is simply to share my thoughts and to spark discussion about education in general and multilingual education in particular. The entries will often be about multilingual education, which was the primary focus of my work as a district official and a large priority when I was a campus principal. (See my brief bio at ,https://www.kauffmaneducation.com/about>). But they may sometimes be about other topics, such as school and district leadership, curriculum, teaching and learning, assessment, outdoor learning, improvement science, instructiona ..read more

“Language is more than what I speak; it’s who I am. I am bilingual. I speak English and Spanish, but I feel more myself when I use Spanish.” “If you just see my English side, you don’t see one-hundred percent me. … I am both my languages, and I want people to notice all that I am.” Arely Rodríguez Leos wrote these powerful words when she was a fifth grade student in a dual language program. They speak to the importance of language to her identity. Arely’s essay evokes the words of Gloria Anzaldúa, who wrote in her book Borderlands that “Ethnic identity is twin skin to linguistic identity — I a ..read more

Elementary Dual Language Programs guidelines require that at least 50% of instruction be taught in the target language – typically Spanish – by bilingual certified teachers. Without bilingual teachers PK-5th, it isn’t Dual Language. Here are some suggested actions to start immediately if you anticipate a shortage of bilingual teachers for next school year, grouped into four categories: A. Communicate and collaborate B. Aggressively recruit and retain bilingual staff and volunteers C. Strategically prioritize where bilingual teachers are assigned D. Plan now for the classrooms that will not ha ..read more

In my last entry, I wrote about the importance of words, particularly the labels we use to identify students. Although "emergent bilingual" is not a perfect term, it is assets-based and thus a major improvement over the deficit-based terms previously used. In this entry, I am going to share the various terms I currently use to identify students in relation to language learning. This is a constantly evolving list, as I am always looking for better terms. I am eager to hear what terms others have adopted and how you use them. Please comment and share. * For a discussion of the fluid nature of t ..read more

Good point, Juliet. I hope it all works out for you and Romeo. But I say there is a lot in a name. Names and labels matter. We limit the rose’s potential when we call it a weed, making it more likely to be mowed over and neglected. A bilingual student by any other name would be just as brilliant. But we limit students’ potential when we label them as “lacking English” rather than as “becoming bilingual.” In 2021, Senator José Menéndez’s Senate Bill 2066 amended the Texas Education Code to use the assets-based term “emergent bilingual” in place of the deficit-based terms “English Learner,” “En ..read more