1. Through my experiences I noticed the roles of the family members. The women seemed to be the care takers, as a couple times as we were leaving they were getting food started, and were always the ones to serve us drinks or snacks. The men, or well, father was definitely the one who was in charge or the leader of the family. When being seated, he was always the first to sit after us. However, when the grandparents were present, they were show the most respect. The father also seemed the most motivated to learn and I take this to be because he needs to be able to take care of his family, he needs to learn the fastest.
This family was extremely willing to learn. They are trying their hardest to integrate. Although they are learning English they continue to use their native language when speaking to family. While they are learning the was of the US they are staying try to their culture. On our last visit, when we entered the house they were watching a film from their own culture.
2. This experience has helped me to be more understanding when it comes to people coming to the United States without knowing English. Before I had a mindset that people should know English if they want to live in the US since it's the national language. They could speak their own language to their family but if speaking to me they should know English. However, now I know that just because they can't speak it at the time doesn't mean that they are not learning. And, although I was always taught this and believed that I followed it, I can now say that I can truly not judge a book by it's cover. Most people think they don't judge a person by how they look but in the back of their minds they're probably judging. When I first walked into their house, I admit that I looked at their clothes and thought to myself "What are they wearing?". I now know that it's just because they don't quite understand our clothing yet.
Through this experience I will more accepting and less judgmental and will be able to better communicate with people from different cultures.
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Fourth Visit
1. On our fourth visit, it was only Britteny and I. For this visit there was only the parents and two of the daughters, though one disappeared after a while. It was a lot calmer this time, which I feel helped the parents. On this visit we decided to bake cookies. We explained what each ingredient was and how much was needed and explained the recipe. The mother showed only a little interest and ended up taking a work book I had brought and looking at it one her own. As the cookies were baking, we went through the books I had brought. I brought a preschool workbook I had found in my closet and a couple of children's books. The books had a high ratio of pictures to text. The father read one of the books aloud and while he did that I helped him with words he didn't pronounce correctly or words he didn't know. The mother would either listen to her husband read or look through the books or workbook with the daughter.
2. They have become a lot more comfortable with us in that they will ask us questions when they don't know a word. When the father was reading and came across a word he did not know, although he did not directly ask, he would look at me and then kind of laugh to himself to kind of signal he didn't know. Also, he was switching "how" and "who" around and was able to tell that it was because they were the same letters. He never became frustrated even when he would switch those two words. As for the baking, we really wanted to do this to help them when it comes to reading recipes. We didn't know if they knew the abbreviation for the utensils, so teaching them will help them if they ever try to use American recipes. It would also give them an American treat if they ever wanted to have one.
3. I think they get the most out of the books so I feel like we should bring them the next time. It'll help them even more with sentence structure and by reading them aloud it'll help them become comfortable speaking English.
2. They have become a lot more comfortable with us in that they will ask us questions when they don't know a word. When the father was reading and came across a word he did not know, although he did not directly ask, he would look at me and then kind of laugh to himself to kind of signal he didn't know. Also, he was switching "how" and "who" around and was able to tell that it was because they were the same letters. He never became frustrated even when he would switch those two words. As for the baking, we really wanted to do this to help them when it comes to reading recipes. We didn't know if they knew the abbreviation for the utensils, so teaching them will help them if they ever try to use American recipes. It would also give them an American treat if they ever wanted to have one.
3. I think they get the most out of the books so I feel like we should bring them the next time. It'll help them even more with sentence structure and by reading them aloud it'll help them become comfortable speaking English.
Thrid Visit
1. For our third visit, the translator was not present because he had something else to do at that time. This made me a little nervous because, although they are improving, we still cannot really have actual conversations with the parents. However, the children were all there so that helped. We started off with a game of mega memory. We had separate groups of cards, one group pictures and the other the matching words. We started it out as a basic game of memory with them all upside down but after a while of very few matches being found we flipped them over and just had the family match the pictures to the words. After a while the children became very restless so Britteny took them outside to play while Colleen, Ainslie and I continued the memory game with the parents who were truly interested in learning. The father is more advanced but the mother still sat by and tried to learn. Once we finally finished the memory game we played UNO. When the kids came back inside they wanted to play with us but because we were in the middle of a game they decided to help their parents. I could tell that this was kind of annoying the father because wanted to play the way he wanted to and it wasn't helping him with his English to have the daughter always trying to play for him.
