Your Morning Boost - Transforming Education for Refugee English Learners | Vice Principal UnOfficed - Telling the school stories no one puts in the newsletter.

Your Morning Boost Ready to lead with intention? Join us for 'Your Morning Boost' – your daily dose of motivation to empower yourself and your team. Subscribe now and start your day with a powerful mindset Check us out at: www.awbeducation.org www.grundmeyerleadersearch.com Welcome to this episode of your Morning Boost, brought to you by AWB Education in collaboration with Grundmeyer Leader Services. Hosted by Melissa Grinstead, a lead ESOL contributor, this session dives deep into the multifaceted challenges faced by refugee English learners (ELs) in our education system. The episode sheds light on the significant trauma and barriers these students often experience, including limited or no formal education and the daunting language barrier. Understanding these complexities is crucial in providing the necessary support. The focus here is on creating a safe and welcoming environment where refugee students feel seen, heard, and understood. The vital role of building strong relationships with both students and their families is emphasized, as is the need to leverage interpreters and cultural liaisons to truly understand and meet the needs of these students. The episode dispels misconceptions about refugee ELs, highlighting their intelligence and the unique perspectives they bring to enrich the classroom experience for everyone. Listeners are encouraged to exercise patience, compassion, and cultural curiosity to foster an environment where refugee ELs can thrive. Collaboration and outreach are deemed essential to meeting students' needs and unlocking their immense potential. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/your-morning-boost--6612702/support. Learn more about our sponsors at awbeducation.org and grundmeyerleadersearch.com. Learn more about our work at awbeducation.org and grundmeyerleadersearch.com. Find out more about what we do: AWB Education - awbeducation.org Grundmeyer Leader Services - grundmeyerleadersearch.com Got a mailbag question? Reach out to us at adam@awbeducation.org

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00:00:22 --> 00:00:26 Your path to success awaits. Welcome to your morning boost, your daily leadership
00:00:26 --> 00:00:29 advice to help you lead your school community.
00:00:29 --> 00:00:33 Brought to you by AWB Education and sponsored by Grundmeyer Leader Services,
00:00:34 --> 00:00:38 where together we are transforming education, one leader at a time.
00:00:38 --> 00:00:41 Good morning and welcome to your Morning Boost. I'm your host today,
00:00:41 --> 00:00:46 Melissa Grinstead, and I am a lead ESOL contributor to the work of AWB Education.
00:00:47 --> 00:00:50 Reach out for more information, as always, to get connected to serve your ESOL needs.
00:00:50 --> 00:00:55 And we'll dive right into today's topic, which is supporting our refugee English learners.
00:00:56 --> 00:01:00 So when we think of our refugee English learners, the challenges are really multifaceted.
00:01:01 --> 00:01:05 So many of our refugee English learners have experienced some significant trauma,
00:01:05 --> 00:01:09 whether that occurred in their home country or along their journey to resettlement
00:01:09 --> 00:01:11 or a combination of both.
00:01:11 --> 00:01:16 Trauma can really impact their learning, their behavior, and their overall well-being.
00:01:16 --> 00:01:19 And so those are things just to keep in mind right out of the gates when we
00:01:19 --> 00:01:21 are welcoming our refugee ELs.
00:01:21 --> 00:01:27 Additionally, some of our refugee ELs are arriving with limited formal education.
00:01:27 --> 00:01:29 Some may have never attended school at all.
00:01:29 --> 00:01:34 And of course, there's that pesky little language barrier that's also a huge hurdle.
00:01:34 --> 00:01:38 I always remind myself, think about learning a new concept in a language you
00:01:38 --> 00:01:42 don't understand while also navigating a completely unfamiliar culture.
00:01:42 --> 00:01:46 It's pretty daunting. So everything is going to be new to these refugee students.
00:01:47 --> 00:01:50 The food, the customs, the way we interact with each other, our school system.
00:01:50 --> 00:01:54 They're trying to adjust to a new life while grieving the loss of their home,
00:01:55 --> 00:01:57 their community, and sometimes even family members.
00:01:57 --> 00:02:00 It's a lot to process for anyone—
00:02:00 --> 00:02:04 especially children. So it's going to be critical that before we even think
00:02:04 --> 00:02:09 about the academic piece that we are really focused on building that safe and
00:02:09 --> 00:02:09 welcoming environment.
