This was a great reading. I really enjoyed learning more about the transition of moving from Mexico to the United States. In my placement now I have students who have recently immigrated to the US and speak little to zero English. Throughout the reading I was reminded of one of my students who came late to the school year and is trying very hard to learn English. I speak to her in Spanish and English, however, she prefers to speak to the teachers in Spanish. She rarely volunteers in group discussions and doesn't interact with students who do not speak Spanish. I love to see when she mouths the answers at morning meeting because it allows me to see that she is catching on and feeling more confident in her learning.
My favorite aspect of this reading is the desire for the children in the family to learn and get an education. I often find that the student in my class truly wants to learn English and participate but her language holds her back in that aspect. As I begin teaching full-time I hope that I am able to connect with students who are not native English speakers and ensure that they feel a part of the community. Hopefully they will begin to use the English they understand to help further their acquisition of English.
I thought that the article was very interesting. In the school I am placed in now I can tell that many of the children know their ethnic identity. However, I am curious to know if that is because the majority of the school is made of up students who are from Mexico or their families are from there. I also would be curious in finding out more about the caucasian students ethnic identity changes in being in this school.
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