In each of the stories I chose, the issue of a child being encouraged to perform within their native culture and the culture in which they are assimilating into are addressed. Each year, there are more and more children that are being integrated into American classrooms from countries all over the world, such as Mexico, Somalia, and Burma. Having such a diverse group of children is a blessing, as the children and teacher involved have the opportunity to gain more from learning about one another’s culture beyond what a textbook has to offer.
The mistakes that were made by the teacher in La Mariposa should be a lesson learned for individuals that are going to be educating children that do not speak a single word of English. It is imperative to take those children slightly further under the wing, just as a child with a learning disability would need a little more help and encouragement when engaging in classroom lessons and activities. To leave them out is not fair, and neither is forbidding them to speak in their native language or bring traditions of their native culture to school with them, whether it be their language, dress, food, habits, etc. I Love Saturdays y domingos does an excellent job portraying the integration of two cultures, as it shows how beneficial the young girl in the story is to have two sets of grandparents that can teach her about where she comes from, and what makes her who she is in terms of her current customs and traditions.
It is important that children who are either immigrants that speak only their native language, or those that are bi-lingual, are encouraged to assimilate into their new culture, but to keep their ties strongly held with their native culture. Teachers of these children should encourage them to participate in activities with their classmates and learn just as those around them are learning, but should also be allowed to engage with other children that speak their language, or are in the same boat in terms of learning a new language. Every child, no matter their race or ethnicity, comes from a different type of home where routines, traditions, and customs are different, but these differences should be seen as a positive way for them to learn from one another and get along with all different types of people based on gender, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc. Encouraging them to do so will only help them grow as people and broaden their perspectives for the future.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Bridge the Gap!
Nathenson-Mejía, Sally, Escamilla, Kathy. Connecting With Latino Children: Bridging Cultural Gaps with Children's Literature. Bilingual Research Journal. Washington: Spring 2003. Vol. 27, Iss. 1; pg. 101, 18 pgs
In the article I chose, it spoke of the importance of teacher’s relating to their students that are of different racial and ethnic backgrounds from their own by educating themselves on other cultures, and being able to provide their students with literature that they could relate to. A project was conducted for teachers-to-be to find quality multicultural literature for their classrooms and begin to create cultural connections between the literature they found, as well as their students. It focused solely on Latino/Latina literature, but strongly emphasized that teachers could use this method of finding quality pieces of multicultural literature to educate themselves on any race or ethnicity that they are unfamiliar with.
The four main goals of the project were as follows:
1. Create cultural connections between teacher candidates and their students.
2. Create connections between the books and children's lives (personal connections).
3. Enhance the verbal skills and abilities of their students in both Spanish and English.
4. Utilize literature to teach skills and strategies in reading and writing (Nathenson-Mejía).
The outcome of the project went rather well in terms of the teachers-to-be educating themselves on cultures different from their own, and were able to find quality literature to help their own understanding. In addition, passing this literature along to their students of both Latino and non-Latino descent helped them to feel as though they were included, as their language was integrated into the pages of the books their peers were reading. The results were documented as follows:
“The children's enthusiasm and the teacher candidate's reflection demonstrate that personal connections created by culturally familiar literature can be an effective means of engaging students in reading and writing” (Nathenson-Mejía).
As future teachers, it is imperative that we educate ourselves on different cultures so our future students feel as though they are understood. By finding multicultural literature that we can use to educate ourselves, and in turn have it in our classrooms for our students to find, we are doing a great service to ourselves and making students feel as though they belong.
In the article I chose, it spoke of the importance of teacher’s relating to their students that are of different racial and ethnic backgrounds from their own by educating themselves on other cultures, and being able to provide their students with literature that they could relate to. A project was conducted for teachers-to-be to find quality multicultural literature for their classrooms and begin to create cultural connections between the literature they found, as well as their students. It focused solely on Latino/Latina literature, but strongly emphasized that teachers could use this method of finding quality pieces of multicultural literature to educate themselves on any race or ethnicity that they are unfamiliar with.
The four main goals of the project were as follows:
1. Create cultural connections between teacher candidates and their students.
2. Create connections between the books and children's lives (personal connections).
3. Enhance the verbal skills and abilities of their students in both Spanish and English.
4. Utilize literature to teach skills and strategies in reading and writing (Nathenson-Mejía).
The outcome of the project went rather well in terms of the teachers-to-be educating themselves on cultures different from their own, and were able to find quality literature to help their own understanding. In addition, passing this literature along to their students of both Latino and non-Latino descent helped them to feel as though they were included, as their language was integrated into the pages of the books their peers were reading. The results were documented as follows:
“The children's enthusiasm and the teacher candidate's reflection demonstrate that personal connections created by culturally familiar literature can be an effective means of engaging students in reading and writing” (Nathenson-Mejía).
As future teachers, it is imperative that we educate ourselves on different cultures so our future students feel as though they are understood. By finding multicultural literature that we can use to educate ourselves, and in turn have it in our classrooms for our students to find, we are doing a great service to ourselves and making students feel as though they belong.
