to the ed schultz show

hi, this is in response to the caller, Jill, who commented on the effects of illegal immigration on the public school system.

i'm a third grade "dual-language" teacher in Illinois.

except i didn't major in education at U of I, i majored in physics.

i did minor in spanish, and spent 1 year in buenos aires. i am fluent in spanish. i never imagined i would ever be an elementary teacher, but i love it. this is my first year and the main reason i was hired was because i am fluent in spanish (and in theory "dual-language" means 50% is taught in spanish). the previous experience i had had in education was as a teacher assistant in another elementary school.


now from what i understand from all the professional development and things i've read on bilingual education, kids have an easier time learning to read if they learn to read in a language with which they are familiar. now, kids who are dropped into a "sink or swim" situation (those with no english put directly into a mainstream class) tend to "swim" if they are already strong readers in their native language and if they have support at home. those that "sink" tend to be from families where the parents have limited education (the parents of some of my students didn't get past grade school). most of those that come over here illegally are from the second category. which is why we have classes that are taught in spanish.

now if we take away the sheltered instruction, what happens? let's say it's a child that comes to an english-only school at the start of second grade who speaks no english. if he is not a strong reader, he is probably going to have a very hard time learning to read in english. which consequently will set him back. which i can imagine (i'm only 25 so i don't really know) will set him back for the rest of his education in this country (provided he stays). take away the quality education and who knows what's left for the student.

while i lament that many quality "officially certified" teachers have lost their jobs to those who may be less qualified (like me, though i'm a quick study), i think this shows and is a result of our general lack of knowledge/fluency of foreign languages. in IL to get your bilingual approval, part of the process (the very beginning) involves taking a "spanish-proficiency" exam. not to brag, but i aced it. i didn't even study for it. it was ridiculously easy. and did i major in spanish? no. a teacher i used to work with who grew up speaking spanish in her family had to take the exam more than once. and i can see how someone who did not have a rigorous education in spanish (getting straight As in your spanish classes DOES NOT mean you're going to be able to live it) might actually need the 8 hours they give you to complete the exam. if one has not read many books in spanish, i could see how those eight hours would be necessary.

(and remember, i did not major in spanish!)

so i think those who are concerned about losing their jobs for being unable to speak spanish should, well, learn spanish! yes you'll have those who say "well we shouldn't have to adjust to them! they should speak english if they're going to be here!" and those undergrads who already know they want a career in education, make sure you learn spanish! take a summer and study abroad!

anyway, is what i'm doing enabling illegals to stay here? maybe. but i believe education can benefit everyone in the community. so even if they're here illegally, isn't it better if they get an education than if they don't?

miss e.