How Sweet it Is!

When one is harnessed and launched on a sky canopy zipline at 320 feet in the air or speeds along a zipline at 46 mph, one learns to focus and to trust. It was my first time on a zipline. I do not enjoy heights, but I do appreciate opportunities to grow as an individual. For me to be successful on the zipline, I needed to focus on one objective—reaching the next platform and that included an equal opportunity to trust not only myself but those involved with my experience. I’ve been thinking about how this relates to the classroom. Teachers need to feel a sense of trust with their administrators in their building and on the district level. When teachers and students trust each other, the exchange is authentic and powerful. When either loses the trust and confidence in another, then less than the best learning environment exists. I felt great trust in the zipline company or else I might have changed my mind after reaching the top of the first platform given my fear of heights. Each time I launched a new ride, I asked the instructor to repeat the full instructions. To build my confidence with this new experience, I needed multiple opportunities to build my confidence. Is this the case for some students in the classroom?

In my Spanish class, the teacher brought in a song for us to translate then sing along with the tape. What a different experience to use a different modality for part of the class. I was interested, engaged, and more successful with some of my pronunciation. The power of tapping into multiple intelligences is one that should be exercised by teachers all the time, in my opinion.

My host family experience for language and learning is one that has grown with more language exchanges. I think the warm and caring environment prompts us all to try to make the language less of a barrier and more of an opportunity to enjoy one another. Since Monday was Memorial Day, I tried to explain how we celebrate this “holiday” in the United States and offered to cook hamburgers, hot dogs, and French fries. The next night when my dinner was served, I had an additional plate with a tamale beautifully wrapped in a cooked banana leaf—a custom often reserved for Christmas holidays and the celebration of baby Jesus. So I asked about this. “We wanted to honor your “holy” day that you shared with us yesterday,” was the warm reply. Oh how we chuckled once we all were on the same page…It is easier to trust people who are active listeners and who share a respect for what is important to one. Does that always happen in the classroom?

On one of our school visits, we learned that the seniors in this bilingual school do not typically do well on the end of the year math tests. We learned also that the math is taught in their second language. That gave way to a discussion about learning conceptually in one’s native language first then practicing that new knowledge in the second language. There lies an opportunity to use EBSCO when I return home and see what the research states. When I think of myself in the Spanish classroom as a beginner in my new language, I know I do better if the objective and task are taught in my native language first.

Based on my personal experiences in this language immersion program and our class discussions, I would employ the following strategies for all my students. My objectives are: A) to promote bilingual conversations with Spanish and English speaking students and B) to provide immediate support for the second language learner C) to provide the optimum learning environment for all students.

· Label important tools, items, and info in English and Spanish (and/or other languages). Examples: Pencil Sharpener, flag, bathroom pass, dictionaries (including bilingual dictionaries)

· Additionally, I would create posters with frequently used phrases and place on the wall. Examples: Get out your books, Open your books to page, Get out your homework, Write a sentence, Write a paragraph, List, Raise your hand, etc. I would also make this available in a handout to be placed in the student´s notebook.

· Plan lessons that create shared learning experiences—Shair/Pair, Cooperative Learning Group, Field Trips

· Plan lessons that were inquiry based as opposed to passive learning at all times.

· Provide more than one form of evaluation. Typically, evaluations rely heavily on linguistic assessments.

· Plan second language review meetings—before or after school or during lunch. This time would be content specific and would include learning strategies for the content.

· Provide a bilingual vocabulary list of the MAIN ideas and concepts at the beginning of each unit. Additionally, I would provide a “blueprint” for how the unit fits into the bigger picture (the entire course).

· Arrange seating in the classroom that allows immediate support for second language learners.

· Send or mail letters home on a regular basis that reports success and needs. The letter would be translated into the native language. I would try to learn whether the parents could read, and I would try to learn if the student´s neighborhood received any community support for parenting school aged children and learning about the school/home connection and responsibilities.

· Develop professional relationships with the ESL instructor and student´s guidance counselor.

· Plan and implement activities where written and oral language are not the main tools for participation. Ex. Standing on either side of the room depending on whether you agree or disagree, hands-on projects including art and music projects.

· Learn whether my students had any special interests or hobbies then try find a school outlet for those with hopes that student would become more acclimated to the new school environment.

· Make it a point EVERY day to find a reason to praise the entire class in an effort to build community. I would implement student activities that would promote the strengths in one another and as a group.

· Acknowledge that students learn at different rates and provide support and appropriate strategies and course content at each level.

· Approach the other content area teachers to ask if opportunities existed where we might work together on any assignments. EX. A language arts/English teacher could choose to assign a writing or research paper that was science or history based or an expository piece that explained a mathematical formula or equation.

· Try to open and end each class with either a cartoon or quote. Humor can go a long way and quotes are great for centering on motivation, attitude, and ambition. I wouldry to share my empathy for the demands of academic work, but at the same time, I would share my confidence in the students´ abilities to succeed. My goal would be to build trust between the student and teacher.

Tonight is my last night with my host family then it's on to San Jose and eventually back to Wilmington. My family and I are going to celebrate our friendship with delicious Costa Rican grown bananas and mountains of ice cream and chocolate. How sweet the entire experience has been!! :)