2. During the memory game it helped them to solidify the words they already know and learn some new ones. Even though it wasn't your typical game of memory after we flipped them all back over, they still were very attentive in learning the words and because they did not have the distraction of the children constantly helping them they were able to truly focus on learning not only the word but the explanations that we were able to provide when they asked. By always playing UNO, I feel like this is helping us to find a common ground, something that we all enjoy and that helps them to solidify their numbers. They are integrating well because although they speak their native language when talking to each other, they are trying to use English when talking to us.
3. I think that for our next couple of sessions we really need to work on putting together sentences. Although they are getting better, it'll help when they speak because it is one thing to know what things are and the word for them but you also have to know how to put the things you are learning into sentences. Also the little words that help to build sentences would be good to learn. I'll probably bring some children's books that I still have from when I was young so that we can read through them. I feel like this will help with the building of sentences because they will see and hear the little words that make up the sentence itself.
2. During the memory game it helped them to solidify the words they already know and learn some new ones. Even though it wasn't your typical game of memory after we flipped them all back over, they still were very attentive in learning the words and because they did not have the distraction of the children constantly helping them they were able to truly focus on learning not only the word but the explanations that we were able to provide when they asked. By always playing UNO, I feel like this is helping us to find a common ground, something that we all enjoy and that helps them to solidify their numbers. They are integrating well because although they speak their native language when talking to each other, they are trying to use English when talking to us.
3. I think that for our next couple of sessions we really need to work on putting together sentences. Although they are getting better, it'll help when they speak because it is one thing to know what things are and the word for them but you also have to know how to put the things you are learning into sentences. Also the little words that help to build sentences would be good to learn. I'll probably bring some children's books that I still have from when I was young so that we can read through them. I feel like this will help with the building of sentences because they will see and hear the little words that make up the sentence itself.
Second Visit
1. After our first time with Kelly, the representative, we had some trouble communicating about times to meet. We went there two times and they were not there. The first time because of a mistake in setting up times, them have a conflict at the time we had set with our representative, and the other because they were not there. After that we were finally able to iron out a time to meet. The second time we meet with the family we played a couple rounds of UNO to get everything started. After the first round we had everyone say the number of the card in English to start working with them on their English. The children were eager but got a little too eager because they always were helping their parents even thought their parents are the ones that need to learn the most. After a while, Britteny, Ainslie, and I set up a post it game were we put post its on objects around the house with the label of what it was on it. We let everyone go around and look at them all and then we took them back down and had the family put them back up on the respective items. With the children getting rowdy we then worked with the parents to help them learn money. We also answered some questions they had about American culture or our norms. Just some little things about what is considered proper etiquette.
2. The sending and receiving of messages when communicating has become a little better but still, for the most part, we have to go through another person to talk to the parents. When we were working with the parents separately from the children, I feel like they got a lot more out of what we were trying to teach. When the children are with they want to take over and do almost everything for the parents. And when they are with us I feel like it gives the mother reason not to try things for herself. She seems to be quite shy and although she is taking everything in, she often asks for her children's help instead of us. I feel like this is because she is not as comfortable with us and the culture as the others.
3. In regards to our meetings with our family, I learned that it helps to separate the parents and the children because they are on such different levels. The children already know a lot of what we are teaching and although they need a little help with minor things they don't need the help that the parents do. I feel this might also help the parents because then they won't have the children around to translate for them, so they will have to talk to us themselves which will help them when it comes to putting together sentences.
2. The sending and receiving of messages when communicating has become a little better but still, for the most part, we have to go through another person to talk to the parents. When we were working with the parents separately from the children, I feel like they got a lot more out of what we were trying to teach. When the children are with they want to take over and do almost everything for the parents. And when they are with us I feel like it gives the mother reason not to try things for herself. She seems to be quite shy and although she is taking everything in, she often asks for her children's help instead of us. I feel like this is because she is not as comfortable with us and the culture as the others.
3. In regards to our meetings with our family, I learned that it helps to separate the parents and the children because they are on such different levels. The children already know a lot of what we are teaching and although they need a little help with minor things they don't need the help that the parents do. I feel this might also help the parents because then they won't have the children around to translate for them, so they will have to talk to us themselves which will help them when it comes to putting together sentences.
