Student Spotlight: Lizeth and Miguel

Read about the changes in this mother and son pair after the jump!

Lizeth came to us as a new student this year. She is the mother of a three year old, who attends our Early Childhood program, and a six year old, who attends the local elementary school. Lizeth has consistently participated in all five components of our program, arriving each day ready to learn and with meticulously completed homework in hand. She participates in the adult ESL classes with enthusiasm and has contributed greatly to the sense of community that exists within her class.

Lizeth has embraced each component equally and with an eagerness to learn whatever material is presented. In parenting sessions, she has interacted with other students and has taken information presented in class and put it into practice in her home. She and her son actively participate in PACT sessions, as well. She recently shared with us how much her son enjoys the songs and how he looks forward to that each week.

On our recent trip to the library, Lizeth obtained a library card for the first time. She took home books that day and has since returned often to take out more. She shared with us that this library card has opened the door to literacy activities at home. In addition to her own two children, she also cares for her sister’s children, ages three and four. She told us how every two or three days, she and the children go to the library and choose books. When they return home, they select one book to read as a group. As they read, Lizeth asks the children questions about what they’re reading and how they feel or think. As they answer the questions, Lizeth gives them stickers to encourage their participation. This positive reinforcement is a topic we have discussed in class. Following that particular class, Lizeth went to the dollar store and purchased stickers and has been using positive reinforcement with her children ever since. She reports that the children love going to the library and have been fully engaged in reading at home. She also commented that this has made her home a more calm place to be and she, herself, feels less stressed.

Lizeth is an absolutely wonderful example of what can be accomplished and changed as a student embraces all components of our Family Literacy Program.


Lizeth's son, Miguel, has also shown incredible improvement over the past year of participation in our Early Childhood program. Michelle, Miguel's teacher, had this to say about him:

Miguel is a delightful little boy.  He has lots of friends at Tolton, and enjoys shouting out their names during our hello song everyday.  He loves to sing, dance, and do the hand gestures for songs we have learned.  (He told us that his dad likes to sing too!)  He has a joyful temperament and approach to learning.  He is talkative, and has learned to sit and enjoy the stories we read together, adding comments and responding to what we are reading.  He loves participating in hands-on activities like cooking, building things, dramatic play (especially being in charge of the cash register!), and science experiments.

Miguel has improved his fine motor skills this year- moving from the very beginning stages of holding a crayon in his fist to holding it with his fingers.  He can cut using the scissors and only a little help from an adult.  This month he has learned to recognize his name, trace his name on his card, and match his name in lower case letters to his name in Upper case letters.  He can recognize M is for Miguel.  Miguel is a great counter.  I was afraid after Christmas break that he had forgotten how to count, until he counted very loudly only in English!  He knows his basic colors in Spanish and some of them in English.  He loves to play matching games with cards that depict cartoon characters feeling different emotions, and he can name each of the emotions.


One of the things that makes me happiest is seeing Miguel run up to his mom after class and tell her about what he did at school.  He always seems so excited to see her, show her his work and tell her about what he was doing.  He clearly is learning throughout his day, and taking home the ideas he has learned at school.  We were playing at the park in the fall, and if they wanted a push on the tire swing, the kids had to count in english.  Miguel was having so much fun he did not want to leave at the end of class.  I heard him shouting and singing his english numbers from down the block as he walked home with his mom after class.



We are so proud of the progress Lizeth and Miguel have made as a family this year and so honored to have been a part of their learning journey!