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| School Diversity http://forum.gayleturner.net/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=3296 |
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| Author: | angela overfield [ Thu Apr 06, 2006 7:24 pm ] |
| Post subject: | School Diversity |
Some teachers that I have ran into feel that diversity is a bad thing when it comes to race, especially when the kids in their class can't speak English. I think that the kids enjoy teaching other kids English, but the Spanish speaking children are frustrating to these particular teachers. How do we as future teachers help these students, and help other teacher deal with their frustration? |
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| Author: | Jennifer Lawson [ Fri Apr 07, 2006 4:48 pm ] |
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That is a really good question. I see the same thing happening too. It’s really hard to make a person be accepting of something that they really don’t agree with, but I also think that a lot of teacher’s frustration levels would go down if they had more help and support to deal with students who speak a different language. I also think that colleges should inform education majors more on the reality of the HUGE number of ELL learners that will be in their classrooms. I feel that not all teachers know what they are getting in to. |
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| Author: | Ann Boschini [ Mon Apr 10, 2006 2:40 pm ] |
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I agree whole heartedly with both of you. I decided to take Spanish as my foreign language for college, and let me tell you it opened my eyes to the difficulties that these ELL students must face in the classroom. For I am struggling just to make a passing grade, and the teacher still speaks in English for a portion of the class. I cannot imagine what it must be like for these students whose every day is filled with classes where the teacher does not spend ample time trying to help these students understand even the basics. I am not suggesting that the teachers are unjustifyiably frustrated, but in certain situations I guess it is easy to loose sight of the fact that it is not the child's fault. The Education Department should incorporate a class that focuses on the best teaching strategies for ELL students, and if they did, I would definitely sign up for it. |
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| Author: | Hayley Wieber [ Mon Apr 10, 2006 7:22 pm ] |
| Post subject: | |
Over Spring Break I went to the Dominican Republic to teach English to strictly Spanish speaking students. When I entered the classroom, I walked into a different world. I was put in the shoes of an immigrant to the United States, not understanding the native tongue. With no way to communicate beyond standard greetings, I relied on body language and an occasional loose translator. However, the students could see that I was trying to help them, so they did their best to communicate with me. I believe that we, as teachers, can communicate in others ways than simply speaking to students. We can encourage growth in other areas and do our best to provide students with the tools they need to survive in a foreign environment. I have also recently read two books: The Circuit and Breaking Through by Francisco Jimenez. I highly recommended these books to anyone going in to the education field. Francisco documents his childhood growing up as a Mexican immigrant in the United States. He speaks of his struggles in school and the teachers who helped him succeed against all odds. The books are very short, available cheap on Amazon, and you won't be able to put them down. If you are looking for some insight then consider reading these. |
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| Author: | Lauren Leslie [ Tue Apr 11, 2006 4:31 pm ] |
| Post subject: | |
Angela, I also get that vibe from a few teachers at the school we're in right now for Practicum (and Jennifer too!). It makes me wonder if a lot of teachers at that school feel the same way. It's really discouraging to observe. However, it's got to be scary as a teacher to have students in your classroom who don't know full English or mainly speak Spanish. As teachers, I think it'd be a great idea to buddy up with a teacher who respects that kind of diversity and also knows how to work with different languages. Not having any Spanish experience besides the few things taught in elementary and middle school, I plan on picking up a few helpful books and finding a "mentor" who could help me out in situations like those. |
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