First Visit
1. Our first visit, we had a person from the World Relief Organization there to help us get started. We were first introduced to the family and made our own introductions. After we played the games UNO and memory to get started. We played several rounds of UNO per the request of one of the girls. We then moved onto memory to start transitioning into English. After we finished with the games we split off with one of the family members to help them work on English. I worked with the mother and went through flashcards, having her name what the picture was. After we had gone through them a couple times she became restless and wanted to do what the other family members were working on.
2. While I write this, I am speaking about the parents for the most part. From what I can tell I would say that our family is have problems but are trying to adjust. They do get frustrated when working on English because they don't know the word or because they cannot get the pronunciation correct. However, they seem comfortable in their surroundings and being around us. The communication between us is hard however. They cannot speak English well. When we work with them on English, they can read the words and can connect them to pictures or meanings, they cannot put them together to form sentences. If the translator had not been there we would not have been able to converse with them. Everything they asked went through the translator and vice versa with our answers. I have noticed that they have not quite figured out our clothing. Although you can't blame her, the grandmother wears male's socks and the father wears a females belt and ring. The children however, are adjusting much better. They can speak to us and although they have trouble with pronunciation at times it is still understandable and they are willing to listen to us when we correct them.
3. What I have learned so far from will help by keeping me from getting frustrated too quickly when talking to people from other counties that may not speak English. They are going to be more frustrated than I am that they cannot get across what they are trying to say. From this first experience in the case of the faimily, I have learned what is to be expected of us and what we can help them with and somewhat of how we can help them.
2. While I write this, I am speaking about the parents for the most part. From what I can tell I would say that our family is have problems but are trying to adjust. They do get frustrated when working on English because they don't know the word or because they cannot get the pronunciation correct. However, they seem comfortable in their surroundings and being around us. The communication between us is hard however. They cannot speak English well. When we work with them on English, they can read the words and can connect them to pictures or meanings, they cannot put them together to form sentences. If the translator had not been there we would not have been able to converse with them. Everything they asked went through the translator and vice versa with our answers. I have noticed that they have not quite figured out our clothing. Although you can't blame her, the grandmother wears male's socks and the father wears a females belt and ring. The children however, are adjusting much better. They can speak to us and although they have trouble with pronunciation at times it is still understandable and they are willing to listen to us when we correct them.
3. What I have learned so far from will help by keeping me from getting frustrated too quickly when talking to people from other counties that may not speak English. They are going to be more frustrated than I am that they cannot get across what they are trying to say. From this first experience in the case of the faimily, I have learned what is to be expected of us and what we can help them with and somewhat of how we can help them.
Monday, March 3, 2014
Before First Visit
1. What are your hopes for the service-learning project?
I hope it gets me more interested in volunteer work. I have never done any volunteer work even though I have thought about it. With this I hope it gets me interested to the point where I want to continue. I also hope, in the time that we'll be there, to learn a little more about a different culture. I have always found the differences in cultures interesting and feel it would be a good way to learn about another.
2. What are your assumptions about your service-learning site?
I don't know what to expect. I think it'll depend on how long they've been here. I feel like the kids will be farther along in their English then the parents.
3. What do you know/ or assume about the population they serve?
I know that they are refugees that have been taken out of their countries for some reason. They are doing this to help these people or families who have no way to get out of the situation on their own.
I hope it gets me more interested in volunteer work. I have never done any volunteer work even though I have thought about it. With this I hope it gets me interested to the point where I want to continue. I also hope, in the time that we'll be there, to learn a little more about a different culture. I have always found the differences in cultures interesting and feel it would be a good way to learn about another.
2. What are your assumptions about your service-learning site?
I don't know what to expect. I think it'll depend on how long they've been here. I feel like the kids will be farther along in their English then the parents.
3. What do you know/ or assume about the population they serve?
I know that they are refugees that have been taken out of their countries for some reason. They are doing this to help these people or families who have no way to get out of the situation on their own.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
How does service relate to learning?
Hmm, well, service can be seen as a teaching tool. Maybe not the most general of teaching, like math or science, but it can teach you many things. By helping others, it teaches you empathy, teamwork, the importance of helping others in need. In the case of what my class will be doing, it can help a person see that what they have should not be taken for granted. It can teach and show a person how a kind helping hand can change a persons situation for the better.
Hmm, well, service can be seen as a teaching tool. Maybe not the most general of teaching, like math or science, but it can teach you many things. By helping others, it teaches you empathy, teamwork, the importance of helping others in need. In the case of what my class will be doing, it can help a person see that what they have should not be taken for granted. It can teach and show a person how a kind helping hand can change a persons situation for the better.
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