What school and community resources might you use to help immigrant students?

I really like the idea in the video about creating a Russian Club.  This allows for use of the student's native language and the second language that they are trying to learn.  It also allows them to socialize with students that are going through the same struggles that they are going through.  And, in this case, the teacher is also going through the same struggles.  It gives them a sense of community.  In this manner, a "Club" can be made up of many individuals that speak the same language or share the same culture.  For example, there could be an Italian Club, a Hispanic Club, or an African-American Club.  All these clubs promote social interaction between individuals with similar backgrounds, similar struggles, and similar successes.

There should be assignments given to them by their teachers to take home and involve their families, as well.  They can interview their parents to find out the difference between American Culture and the difference between their culture.  They can come up with a questionnaire in English and a second questionnaire in their native language that can be used to interview people with similar backgrounds.

As a math teacher, I may design a project for my students to find out how much a person in their country would spend on gasoline versus what we spend here.  This involves interviews with parents at home, allows for rich conversation, and research.  I think getting parents interested and involved is a key factor for immigrant students.  A corresponding science project could be to research similarities and differences in climate between the United States and the students native homeland.  And yet another project for English class could be to discuss similarities and differences in meals here in America versus meals in their country.

While teaching, I would involve students that speak other languages.  During a particular lesson on volume of cylinders, I could ask students from Mexico, "How do you say can in Spanish?"  I may respond with an answer in English or I could also answer in Italian because I have been taught Italian by my parents.

My parents are immigrants to the United States, they come from Italy.  As I was reading everything for this week, I couldn't help but wish that my teachers helped me be more involved with them through the use of some of these strategies.  I think they would've enjoyed being more involved with my schoolwork.  They never got involved because they always said that it was too difficult. They said they learned the English language by watching Sesame Street on PBS.  While I am very lucky to have them as my parents, I think they would've benefitted from other avenues to learning to speak English.

Teaching Diverse Learners: Proposal

Poll Result Reporter

Imagine you are on a committee of teachers that had been asked to offer recommendations to the school board regarding academic climates to increase the academic performance of the district's students. It is an awesome responsibility. Here is the first draft of an eight-point proposal. Take a moment and indicate your reaction to each of these points.

1		Schools and classrooms should be quiet places to promote thinking and learning.
		(329 responses)
		17%	Strongly Agree
		49%	Agree
		34%	Disagree
2		All classrooms and libraries should be well lighted to reduce eyestrain.
		(329 responses)
		42%	Strongly Agree
		47%	Agree
		10%	Disagree
3		Difficult subjects, such as math, should be offered in the morning, when students are fresh and alert.
		(328 responses)
		13%	Strongly Agree
		29%	Agree
		59%	Disagree
4		School thermostats should be set at 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit to establish a comfortable learning environment.
		(326 responses)
		27%	Stongly Agree
		52%	Agree
		21%	Disagree
5		Eating and drinking in classrooms should be prohibited.
		(329 responses)
		8%	Strongly Agree
		24%	Agree
		68%	Disagree
6		Classroom periods should run between forty-five and fifty-five minutes to ensure adequate time to investigate significant issues and practice important skills.
		(328 responses)
		25%	Stongly Agree
		52%	Agree
		23%	Disagree
7		Students must be provided with adequate work areas, including chairs and desks, where they can sit quietly for the major part of their learning and study.
		(330 responses)
		34%	Strongly Agree
		48%	Agree
		18%	Disagree
8		Emphasis should be placed on reading textbooks and listening to lectures, for this is how students learn best.
		(329 responses)
		8%	Strongly Agree
		20%	Agree
		72%	Disagree

My answers to the poll results were as follows:

1. B
2. B
3. B
4. B
5. C
6. C
7. B
8. C

After analysis, I differ with the poll results on numbers 3 and 6.  About question number 3, the poll results say that they disagree but I agreed because I have always thought that subjects like Math are better taught and learned in the morning.  About question 6, the poll results agree but I disagreed.  I disagreed because I have been in a district where there is block scheduling.  Block scheduling allows for 1.5 hour class.  I think more can be accomplished with block scheduling than with the traditional 45 or 55 minute class.  Classes in most Junior High and High Schools are 45 and 55 minutes in length.  But yet, when students get to college, all classes are 1.5 hours long.  Instead of going to Math everyday for 45 minutes, you can have a 1.5 hour Math class 2 or 3 times per week.  I prefer the Block scheduling.