A mother’s return to school breaks down a language barrier and builds confidence
For years, Claudia Delgadillo put her education on hold. Her struggles with the English language, however, eventually brought her back into the classroom as an English as a second language student at Fontana Adult School (FAS).
Delgadillo, originally from Jalisco, Mexico, moved to the United States nearly 18 years ago, after getting married. Shortly after her arrival, her son was born and, as he grew older, Delgadillo realized she needed to devote her time to helping him through school.
“He was starting to have problems with his behavior and grades, so we took him to a doctor, and he was diagnosed with ADHD,” Delgadillo remembers. “I used to be in the principal’s office every day, so I signed up to volunteer there.”
In the years that followed, however, she found that her difficulties with English were often frustrating. By the time her son entered high school he had seen a drastic improvement, and Delgadillo decided it was time to pursue her own education.
“The teachers at Fontana Adult School are great. The school is the best, the service staff, the teachers, the lessons, everything.”
Claudia Delgadillo, Student, Fontana Adult School
“I told my husband I felt that it was my time to go to school to learn,” Delgadillo remembers.
Friends had recommended FAS’s English as a second language program to Delgadillo before. Finally, she had the time to enroll but, she recalls, one of the most difficult parts of getting started in the program was getting past her own anxiety. The prospect felt daunting. Her instructors at FAS, however, helped make that step a bit easier.
“The hardest part wasn’t the lessons, it was me,” Delgadillo says.
Delgadillo credits the teachers and staff at the school for helping her through it and making her feel more comfortable at the school.
“The teachers at Fontana Adult School are great,” Delgadillo says. “The school is the best, the service staff, the teachers, the lessons, everything.”
In addition to improving her English skills, Delgadillo says the program was immensely helpful in boosting her self-confidence. At first, she would sit in class, looking at the floor in hopes that the instructor would not call on her but eventually found the confidence to speak up. These days, she says she is not afraid to participate in class.
“I’m a lot more comfortable being in a class and being able to push myself,” she says.
Now that she has completed the ESL program, Delgadillo says she plans to return to FAS to complete her GED.
Attending the school, she says, was the best educational experience she has had, and one she highly recommends to others. There may be stumbles along the way, she says, but it is just part of the educational process.
“Don’t be nervous, don’t be afraid to make an error,” Delgadillo says. “Never give up.”
For more information on Fontana Adult School’s English as a second language classes visit: https://www.fusd.net/adultschool
Written by Jacob Peterson
| Regions | Classes & Topics |
|---|---|
| Southern California | English as a Second Language |
