English as a Second Language (ESL), Pre-K through 5th grade
At PS 8 since 2003
Being a successful ESL teacher, Ms. Posluszny says, is about more than just teaching students to speak a new language. It is about helping them adjust to their school environment and feel part of the school community. “Because I am an out-of-classroom teacher, my goals are set specifically around each child,” she says. Sometimes that involves in-classroom instruction, known as “push in,” in addition to small group or individual work outside the classroom, called “pull out.” When a classroom teacher is absent, Ms. Posluszny sometimes serves as the substitute for the day. She earned her bachelor’s degree in comparative literature at Bryn Mawr College and is currently studying for her master’s degree in the field of T.E.S.O.L (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) at Long Island University. When she has free time, she enjoys spending time with friends, running, swimming and biking, and in 2004 completed the Five Borough Bike Tour.
