I am a certified bilingual teacher, and I am so proud of that! As a kindergartner, I was one of those kids we now refer to as "ELL" students. My parents are Mexican immigrants, and only Spanish was spoken in our home. Therefore, I started my kindergarten journey as the only Spanish speaking child in an all English mainstream classroom. At this point in my life, I don't recall the struggles or even the moments when I actually started acquiring the English language. But I do know that it is because of that journey that my passion for bilingual education came about. My parents were and are hard-working (now citizens) of this country, and they always encouraged and expected us to get an education. Over the years, I have had many sad experiences in dealing with educators who have negative feelings toward bilingual education and/or immigrant families. This shouldn't be the case! Bilingual education can be a powerful thing if it is encouraged, supported, and valued! :)
Unfortunately, when I became a bilingual educator, I learned about the shortage of good bilingual teaching materials. I spent years creating my own worksheets, units, and assessments. I know, without a doubt, that bilingual teachers fight a difficult fight---but a good one! I now teach in an all-English mainstream classroom, but my passion for bilingual education remains. It is because of that passion, that I hope to create and share some quality bilingual materials with my fellow bilingual educators. I will update my blog as I complete my bilingual resources, so be sure to follow my blog! Please feel free to send requests about any needs, and I will do my best to help. I will upload all bilingual resources to my TPT store, and you can visit it here: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/May-Bell
