In my service learning school, there are two major decisions that have greatly impacted the students there. Firstly, because this school is nearly 70% minorities, the Brown V Board decision has allowed my predominantly white children to attend the same school as these minority children and integrate with them on a personal and meaningful level. My children have gained valuable knowledge, insight, and exposure to other languages, cultures, and people that they otherwise wouldn't have if racial segregation was still the accepted societal standard. Because there are so many minority children, and over half of them speak Spanish as their primary language, my children are able to learn more of the Spanish language, and about the holidays, traditions, and cultural practices of Hispanic Americans in our community.
This leads well into the second landmark decision that affects my service learning school. In Lau v. Nichols, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the Department of Education's May 25, 1970, Memorandum, that directed school districts to take steps to help English language learning (ELL) students overcome language barriers and to ensure that they can participate meaningfully in the districts' educational programs. As mentioned previously, this school is 70% minorities, with 54% being Hispanic. Everything at this school is done in both English and Spanish, and many of the teachers and administration speaks Spanish fluently. Every permission form that's sent home, every announcement e-mail, every poster on the walls, and even every PTA meeting is done in both English and Spanish. The children in the classroom are primarily learning in English, but there is almost always translation available, either from the teacher themselves, another staff member, and sometimes even their peers.
So while the music teacher I've been observing doesn't speak Spanish fluently, she is always learning new words in Spanish to help communicate with those students who struggle with English. She asks the Spanish-speaking students how to say certain words, and gives plenty of time for those students to translate for the ones that don't speak English well (or at all). The learning of Spanish words has become such a central part of the classroom, and I think that's such valuable exposure for these children who primarily speak English!
Comments
Post a Comment