En otoño del 2008, la Universidad en la que enseño español empezó a ofrecer un programa llamado “Service Learning”, algo así como “aprender a través del servicio”, que consiste en que los estudiantes tomen parte en cualquier tipo de servicio comunitario en el que puedan aprender y llevar a la práctica lo que están estudiando en la universidad, en el caso de mis estudiantes, el español.
Después de informarme sobre en qué consistía este programa, decidí darles la opción a los estudiantes de mis clases de español intermedio de participar en este programa y asignar parte de la nota del curso a este proyecto, pero sería de forma totalmente opcional.
En la universidad hay una persona Courtney Amstett, que está encargada de buscar los programas adecuados en los que los estudiantes pueden realizar su “service learning”.
Algunos de los estudiantes optaron por ir a las escuelas primarias y ayudar a los estudiantes hispano hablantes con las tareas. Otros ayudaban con traducciones en clínicas u hospitales, etc.
Desde el principio había un programa que parecía ser el más popular. Todos los estudiantes comentaban cuanto disfrutaban y aprendían en este programa. El programa se llama: Norwalk Senior Center South. Este es un centro que está situado muy cerca de la universidad y que sirve a un gran número de hispano hablantes de la tercera edad que asisten al centro para tomar clases de inglés, hacer ejercicio, y otras actividades. También para almorzar y socializar con otros hispano hablantes.
En mi primera visita al centro tuve el placer de conocer a Giovanna, una mujer joven que dirige el centro, y a un increíble grupo de personas mayores (no quiero llamarles ancianos) ya que son increíblemente enérgicos y llenos de ganas de vivir. Entonces pensé que sería una buena idea que los estudiantes escribieran unas biografías de estas personas para conocer algo de su vida y de su experiencia como inmigrantes en los Estados Unidos.
Este proyecto fue mucho más provechoso de lo que yo jamás podría haber imaginado. Las biografías resultaron ser tan interesantes, cada uno de los entrevistados tenía algo importante que contar y estas historias son parte de la historia de nuestra comunidad, son parte de la historia de Norwalk.
Una de las estudiantes en la clase, Louisa, una persona excepcional, se ofreció a buscar a alguien que hiciera retratos de los entrevistados y un fotógrafo profesional hizo unos increíbles retratos de los entrevistados. Otra estudiante, Whitney Bria, que estaba estudiando Diseño Gráfico ayudó con el diseño y esto dio lugar a unos póster con las biografías y los retratos de los ancianos que adornan ahora el centro. Estos ancianos, sus retratos y sus historias no pueden ser olvidadas y es por esto que he decidido recopilar el trabajo de los estudiantes en este blog, y más adelante en un libro que, aunque corto, es muy importante porque contiene la historia y los retratos de este grupo de increíbles personas que han enriquecido la vida de los estudiantes de NCC y nos han enseñado a todos mucho más que español.
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In the Fall 2008, the college where I teach Spanish, started a new "Service Learning Program"
Students who were enroll in Spanish courses had the option of participating in this program, they would do voluntary work in some of the Community Organizations serving Spanish speakers, so that they could practice their Spanish and get credit for their work.
After getting the information about the project, I decided to give students in the Intermediate level the opportunity to participate in this program and I assign part of the class grade to the project, but it was an option.
At the college there is a Service Learning coordinator (Courtney Anstett) who is in charge of finding the adecuate programs for the students.
Some students opted for going to the elementary schools and helping Spanish speaking students with their homework. Others help with translations in hospitals or clinics. etc.
From the beginning there was a program that seem to be the most popular. All the students were commenting how much they enjoy being there and how much they were learning. The program is called: The Norwalk Senior Center South. This Center is located near the college and serves a great number of Hispanic Seniors. They attend the Center to assist to ESL and Physical Fitness Classes and to share their conversation and social activities with other Spanish speaking seniors.
In my first visit to the Center I had the pleasure of meeting Giovana, a young woman who woks with the seniors, and an incredible group of senior incredibly energetic and filled with joy and love for life.
I thought that it would be a good idea to have the students interview the seniors and write their biographies in a simple format so we could know something about their life and their journey as immigrants to the United States.
This project was much more interesting than I ever could imagine. Each one of the interviewees had something interesting to tell and these stories are the story of our community, they are the history of Norwalk.
One of the students from the class Louisa, an exceptional person provided a photographer friend of her that took portraits of the seniors. This is how a Spanish professional photographer (Chi-chi Ubiña) came and took this extraordinary portraits.
Another student Whitney Bria, a Graphic Design/Spanish, student help with the design of the posters which decorate the Senior Center now.
There were more interviews and more portraits taken by photographer/artist/Spanish student Karen Kalktein. Now we have the stories of all the Spanish speaking seniors who wanted to participate in the project and also JuliaMc Claester, who even though she is not Spanish speaking, has been a friend of the project.
These seniors and their stories are in the walls at the center, but they can not just be left there and forgotten and that is why I have decided to collect all the work of the students in this blog and also in a book that although it will be short, it would be so important because it contains the stories and portraits of this group of incredible people, who have enrich the life of the NCC students and have taught us all much more than Spanish.
****************************************************
In the Fall 2008, the college where I teach Spanish, started a new "Service Learning Program"
Students who were enroll in Spanish courses had the option of participating in this program, they would do voluntary work in some of the Community Organizations serving Spanish speakers, so that they could practice their Spanish and get credit for their work.
After getting the information about the project, I decided to give students in the Intermediate level the opportunity to participate in this program and I assign part of the class grade to the project, but it was an option.
At the college there is a Service Learning coordinator (Courtney Anstett) who is in charge of finding the adecuate programs for the students.
Some students opted for going to the elementary schools and helping Spanish speaking students with their homework. Others help with translations in hospitals or clinics. etc.
From the beginning there was a program that seem to be the most popular. All the students were commenting how much they enjoy being there and how much they were learning. The program is called: The Norwalk Senior Center South. This Center is located near the college and serves a great number of Hispanic Seniors. They attend the Center to assist to ESL and Physical Fitness Classes and to share their conversation and social activities with other Spanish speaking seniors.
In my first visit to the Center I had the pleasure of meeting Giovana, a young woman who woks with the seniors, and an incredible group of senior incredibly energetic and filled with joy and love for life.
I thought that it would be a good idea to have the students interview the seniors and write their biographies in a simple format so we could know something about their life and their journey as immigrants to the United States.
This project was much more interesting than I ever could imagine. Each one of the interviewees had something interesting to tell and these stories are the story of our community, they are the history of Norwalk.
One of the students from the class Louisa, an exceptional person provided a photographer friend of her that took portraits of the seniors. This is how a Spanish professional photographer (Chi-chi Ubiña) came and took this extraordinary portraits.
Another student Whitney Bria, a Graphic Design/Spanish, student help with the design of the posters which decorate the Senior Center now.
There were more interviews and more portraits taken by photographer/artist/Spanish student Karen Kalktein. Now we have the stories of all the Spanish speaking seniors who wanted to participate in the project and also JuliaMc Claester, who even though she is not Spanish speaking, has been a friend of the project.
These seniors and their stories are in the walls at the center, but they can not just be left there and forgotten and that is why I have decided to collect all the work of the students in this blog and also in a book that although it will be short, it would be so important because it contains the stories and portraits of this group of incredible people, who have enrich the life of the NCC students and have taught us all much more than Spanish.
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