Progress, not perfection. A story from Esl.
I started teaching ESL (English as a Second Language) about a two months ago and it is amazing to see my students go from hardly knowing how to introduce themselves or say their address, to discussing how their weekend was and asking thoughtful questions.
Progress, not perfection. That is one of my favorite sayings. It speaks to so many things, but applied to ESL in more ways than one. As a teacher, I sometimes struggle to explain things — because English is a ridiculous language! Things like why we say, “Where are you?” instead of “Where is you?” even though you is singular… again. Ridiculous. Or why we say, “Feet” instead of “Foots.”
Progress, not perfection applies to my students, too. When we were discussing the calendar year, months, days of the week, and seasons, one of the things that confused them was why we say things like, “the sixteenth” or “the third.” Why can’t we just say, “the sixteen” or “the three” of whatever month." This is an example of when I told them that as long as they knew how to say the number, that was good enough. I remember trying to learn Spanish in high school and you were only right or you were wrong. But when I’m teaching all you have to do is try your best. I’m not testing them. I’m making sure they have enough of an understanding and ability to speak so that they can communicate what they need.
If someone came up to me and asked, “Where are the library?” I would know exactly what they’re trying to say. They may eventually learn or be taught correct grammar, but until then they have progressed enough to communicate what they needed. Progress, not perfection.
Today, one of my students spoke to me at the end of class. She’s a hardworking stay-at-home mother of two from Ecuador who came to my class knowing next to no English. I watched as she wracked her brain for the words she wanted to say to me, until I just encouraged her to speak in Spanish hoping we’d figure it out from there. She told me she really appreciated the class and my teaching, but there were two words she said that I didn’t know. After a little back and forth she finally picked up her phone to use Google Translate.
What she showed me made me a little verklempt. Holding her phone to me, I read the word, “Wisdom” then the next word, “Patience.”
That meant the world to me and she finally explained, once we deciphered the words, that she’s so grateful for my wisdom as a teacher and my patience as a person to help her. She went on to tell me about how her daughter’s teacher calls on her to go to the board in class and she gets very scared — understandably so, as she only speaks Spanish.
I made [my student] go up to the board today. Though it was just four of us today, going up to the board to answer questions you’re not confident in is a scary feeling. But the fact that I could put her at ease, explain why something was right or wrong, and see her excitement when she figured it out, was such a rewarding and satisfying feeling.
It may just be a few new words or learning to pronounce letters correctly, but that makes a difference and I am so grateful for the opportunity to impact these peoples’ lives.
But truly, they impact me as well. After a horrible physical and mental day I dreaded having to teach ESL for an hour and a half, but the moment we started talking and having nearly fluent conversations, my day was made. Every stressor, every issue and problem I had to deal with melted away and it was just us. Sitting in a room full of willing learners and volunteer teachers working together to make a difference. To make progress. Not perfection.