00:02:10 --> 00:02:15 These refugee students more than anyone need to feel seen and heard and understood
00:02:15 --> 00:02:16 and they want to feel like they belong.
00:02:16 --> 00:02:21 So anytime that we can really focus on building those relationships with both
00:02:21 --> 00:02:25 the students and their families, even though communication can be difficult,
00:02:25 --> 00:02:29 we are going to see a lot of bang for our buck when we do that right out of the gates.
00:02:29 --> 00:02:32 It's going to be critical that we rely on our interpreters and cultural liaisons
00:02:32 --> 00:02:36 so that we can get to know the families and their stories and their needs and
00:02:36 --> 00:02:38 help support them in any way possible.
00:02:38 --> 00:02:41 We know that our families are the children's first teachers and their biggest
00:02:41 --> 00:02:44 advocates, and we need to work closely with them.
00:02:44 --> 00:02:47 They are the ones that can help us understand what are the kiddos' cultural backgrounds?
00:02:48 --> 00:02:51 What are their strengths, their needs? What challenges might they be facing?
00:02:51 --> 00:02:54 What resources can we help connect them with? We want to make sure that those
00:02:54 --> 00:02:59 basic needs are met so that then we can get going and really dive into that
00:02:59 --> 00:03:02 English language acquisition and content area instruction.
00:03:02 --> 00:03:06 I think that one of the biggest misconceptions about refugee ELs that I've heard
00:03:06 --> 00:03:09 is that they are uneducated. It's simply not true.
00:03:09 --> 00:03:13 Many are highly intelligent and some come from really educated backgrounds,
00:03:13 --> 00:03:17 but they just need some support in accessing that curriculum in English.
00:03:17 --> 00:03:20 It's also a misconception that because the student is a refugee,
00:03:21 --> 00:03:23 that they're just set up on this path to struggle academically.
00:03:23 --> 00:03:27 Of course, many of them need extra support, but many thrive and excel,
00:03:27 --> 00:03:31 and actually they bring really unique perspectives and experiences to the classroom
00:03:31 --> 00:03:34 that can enrich the learning for all students around them.
00:03:34 --> 00:03:38 So I think my biggest takeaway for working with refugee students is be patient,
00:03:38 --> 00:03:42 have compassion, and be willing to learn about their cultures.
00:03:42 --> 00:03:44 Their languages, their needs.
00:03:44 --> 00:03:46 These students have an incredible amount to offer.
00:03:46 --> 00:03:51 They are some of the most resilient, strong human beings that I've ever had
00:03:51 --> 00:03:52 the opportunity to work with.
00:03:52 --> 00:03:57 And when we can find a way to focus on their strengths and celebrate that progress
00:03:57 --> 00:04:01 and growth that we're seeing, no matter how small, it's going to make a huge
00:04:01 --> 00:04:03 difference. And don't be afraid to ask for help.
00:04:03 --> 00:04:06 Many times refugee students and their families have needs that are outside of
00:04:06 --> 00:04:08 the scope of a classroom teacher.
00:04:08 --> 00:04:13 And it's okay for us to be able to reach out to outreach staff in our districts
00:04:13 --> 00:04:17 or elsewhere to help get them connected to the resources they need.
00:04:17 --> 00:04:21 The collaboration is going to be huge with these students. I think one of the
00:04:21 --> 00:04:25 most beautiful things with refugee students is that there is such a high ceiling, right?
00:04:25 --> 00:04:30 And we have the opportunity to see so much growth and really untap into some amazing potential.
00:04:30 --> 00:04:33 And I just love working with refugee ELs.
00:04:33 --> 00:04:36 That is your Morning Boost for today, and we will talk with you again soon.
00:04:36 --> 00:04:41 You have been listening to your Morning Boost by AWB Education in partnership
00:04:41 --> 00:04:42 with Grundmeyer Leader Services.
00:04:43 --> 00:04:47 You can find out more about our services by clicking on the links in the description.
00:04:48 --> 00:04:52 Remember, you are doing this vital job that only a few can do.
00:04:53 --> 00:04:56 So until next time, thank you for your service to your community.