• Home
• About Us
• Assessments
• Directions
• Events
• Foreign Languages
• Job Board
• Publications
• PRHYLI
  • Angelo Del Toro Bio
  • Application
  • Comments from past students
  • Projects
  • Scholarship winners
  • Other Scholarship Opportunities
• NYSED Updates
• Presentation Archive
• Resources
• Services
• Title III
  • Title III Overview
  • Title III Related Links
  • Listserv
  • Resources for teachers
  • Resources for parents

Opening Remarks Delivered by Dr. James Baldwin, District Superintendent for Questar III

Good morning and welcome to the Annual Teachers' Institute! I am delighted to be able to welcome you once again to what promises to be an exciting and informative day. I commend you for your commitment to the education of English Language Learners. I trust that the connections you make with colleagues here today will serve you well as you continue to evolve in your work with English Language Learners.

It is these connections - the ones you make with each other - that continue to allow you to develop and grow as professionals. It is through collaboration with one another that you continue the conversation of how to best serve our English Language Learner population.

As we have recently witnessed, major economic events have unfolded over the past few months - solidifying the fact that our world has become a place that is inextricably intertwined. We can no longer attempt to live in isolation. We are so connected that events unfolding on the other side of the world have repercussions right here in our own country - and furthermore, in our state, in our local communities and in our schools.

The economic future of our country - and ultimately, the common good -- depends upon the connections we create and nurture as we evolve. This is a reality that is reflected every day in American classrooms: the connections you create in your work and for your students are critical to their success.

Your students are hungry for connections. And, as you know, helping them make these connections is a significant part of what you do. Often, you are the first person that they connect with in the school, as you offer a smile, a hand - universal gestures that open the door to learning.

You help them connect their native culture with their adopted one; tapping into their prior knowledge and experience in order to help them achieve. You show them that their background and experiences are something to be revered - and not something regarded as a deficit. English Language Learners are, in many instances, untapped resources - just about ready to burst.

You help these students connect their native language to English, because you know that, in the long run, it will serve not only as a link to their heritage - but it will also allow them to reach their fullest potential as the new generation of bilingual and biliterate members of our global society.

You connect with their parents, as well - good, hard-working people who want the best for their children - but who may not speak the language of our school system. You encourage them to become involved in the education of their children.

You visit their homes, their communities. You encourage them to come to your schools - massive, foreboding places with an unfamiliar culture. And at that triumphant moment they walk through the door, you are there to greet them.

Most importantly, you understand the importance of literacy as a significant connection between our students and their future. Enhanced literacy has the power to close the achievement gap for our students. Literacy is critical to opening doors for our students when they leave our schools. It is a key indicator of individual economic success, and has the potential to empower our students to realize their dreams.

Enhancing literacy development for our students is not without its challenges, however.

More and more English Language Learners are entering our schools, particularly in places that have until now had little to no experience with them. Your role, as teachers and advocates of English Language Learners, is integral as this trend continues - and is projected to continue at an even greater rate into the future.

In this room today, there are mainstream classroom teachers, ESL teachers, bilingual education teachers, special education teachers and administrators. I want to thank you for being here today. Your presence is evidence of your commitment to advocating for and providing the best possible programs for your students.

Your presence is also indicative of your willingness to connect with your colleagues, as you understand that a collaborative approach to the education of - not only English Language Learners, but all learners - is an effective strategy.

You serve as a model for your colleagues across our state - dedicated, hard-working educators - many of whom are working alone. I urge you to reach out to these colleagues, connect with them. Let them know that they are not alone in their efforts; engage them in the conversation you begin today.

Let them know that by working together, you can ensure the best and brightest possible future for our English Language Learners. It is absolutely critical to their success.

Thank you for being here today. Have a wonderful day!