In this episode, Susan Lambert is joined by Arturo Valadez Sáenz, a demonstration teacher from Dallas, Texas, who delves into his journey from his childhood in Mexico to becoming an educator in the United States. He describes his current role, teaching both English and Spanish language arts, and emphasizes the importance of bilingual education. He shares the demographics and linguistic challenges of his students, many of whom are newcomers to the country, some of whom come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds or speak different dialects. Arturo discusses effective strategies like bilingual pairing, feedback for learning, and the impact of Science of Reading practices in his classroom. He also highlights the necessity of creating a positive classroom culture and building students’ confidence. Arturo’s story is a testament to the transformative power of education and the significant difference a dedicated teacher can make in the lives of students.

Show notes:

Quotes:
“I realized that I truly have a calling of being with kids, and the biggest thing to me is the intrinsic reward that you receive, especially working with economically disadvantaged communities.” —Arturo Valadez Sáenz

“It’s all about confidence, building the student’s confidence. It’s a huge component of preparing students to be successful.” —Arturo Valadez Sáenz

“It’s not about the teacher. When planning, my biggest suggestion is do not plan for your own actions. Plan for what the students are going to be doing in every single portion of the lesson.” —Arturo Valadez Sáenz

Episode timestamps*
03:00 Introduction: Who is Arturo Valdez Sáenz?
05:00 Journey to Teaching
09:00 Importance of Bilingual Education
14:00 Strategies for creating positive classroom culture
21:00 Parental Involvement
23:00 Challenges in Bilingual Education and the importance of educator collaboration
27:00 Setting High Expectations for Every Child
28:00 The Power of Immediate Feedback
33:00 Building student confidence and classroom collaboration
34:00 Effective Grouping Strategies in Bilingual Classrooms
37:00 Engaging Students Across Different Grade Levels
40:00 Implementing Science of Reading Practices
45:00 Celebrating Student Growth and Success
48:00 Final Thoughts and Encouragement for Educators
*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute

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