u/Zealousideal-Hunt242

Do ENL (English as a new language) teachers generally teach a class of 20+ students, or generally do they pull out a small group of students and work with them?

I am a sub teacher in an urban school district and I have seen an ENL teacher teach an entire class of students whose English language ability is low. They had to teach history and biology classes and not even as a co-teacher. How could someone be expected to teach multiple subjects without being certified in a core area, and to students whose levels of English varies? I certainly did not see one-on-one or even small-group scaffolding. I am not even sure if the ENL teacher’s lesson plan was created by or even aligns with a classroom teacher’s lesson plan or pacing—although it just has to.

Most teachers are certified in and teach only one subject. Is teaching the whole class versus taking a small group out normal for ENL teachers? Or is this practice peculiar to my district?

I am asking because I am considering becoming an ENL. Thank you.

I am trying to help my mom with her new job as a teacher. She has leg pain and a really tough boss/school principal, and I am trying to help her learn enough of the computer and programs for learning how to use student data. She did not get the training she needs for these online student achievement tracking programs. She is 61 and is generally not great with computers. She should be retiring like most people her age , but really needs the money to help my sister and me afford our home.

I feel under enormous pressure to help her learn. It has been a really hard year and she was dealt a bad hand. I break down in tears and yell in anger because I do not know what to do. I can’t abandon her because I love her and would do anything to help her—and I mean anything that is not evil in the eyes of God—but I get worn out. If she gets fired, I know that God will provide some kind of path, but all her and my hard work will have been for nothing, which I ultimately would be okay with.

It’s just that I do not know what she would do if she were not a teacher and I do not know if there is a way out. I feel so stressed and responsible for her even though she is her own creation of God. God does not seem to be helping her or me.

How should I pray? I do not know what to do. It has been going on for a year. I know that others have major problems, much bigger than mine, and I also feel like a brat for asking. Any helpful thoughts would really help us.