High School Project: Students struggle as immigrants do

[Chica Yeyé 41]

She's a Spanish V teacher and her students are high school seniors. I don't know about everywhere, but at my school world language classes from level III and up are honors, often for college credit, and include culture as a very strong component. Usually the level V languages are a mix of language, culture and real-life application. I only teach level I world language, but I am a member of that department, so I am familiar with much of what is taught. It is not out of line to teach this sort of thing in a world language class, especially a Spanish class in which these kids (who have made it to an honor's level) will likely be using this language in real life. It's in fact impossible and doing a disservice to our students to teach a language (or math, or literature, or history) in a self-contained vacuum. I know that any time I teach something that could be controversial or touchy in my Mass Media class, I go first to the Advisory Board and then to the Parent's Advisory. I have never been denied because before we just throw a lesson plan out there we have to show how it follows state and national standards and what the real-life application may be. Also, there are many teachers who can teach a controversial subject without showing a bias or a personal agenda. I do it every single year when I teach media.

Spoken like an educator who knows what her subject is about. Language indeed is culture. My hat off to you jundp

[jundp 191]

She's a Spanish V teacher and her students are high school seniors. I don't know about everywhere, but at my school world language classes from level III and up are honors, often for college credit, and include culture as a very strong component. Usually the level V languages are a mix of language, culture and real-life application. I only teach level I world language, but I am a member of that department, so I am familiar with much of what is taught. It is not out of line to teach this sort of thing in a world language class, especially a Spanish class in which these kids (who have made it to an honor's level) will likely be using this language in real life. It's in fact impossible and doing a disservice to our students to teach a language (or math, or literature, or history) in a self-contained vacuum. I know that any time I teach something that could be controversial or touchy in my Mass Media class, I go first to the Advisory Board and then to the Parent's Advisory. I have never been denied because before we just throw a lesson plan out there we have to show how it follows state and national standards and what the real-life application may be. Also, there are many teachers who can teach a controversial subject without showing a bias or a personal agenda. I do it every single year when I teach media.

Spoken like an educator who knows what her subject is about. Language indeed is culture. My hat off to you jundp

Thank you.

I don't think we should be teaching "go illegal immigration!!!!!!" or anything. But I do think that the foundation of this unit has merit.

And if the area had a strong German or French or Italian or...whatever immigrant population then it would apply in those classes as well

I am only defending the right of the teacher to teach something that some people consider "not her area." We want our teachers to be well-rounded, to teach life skills, to be experts in their areas...but we don't want them to challenge or make people think? Again, I agree that there are flaws with this unit...for example, I don't think she should limit it to "illegals" when having them do the lessons, but rather expand it to cover Latino immigration, period (legal and illegal) but I think it's ridiculous for people to say "SHE SHOULD BE FIRED!!!!!111" because usually it's people who have no idea what goes into being in a classroom who make those comments. Don't we have bigger education issues to worry about instead of going after teachers who are doing their jobs? Even if it's uncomfortable to some?