IPS Newcomer is a public school that provides education from third grade to eleventh grade. However, this is not your ordinary public school. Last week, I sometimes attended the facility twice (Monday and/or Wednesday), everyday is a challenge but I learn something new from the students and the teachers. To my surprise I did not know that majority of the students would be foreign. As well as, majority of the students did not speak english but the teachers only spoke english. I’m currently in a Spanish class but it is not my native tongue. The language barrier is very hard for the teachers and also some other students. Students come from all over, even though majority of them are coming from an ethnic background of Hispanic, Mexican, or Latino, in one of my classes a girl only knows french. I am able to understand only those who speak english, and I can slide by with some Spanish. The classes I assist in are english, music, math, and science. In english, we are going over pronouns, meanings to root words, and adjectives. I sometimes help compare the english word to something that defines similar in Spanish. In music, they are learning how play a song on the piano, guitar, and were being examined on the ukulele. Luckily, I have had some music background so I can assist them in places of fingers/hands on instruments, as well as, read notes. Math is a fun one because it really test going back to stuff I haven’t done in a while, also it is very hard to teach someone math when they don’t know english. LUCKILY!!! I taught one kid how to calculate volume using hand signs and some Spanish. However, I have not had a chance to attend the science class since my volunteer schedule was a little messed up on the days I chose plus, they also have an A/B schedule. I was nervous at first to go to the site but I am really excited now and look forward to it. I learn a lot from these sites and how different it is for someone of another culture be thrown into a new one (bit of culture shock). I didn’t know this but kids are randomly added throughout the year, which is very weird. But I learned how it is because they come straight from their native land and are enrolled into school here. They have to just catch up on everything which seems very tough. So, I see where us Butler students come in big time to help because we are like another “teacher” to go around and help.
At first I wasn’t sure how to relate this site to the course but I actually can in so many ways. For example, students coming over here from their native country made me think of the short story Woman from New York, in Ha jin. How a woman named, Jinli, grew up her whole life in Muji City and then left to go to the U.S. Even though, a lot her experience in the U.S. was not included in the short story, when she returned is when this culture change was noticed. When Jinli returned many people didn’t know what to believe and they all assumed she was unsuccessful there. This relates to the IPS Newcomer since a lot of students come all over and we all assume they don’t know anything about our country, but they have the drive to learn. They all try really hard to communicate in english, as well as, they even know a lot on traditions here (aka Halloween). We all make the assumption how they only celebrate Cinco de Mayo, but they also partake in some culture traditions here as they did in their native country. I look forward each week to go and find more and more about their experience plus help teach them on each course subject.