Four teachers from the Darlington School District presented a panel on the growing rate of English Language Learner (ELL) students within the community on Sunday Feb. 5 at 2 p.m. at the Platteville Public Library. 

The panel includes teachers Molly Rice, Mariah McMullen, Kaylee Crist and Luz Berkhard, who explained that they were only a small part of an entire network of staff dedicated to enhancing the learning experience for ELL students. 

The teachers center their own education around the book “In the Country We Love: My Family Divided” by Diane Guerrero. The book is a memoir recounting Guerrero’s time as a young, bilingual student growing up in the US public school system. 

The panel explained that the book is important for better understanding their ELL students and helping to connect with them in the best ways possible. Crist explained that when she was in school, they had about one international student in her district.

Since becoming a teacher, her district has seen an influx of immigrant students, reaching a record high of around 25 level-one ELL students moving into the area. 

With this influx, educators must adjust their teaching styles. Crist says, “As educators, we’re encouraging them to step out of their comfort zones. If you’re not willing to do that yourself, then don’t ask it of them.” 

The book was first presented to the Darlington staff by Berkhard and was received with an overwhelming amount of support from many teachers. The district, which serves as a model to surrounding schools like Lancaster, hopes to continue to learn and grow along with their ELL Students by developing ways to better support them and show them that they will not be left behind.