I graduated from a private college back in 2008, and earned my BA in Spanish secondary education, SummaCumLaude. I must admit, although I got my license to teach it, my Spanish isn’t the best, although native speakers can generally understand me and I can understand them most of the time. But I try my best, and that’s all I can do right now.
Anyhow, I recently got a job working in a county public school system. My job is to help a student who is a native Spanish speaker to learn English. She just came to America about half a year ago, and has only had to use English for the past month or so. She has a good disposition, and although she’s not the most studious student, she’s nice and is very polite overall, which makes working with her a breeze.
She is taking many regular courses that a high school student would have to take, such as world history, science, math, English, etc. I sit with her during some of her classes in order to help her understand what she is doing, while other times I take her out of some classes during the week in order to help her learn crucial English grammar and speaking skills. Her other teachers know this, and are very aware of her limitations.
But honestly it feels like the teachers at this school absolutely hate me for being there, and I really don’t get the reason why! They make hardly any accommodations for her temporary limitations with the English language, and they treat me like a third wheel who is interfering with their otherwise perfect little world.
When I sit down in the teachers’ lounge during lunch, none of them (all women) will ever talk with me, and they give me this wierd, almost psychotic look of disdain. Even most of the men are acting like the stuck-up women teachers, and I’m quite certain that I’m the subject of countless negative gossip sessions.
I’ve never felt so unwelcomed in a workplace in my entire life (really), and this has put a great deal of stress on me. I stopped substitute teaching in order to take on this part-time position; however, even though I’m making twice the money and working half the hours that I was, I am miserable. If it weren’t for the fact that this student really needed help in nearly all-white, non-hispanic school, I probably would have left by now.
Why am I being treated like this, when all I am trying to do is to help a young Spanish-speaking student become successful academically and socially?
My blood pressure must be up at least 20 points this week. Your advice is gladly welcomed.
Thank you, and God bless.