Category: Press Features

WIDA Featured Educators

3/4/2021

NC EL Teacher Network

March 2021 Featured Educators:
NC EL Teacher Network Leadership Team

I am honored and excited to be part of this amazing North Carolina (NC) English Learners (EL) Network Team. This is my second year in this group and I love the energy and passion everyone shares.

The NC EL Network team brought together individuals who love working with ELs and began sharing a network of resources to support EL teachers in NC.

We are so excited to be the WIDA Featured Educators for the month of March. Read about the network HERE and learn everything this wonderful group is doing in the Carolinas.

Follow us on Twitter using the hashtag #Together4ELs

La Noticia

7/2/2020

Maestra usa sus experiencias como estudiante inmigrante para capacitar a otros profesores
“Teacher uses her experiences as an immigrant student to help others”

I am so honored and humbled that Julian Berger would take his time to write this fantastic article about my immigrant journey and teaching experience.

What makes it even better is that Julian graduated from my HS not long ago and knows teachers and students mentioned during our conversation. What a small world.

Here's a link to the article posted July 2nd, 2020

Thank you so much for reading!

COVID19 & ESL Students

4/18/2020

March 13th was the last day students attended class on campus here in Cabarrus County, North Carolina.
As soon as we started discussing going to online learning, our county began to provide resources and ideas to support our students through a new norm.
Our county schools provided computers and local internet services provided services to those who needed it.
Teachers began receiving instructions on how and when yo provide remote lessons and student online engagement.

What I started noticing though was that my HS students were finding themselves having to go to work since they were not attending school.
The financial need families began to experience led to students having to get up early and spend all day working or staying at home taking care of their siblings.

I began to share these observations on social media and the comments were notices.
Below you'll find a couple of press releases that highlight what our ESL students are going through this pandemic time.

Ruben Jones - COVID-19's IMPACT ON STUDENTS:
High Schoolers Find Jobs While Balancing Virtual Learning

Here is a fantastic article published by Alex Granados - Senior Reporter for EducationNC.

How is COVID-19 Affecting ESL Students?

Thank you for reading!

EdNC Featured Article

1/17/2020

On November 26th, 2019, I received an email from Alex Granados, a Senior Reporter for EducationNC. His email stated that he was "working on a series about "rock star" teachers...who are considered particularly beloved, effective, or innovative..." and he wanted to come to my school to learn more about me and my students.

Of course, we were thrilled to welcome him to our school and see our classes and students in action.

"I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become."
~Carl Jung

On December 4th, 2019, Mr. Granados visited our ESL classroom and was able to see my newcomers and my instruction in action!
My students were all working at their seats working on other class assignments and/or an assignments I had provided.
Meanwhile, I was pulling small groups to provide individualized and personalized instruction.

Mr. Granados interviewed me, observed my students, and met with my principal, Dr. Auerbach.
While Mr. Granados was in the room, we took a minute to cheer and celebrate one of our students. Oliver had just received a letter from the NC superintendent congratulating him for a recent recognition as Athlete of the Week for the Charlotte Observer.

I share this with you because I LOVE it (and students do too) when we are highlighted and featured for what we do best...learning and building a culture where the possibilities as endless!

My Favorite part of the article is this:
"Sitting in her classroom, one can see how that experience translates into a personal connection. The students work on their ESL assignments. But they also work on homework from their other classes, periodically checking in with Francis to ask questions or seek advice. The students chat with her in a way that is rare for students to interact with teachers.
“If I didn’t have my struggles and experiences, I wouldn’t be as effective as I am,” Francis said."

So, here is the beautiful article Mr. Granados featured on us! Enjoy!
An immigrant’s dream to be a teacher: Emily Francis of Cabarrus County

Hicksville Visit

10/8/2019

Bulletin board at OCR elementary school

Updated on 10/24/19
Publications on the event: Mid-Island Times: Renowned speaker shares inspirational story with Hicksville students click here!

