The Transformation of Ms. Corazón: Creating Humanizing Spaces for Mexican Immigrant Students in Secondary ESL Classrooms

Abstract

This article explores the journey of one English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher who held rigid boundaries that negatively impacted the academic resiliency of her Mexican immigrant students. As she transformed her pedagogical orientation, she created permeability in her curricular practices. With the elements of respeto (respect), confianza (mutual trust), consejos (verbal teachings), and buen ejemplo (exemplary role model) firmly built as the foundation for learning English, the immigrant students were more invested in classroom events.