Melting Pot: Cross opens up a world of learning

Meredith Cross, ESOL teacher at Crabapple Lane Elementary, makes learning accessible for all students. 

Fayette County Public Schools uses a full-immersion model for ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) where students are in the regular classroom absorbing the language and working with the same standards. Cross joins them in their classrooms in 45-minute segments, helping them build a foundation of vocabulary, letter sounds, letter names, and other key pieces of the English language. 

“As the ESOL teacher, my job is to make those standards accessible with the language they have,” said Cross. “The ultimate goal is that they try to be successful without my support.” 

She also works with students in small groups and one-on-ones to dial in on particular topics of need. The range of languages spoken at Crabapple Lane is wide, including Spanish, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Serbian, Vietnamese, Korean, Hindi, and Portuguese. 

“I’m supporting their language development in their classroom and the standards that they’re focusing on with their homeroom teachers,” she said 

Cross was a classroom teacher for several years before she moved into ESOL. When she was teaching 1st grade at Spring Hill Elementary, a new student from Pakistan was placed in her class, the first time she ever had an ESOL student. 

“I was nervous,” she said. “I ended up loving it. Seeing the growth that he made, the perseverance of coming into a brand new country not knowing the language, it was just really inspiring.” 

She asked for more and had 8 ESOL students in her class the following year. 

“After that, I was like ‘This is what I want to do.’” 

That led her to become a full-time ESOL teacher. 

“The immigrant story has always touched my heart,” she said. “There’s nothing braver than bringing your family to a new country where they could face language barriers and cultural differences.” 

She draws inspiration from all of her colleagues. 

“As the ESOL teacher I get to push into classes and co-teach or teach alongside other teachers,” she said. “Seeing how hard classroom teachers work for their students and the level of dedication, it just really inspires me to then step it up and work that hard for my students.” 

As her students work towards fluency in English, Cross is challenging herself to become more fluent in Spanish. She can even ask them when she needs help saying certain things. 

“To see my students watch me struggle with another language, I feel it’s important,” she said. “It shows them that you have to work at it.” 

She relishes being a safe place at school for students and their families embarking on a challenging journey. 

“Making connections with my students and their families, that’s my ultimate why,” said Cross. “It truly is an honor to be a part of their stories.” 

The teachers in her life, like her own mother, helped shape Cross’s path, and she aims to do the same for classes.

“My teachers were so impactful to my life that I hope that, in some small way, I can be impactful to my students’ lives, even if it’s one small little part of their story,” she said. “It is truly an honor to watch them grow and watch them learn.” 

“The Honor Role,” an official podcast for Fayette County Public Schools, features employees, rotating through key stakeholders, including teachers, staff, nurses, custodians, cafeteria workers, and bus drivers. Join us as we dive in and learn about their journeys, their inspirations, and their whys.

Episodes are available on all major podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and promoted on the social media channels of Fayette County Public Schools.

Episodes will also be available here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2200811.