So today we had a faculty meeting, started with the usual stuff... then got to a slap in the face. I really don't know how to feel about this subject. Need some feed back from you all. I mean one way I feel racist.... and then the other way I feel taken advantage of. Let me just start from the beginning... Last week at the end of Drivers Ed. class, I had a couple of Hispanic students come up to my desk... one of them in broken English said... we don't speak English... and just looked at me. I was kinda taken aback, didn't quite know what to say at that point... which doesn't happen very often. So I looked at her and said, I am sorry this is an English Drivers Ed. class. I have really been thinking about this though... Is it my responsibility as a teacher to accommodate to these girls? I mean honestly part of me feels that they are in an English dominant country... so they should accommodate to us. But, then the other part of me loves all kids and wants them to be successful. Which leads to our faculty meeting today, my principal stated that our district is getting monitored by the federal government now because we don't accommodate to minorities within our schools. I guess I just feel like.. Why should it be my job to accommodate to them? Would they do the same for me? And then I just feel selfish for thinking that... I am definitely sitting on the fence here.. !! It just seems to me that responsibility should be on both sides... somehow !!??? Any thoughts or input you have would be great !! In the meantime... I am just gonna sit here on my fence and enjoy the view .. :)
8 comments:
Wow- That would be tough. I have never shared an experience quite like that, but I have to say I am in agreement with you. I am all about people coming to our beautiful country and sharing it with us, but some responsibilities have to land on them. We can only take them so far anyway- we can point them in the direction to go, but they have to take the reigns if they want to be successful here.
Tams- Being Hispanic (Mexican American)...Here are my thoughts-I believe like you that all of our students need to be successful and part of that success is going to be achieved by learning English. I think that as teachers we can accomodate students using instructional strategies, but in the end English is a skill they will need to learn. We also have had the Dept. of Justice monitor our school for the past 6 years- in the end I think their monitoring has helped us develop our programs for the betterment of all students- it did appear at times that students had the upper hand and got lots of "out's" or "excuses" supported by the DOJ mandates, but 6 years later I can say our school is truly a better place...but English is a must- esp. if they are planning on driving in the USA...just my thoughts...
I agree with preppy principal. Also, all of the freeway signs, addresses, etc...that a driver is going to see in St. George will be in English so they'd better start learning!
I don't know about the whole drivers ed thing, but I am grateful for Albertos! So whatever we need to do to keep them in buisness, I am all for!
Love,
Carter
Tu tienes que entender hablar un poquito de espanol para ayudar tus estudiantes entender hablar ingles. Este es el mundo.
The good Lord works in mysterious ways, because shortly after my last comment I found out that they are putting an Albertos in right up from Canyon View High School. I can care less if they can drive, but God bless our latino bretheren for the carne asada burrito! God bless them!
Love,
Carter
I'm with Carter...even though I think he should skip over to Robertos for an even better carne asada. I have to say I love hispanic people but, they really should take English courses and learn the language BEFORE they learn to drive. Wouldn't learning the language be the first thing you would do if you were going to live in South America?
good point Rick (I think I understood it)
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