English came fourth for teacher Ellen Yu Costa, after German,
Spanish and Chinese, an experience she uses to reach out to her own
students at Gavilan’s Morgan Hill campus.
By Megan Glenn
English came fourth for teacher Ellen Yu Costa, after German, Spanish and Chinese, an experience she uses to reach out to her own students at Gavilan’s Morgan Hill campus.
“I think my success has been that I teach from a different point of view,” said Costa, who is from Taiwan. “It’s being able to understand what they’re going through.”
Costa, who teaches English as a Second Language and citizenship classes, was named Educator of the Year by the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce as part of their 2010 Salute Morgan Hill winners.
Costa has been teaching for almost five years, and is very close to wrapping up a Master’s Degree on the subject.
“I’ve dedicated my life to learning about English-language learning,” Costa said.
Lorraine Welk, the director for Gavilan’s Morgan Hill campus, said she nominated Costa because of the “amazing progress” she regularly sees in Costa’s students.
Welk said Costa will often start with a class where five students speak Spanish, four speak Russian, and one or two speak Farsi.
“She is able to communicate with them,” Welk said, and by the end of the semester their English skills have grown immensely, something Welk attributes to Costa’s encouragement and passion.
“She’s getting her master’s and wants to give back,” Welk said.
Costa has pioneered several programs within Morgan Hill in her time here. One of her greatest successes, Costa said, began a few years ago when she recruited a group of senior citizens to read with 12 first-graders who were struggling to learn English. Now, 10 of them are taking Advanced Placement classes in high school.
“One semester made the difference” for those kids, she said.
Costa also works on teaching immigrant parents American cultural expectations. She said many immigrant families tend to defer to teachers and schools.
“Their silence is deemed as not caring,” Costa said, adding that often isn’t the case.
Costa said it was a “great honor” to have ESL education recognized, and that there are lots of very qualified teachers in the area who are also working hard.
“I’m trying to share this award,” Costa said.
What: Salute Awards Dinner
When: Jan. 30
Where: Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center