My Diary from Here to There/Mi diario de aqui hasta alla
Perez, Amada Irma. My Diary from Here to There/Mi diario de aqui hasta alla. San Francisco, California: Children’s Book Press, 2002.
In the story My Diary from Here to There/Mi diario de aqui hasta alla, a young girl named Amada must move with her family from Juarez, Mexico to Los Angeles, California. Her father had lost his job, and in order to support his wife and six children, they needed to move to the United States. Amada was less than thrilled, as she had grown up in Mexico, and loved her home, her beautiful country, and her family. She was also afraid that she would not be allowed to speak Spanish in America, and that she would be unable to learn English. The story is told from the perspective of her diary, so the reader is let into her most secret and deepest thoughts.
When it came time to leave and her family was driving along the Mexican/American border, she saw that both countries looked the same on each side. She then realized that as long as she had her family, she would be able to adapt to a new environment. Before she left Mexico, her Nana gave her a diary and told her to “Never forget who you are and where you come from. Keep your language and your culture alive in your diary and in your heart” (Perez). With this, Amada realized that just because she was moving to a country that was completely foreign to her, that did not mean that she had to forget about the life she had created in Mexico with her friends and family.
When children are forced to move with their family because there are better opportunities elsewhere, it is important that they understand that they are allowed to bring their culture with them, as it is at the core of their being. Amada was afraid that she would have to be an America when she moved, taking on the English language and forgetting everything she knew about being a Mexican. However, after her Nana and Papa encouraged her that it was acceptable and important for her to stay committed to her native culture, she realized that she was strong enough to accomplish that task. At the end she wrote in her diary: “Just because I’m far away from my friends and family, it does not mean they’re not here with me. They’re in your pages and the language that I speak; and they’re in my memories and my heart” (Perez).
In the story My Diary from Here to There/Mi diario de aqui hasta alla, a young girl named Amada must move with her family from Juarez, Mexico to Los Angeles, California. Her father had lost his job, and in order to support his wife and six children, they needed to move to the United States. Amada was less than thrilled, as she had grown up in Mexico, and loved her home, her beautiful country, and her family. She was also afraid that she would not be allowed to speak Spanish in America, and that she would be unable to learn English. The story is told from the perspective of her diary, so the reader is let into her most secret and deepest thoughts.
When it came time to leave and her family was driving along the Mexican/American border, she saw that both countries looked the same on each side. She then realized that as long as she had her family, she would be able to adapt to a new environment. Before she left Mexico, her Nana gave her a diary and told her to “Never forget who you are and where you come from. Keep your language and your culture alive in your diary and in your heart” (Perez). With this, Amada realized that just because she was moving to a country that was completely foreign to her, that did not mean that she had to forget about the life she had created in Mexico with her friends and family.
When children are forced to move with their family because there are better opportunities elsewhere, it is important that they understand that they are allowed to bring their culture with them, as it is at the core of their being. Amada was afraid that she would have to be an America when she moved, taking on the English language and forgetting everything she knew about being a Mexican. However, after her Nana and Papa encouraged her that it was acceptable and important for her to stay committed to her native culture, she realized that she was strong enough to accomplish that task. At the end she wrote in her diary: “Just because I’m far away from my friends and family, it does not mean they’re not here with me. They’re in your pages and the language that I speak; and they’re in my memories and my heart” (Perez).
I Love Saturdays y domingos
Ada, Alma Flor. I Love Saturdays y domingos. New York, New York: Schuster Children’s Publishing Division, 2002.
In I Love Saturdays y domingos, a young girl explains the differences and similarities between her time spent with her English-speaking grandparents, and her Spanish-speaking grandparents. On Saturdays, she spends time with her English-speaking grandparents and engages in activities such as watching movies about the circus, is told stories by her grandfather, and makes breakfast with her grandmother. On Sundays, she spends time with her Spanish-speaking grandparents. They take her to the seashore, fly kites, and play with their animals.
In this book, many Spanish words are integrated into the text when she was with her Spanish-speaking grandparents. The pages alternate between her activities with each set of grandparents, the American ones on the right, Spanish on the left. Each time she does an activity with one set of grandparents, she engages in a similar activity with the others on, so the words that are in Spanish were already spoken in English on the opposite page. This allows the reader to pick up on specific words and phrases, should they be interested.
The young girl in the story portrays to the reader that immersing themselves into two or more cultures is a fun way to experience life in two rather different ways. By spending time with each set of grandparents, she was able to educate herself on her family’s culture and heritage. She found that her grandparents had come from two very different backgrounds, and she was proud to be actively part of them, speaking two languages and taking part in traditions that both cultures had to offer.
In I Love Saturdays y domingos, a young girl explains the differences and similarities between her time spent with her English-speaking grandparents, and her Spanish-speaking grandparents. On Saturdays, she spends time with her English-speaking grandparents and engages in activities such as watching movies about the circus, is told stories by her grandfather, and makes breakfast with her grandmother. On Sundays, she spends time with her Spanish-speaking grandparents. They take her to the seashore, fly kites, and play with their animals.
