Today I got to spend 4 hours between a training seminar learning about new procedures and policies for ELL students at my school and then starting to implement these new ridiculously monotonous, inane procedures.  Only in America would we spend thousands and likely millions of dollars catering to people who can't seem to learn English.  When I was an exchange student in Russia, there was not one person willing to bend over backwards and attend training seminars on how to make things easier for me or make things better for me in the classroom.  I was put in to a classroom and expected to learn the language - which is what I expected when I decided to attend classes in a foreign language.

Today's seminar was all about how to create and write "ILLPs" which are Individual Language Learning Plans.  Basically, for any student who is deemed as ELL upon taking the tests, we have to prepare this document itemizing how we plan to support this student and not only teach them our assigned content objectives but also get their language skills up to par.  And I'm supposed to do this when?  When my other 29 students in each class need me just as much?  Or after school when we've already been told there is no money for after school tutoring and activities?  Or maybe I'll give up my prep time and just wing it during class.

For Pete's sake - now I am starting to understand why excellent, master teachers get fed up with the hoop jumping and move on.

I, for one, am sticking things out.  I love my students - every one of them - ELL, LD, regular ed, gifted, etc. but something has got to give with all of the extra "stuff" they keep throwing at teachers, especially given our extremely poor pay.