Over a year ago, Lisa Estrada, author and Supervisor of the English as a New Language (ENL) and World Languages department in Hicksville Public Schools in New York, invited me to visit her schools. The dates she considered never coordinated with the dates I had available. Until...we finally agreed on October 7th, 2019.
The ENL department had organized a Hispanic Heritage celebration with several events throughout Hispanic Heritage Month and at different schools throughout the county. Lisa's idea was to bring in a guest speaker who would inspire Latino students to embrace and appreciate their heritage as well as be encouraged to be successful in school.
I don't think I can explain the excitement and the honor I felt when I received Lisa's invitation to be the guest speaker they needed for this event. I have done several keynotes and presentations all through the country, but a keynote presentation for students was going to be my first ever!! Without a doubt, I accepted the invitation and started planning my visit to Hicksville Public School.

Contributing Author

7/26/2019

I am super excited to share that I have the greatest privilege and honor to be a contributing author in a new released book titled Community College Teacher Preparation for Diverse Geographies: Implications for Access and Equity for Preparing a Diverse Teacher Workforce.

"This book explores many topics related to the community college role in K-12 teacher education, including the community college mission, the policy landscape, partnerships, the transfer function, the community college baccalaureate, and others. Throughout the volume, the authors explore implications of access, equity, and geography and conclude with recommendations to guide future research and practice." ~ IAP

Our chapter: How an Unaccompanied Minor Became Teacher of the Year: The Unrealized Potential of the Community College - Dr. Spencer Salas, Bradley Smith, Bobbi Siefert, and Astrid Emily Francis.

To read more about it and/or to order a copy check out this link. The book will soon be available in all major online retailers and will also be available as an eBook.

Language of Hope

10/7/2018

EDUCATION ALUMNA USES PERSONAL JOURNEY TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION

"Emily Francis leapt from her seat in the audience of The Ellen Show and made a run for the stage. Only after she was perched alongside Ellen Degeneres did the 2016 Cabarrus County Schools Teacher of the Year realize that in her excitement, she hadn’t given the famous talk show host time to finish her introduction. But looking back at her journey—from a one room shack in Guatemala, to a New York airport facing immigration authorities, to crossing the stage at UNC Charlotte to accept a graduate degree in Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL)—it’s clear that Emily Francis had been racing toward a moment like this her entire life." ~ The Language of Love

I love how this article was introduced! The Cato College of Education at UNC Charlotte featured my story on their website this month. They also embedded wonderful pictures and videos they took while visiting me at Concord High School.

To read the entire article and watch the videos, follow this link: https://inside.uncc.edu/featured-stories/the-language-of-hope

Thank you for reading!

VirtuEL

7/4/2018

VirtuEL Conference Keynote

Click image for more information

What Every Teacher of English Learners Should Know

On Saturday, June 23rd, 2018 I had the greatest privilege to join several inspiring and amazing educators from around the world at the 2nd annual VirtuEL Conference. Tan Huynh (@TanELLclassroom) and Carol Salva (@MsSalvac) are the founders of this amazing and FREE online annual conference for teachers of English learners (and all classroom teachers in general).

The lineup of presenters is EPIC - from classroom teachers to authors and professionals in the field. Each presentation is short but loaded with great and very helpful information to support our students. To see all presentations click here: bit.ly/VirtuEL

I was honored to be the mid-conference keynote where Carol Salva interviews me and I share my immigrant/newcomer story. I also share what motivates me to do what I do and what all educators should keep in mind in regards to their language learners. If you'd like to watch/hear the interview, just see Youtube video below or go to the VirtuEL webpage.

I also would like to invite you to follow the hashtag #VirtuEL18 where you'll be connected with amazing educators who share our passion to support language learners.
If you watch the interview, I would LOVE your feedback and learn from you how you will perhaps use this video at your school or in your county.

Your legacy is NOT what you do.
it's what your students do because of you!
- George Couros

I leave you with this quote and thought...what are your language learners doing because of YOU?!?

Thank you for reading!