1. I See You Making a Difference

Teaching Multilingual Learners can feel overwhelming, but I see you showing up every day even under difficult circumstances. The connections you build and the support you provide are life-changing. Even when progress is slow, your students learn more than you realize. Keep going—your work matters deeply.

2. I See You Prioritizing Relationships

Even with the negative rhetoric about immigration, I see you creating spaces for MLs where they feel seen, valued, and safe. I see you creating spaces where they belong—learning their names, honoring their cultures, and celebrating their voices. I see you putting up their work on the wall. From my book chapter on Critically Conscious Classrooms: “Students are drawn to work produced by themselves other students. Creating space for published work, or final products can be a motivating way to celebrate a product. Involving the students in this process adds to the reflective, metacognitive process. Barrett et al. claim that students not only feel a greater sense of responsibility for their learning, but are also more likely to remember the content. When students decide what goes up on the wall and why, more voices and ideas are present when they know the work is going up. Students could choose a piece of their work and ask for feedback or they could choose something that is finished or publishable.

These relationships are the foundation for language growth and confidence.

3. I See You Celebrating Small Wins

Every step forward is worth recognizing. A student using a new word, asking a question, or smiling because they feel understood—these moments add up. I see you noticing them, and that encouragement keeps your students moving forward.

4. I See You Leveraging Their Strengths

We know that Multilingual Learners are not empty vessels; they bring rich languages, cultures, and experiences with them. I see you building on what they already know, showing them that their backgrounds are assets, not barriers. When you highlight their strengths, they begin to see them too.

5. I See You Advocating

You are more than a teacher—you are an advocate for your students.

NBC reports:

At least eight large public school districts across the United States have vowed in recent days to try to protect undocumented immigrant students and their families from President Donald Trump's mass deportation push.

The Trump administration has removed restrictions that prevented Immigration and Customs Enforcement from conducting raids at so-called sensitive locations, including schools (as well as houses of worship and hospitals).

All children in the United States, according to the Education Department, are entitled to a public education, regardless of their “immigration status,” allowing public school districts to largely avoid asking about or keeping records of their pupils’ standing with immigration laws.

I see you pushing for equitable opportunities, making sure they have the resources and support they deserve. Your belief in them gives them the confidence to believe in themselves. Thank you for your bravery in standing up and noticing these students' humanity, beauty, and intelligence. Your creativity and innovative work with these students. I admire you!

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