In this book, many Spanish words are integrated into the text when she was with her Spanish-speaking grandparents. The pages alternate between her activities with each set of grandparents, the American ones on the right, Spanish on the left. Each time she does an activity with one set of grandparents, she engages in a similar activity with the others on, so the words that are in Spanish were already spoken in English on the opposite page. This allows the reader to pick up on specific words and phrases, should they be interested.
The young girl in the story portrays to the reader that immersing themselves into two or more cultures is a fun way to experience life in two rather different ways. By spending time with each set of grandparents, she was able to educate herself on her family’s culture and heritage. She found that her grandparents had come from two very different backgrounds, and she was proud to be actively part of them, speaking two languages and taking part in traditions that both cultures had to offer.
La Mariposa
Jimenez, Francisco. La Mariposa. Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998.
La Mariposa is the story of an immigrant child who moves from San Pedro, Mexico to California. When he begins school in America, he has a very difficult time fitting into the classroom, as he does not understand a word of English. Day after day, Francisco listens attentively to his teacher, but after hours of sounds that make no sense to him, he acquires headaches by the end of each day.
After meeting another boy in his classroom that spoke a little Spanish, he felt less timid about school. Francisco finally had someone that could relate to him and play with. However, when their teacher overheard their conversations, “She would say “NO ” with her whole body. Her head turned left and right a hundred times a second and her index finger moved from side to side as fast as a windshield wiper. “English English ” she repeated” (Jimenez). After this incident, Francisco’s friend Arthur avoided him whenever their teacher was around.
Forced back into silence, Francisco took an interest in a jar with a caterpillar in it next to his desk. Next to the jar lied a book with pictures of caterpillars and butterflies. Under each picture, a description of the stages a butterfly goes through were written, but in English. Francisco tried to figure out the words based on the picture, but he could not understand the words. During art lessons, Francisco did not understand the directions given to the class, so his teacher allowed him to do as he chose. Francisco drew several sketches of butterflies, and his teacher even hung one on the board, which flattered Francisco.
After several weeks, Francisco’s drawing disappeared from the board, but it was returned to him some time latter with a blue ribbon on it. Francisco was so proud of himself Eventually, he began to pick up on more English words, such as “okay” and “thank you”.
The process of assimilation for immigrant children is a long, hard road. Not only do they have to make new friends and get used to being a part of a new atmosphere, they must do it solely on reading others by their faces and reactions. This is due to the fact that they are unable to understand a single word that is being spoken. It is important for teachers to find ways to include their students, no matter what language they speak Also, the way in which the teacher reprimanded Francisco and his friend for speaking in Spanish was a terrible way to encourage Francisco to learn English. By scaring away his only friend that could interpret this strange new world Francisco was living in, she prolonged his learning of the English language even longer. I believe assisting English-learning students however possible and taking advantage of other bi-lingual students is the proper way for teachers to handle situations as in La Mariposa.
La Mariposa is the story of an immigrant child who moves from San Pedro, Mexico to California. When he begins school in America, he has a very difficult time fitting into the classroom, as he does not understand a word of English. Day after day, Francisco listens attentively to his teacher, but after hours of sounds that make no sense to him, he acquires headaches by the end of each day.
After meeting another boy in his classroom that spoke a little Spanish, he felt less timid about school. Francisco finally had someone that could relate to him and play with. However, when their teacher overheard their conversations, “She would say “NO ” with her whole body. Her head turned left and right a hundred times a second and her index finger moved from side to side as fast as a windshield wiper. “English English ” she repeated” (Jimenez). After this incident, Francisco’s friend Arthur avoided him whenever their teacher was around.
Forced back into silence, Francisco took an interest in a jar with a caterpillar in it next to his desk. Next to the jar lied a book with pictures of caterpillars and butterflies. Under each picture, a description of the stages a butterfly goes through were written, but in English. Francisco tried to figure out the words based on the picture, but he could not understand the words. During art lessons, Francisco did not understand the directions given to the class, so his teacher allowed him to do as he chose. Francisco drew several sketches of butterflies, and his teacher even hung one on the board, which flattered Francisco.
After several weeks, Francisco’s drawing disappeared from the board, but it was returned to him some time latter with a blue ribbon on it. Francisco was so proud of himself Eventually, he began to pick up on more English words, such as “okay” and “thank you”.
The process of assimilation for immigrant children is a long, hard road. Not only do they have to make new friends and get used to being a part of a new atmosphere, they must do it solely on reading others by their faces and reactions. This is due to the fact that they are unable to understand a single word that is being spoken. It is important for teachers to find ways to include their students, no matter what language they speak Also, the way in which the teacher reprimanded Francisco and his friend for speaking in Spanish was a terrible way to encourage Francisco to learn English. By scaring away his only friend that could interpret this strange new world Francisco was living in, she prolonged his learning of the English language even longer. I believe assisting English-learning students however possible and taking advantage of other bi-lingual students is the proper way for teachers to handle situations as in La Mariposa.
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