"PATHWAYS TO WORK — ESL PROGRAM"
by Kate Whitehead
Reprinted from "Peacemeal" The Monthly Newsletter of Peace and Justice, Presbyterian Church in Morristown, September '09
"I had the opportunity...to catch a glimpse into the struggles of being an immigrant in Morristown." |
After five months abroad in Spain, I arrived home in May with low expectations for the summer ahead. One source of angst was the possibility of losing all fluency I had worked towards since January. I had heard about Rosa Chilquillo’s presentation on Pathways to Work at church earlier that month, so I contacted her expressing my interest in practicing Spanish. I then attended a workers meeting to learn more about the organization and find out how I could be involved. Through my involvement with Pathways to Work this summer, I had the opportunity not only to practice my Spanish, but also to teach an ESL (English as a Second Language) class, get to know a group of men and women from Latin America, and catch a glimpse into the struggles of being an immigrant in Morristown.
Because I had no experience with teaching, I was hesitant to take on the responsibility of teaching the class alone. It was harder than I expected it to be to effectively explain English grammatical concepts and pronunciation in Spanish. The students often had some difficulty grasping these concepts, learning foreign pronunciation, or simply understanding my less-than-perfect Spanish. The class didn’t always go smoothly, but after working together for a few weeks, the students were progressing well and we all seemed increasingly comfortable. Teaching and learning during these classes proved to be an exercise in patience and flexibility for everyone involved.
I gained a bit of insight into the struggles with which these men and women are faced when in place of class I attended meetings with my students discussing the federal immigration law 287-g. We attended a town council meeting where the council responded to questions and comments concerning implementation of the law in Morristown. My initial disappointment at the cancellation of the classes soon dissipated when I saw the workers’ distress over the potential implementation of this law. Despite the council members’ reassurance that no action would be taken for a couple of years if anything at all, the workers were not appeased. Coming from countries where government officials frequently say one thing but allow police to do another, the words of the councilmen and women provided little comfort. With the continued distress, Pathways to Work held more meetings and provided opportunities for discussion in order to ease the concerns of the men and women.
Because of Rosa’s brief talk at a church service months earlier, I had the opportunity to help with this growing organization and to learn from foreign cultures right here in Morristown. My fluency with the Spanish language is a work in progress, and I have some lessons to learn about how to run a class, but for me this experience was invaluable.
"I encourage
anyone with
any interest
in helping
with this
organization to
contact Rosa
Chilquillo." |
I returned to school at the end of August, therefore the existing class routine went through another transition. The two levels of classes went back to one large group and will continue that way until there is another teacher to lead a second class. If anyone is interested in assisting with the existing class, teaching a separate level, or leading an extra help session, I am sure that any help for the fall would be greatly appreciated. I encourage anyone with any interest in helping with this organization to contact Rosa Chilquillo. It is hard to predict or ever fully know the scope of the influence that offering some of your time may have, both on yourself and on others, but I have no doubt that the time would be well spent.
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