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Picture with Miss Shaffer

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This is the classroom where the Dual Language classes take place at New Wilmington Presbyterian Church.

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Interview questions with Miss Shaffer
1. Introduce your name, school, teacher position. My name is Miss Shaffer, I am a 5th, 6th, 7th grade Spanish teacher at Wilmington Area Middle School. I teach grades 8-12 ESL students, and grades 8-12 Spanish I.
2. How are parents involved in the classroom.
Two families from Mexico, get them involved, go to Kraynaks, visit Santa Land. At Easter, had an Easter egg hunt. Incorporate Spanish club, get them to see different things in the school.
3. What are your goals you want to accomplish through teaching Spanish.
Teaching English to the adults coming from Mexico, 1 day a week, integrate them into the community. Mainly the moms came, dads were working, go to store, purchase things, crucial to have basic English, bilingual, goal is to help give them enough English to survive.
4. What kind of activities do you offer to immigrant students in the classroom, outside the classroom?
The main one is El Dia de los Muertos. It is a way for immigrant students to share culture, bring tradition. Incentive to come, experience culture, dancing. National Foreign Language week. Lunch, learn salsa dances.
5. What kind of challenges do you face teaching Spanish to immigrants or English students?
Most challenges, 3 new students from Mexico spoke 2-3 Spanish, no English. School placed them in Algebra, all English classes. Not use to experiencing things other than English, not use to overcoming this.
6. What was one of your favorite stories about teaching Spanish to immigrants?
Proudest moments, student arrived as 10th grader from Mexico. Worked with him through 10th, 11th, 12th grade. He would come in tears, because he was struggling, wasn't understanding it. Now, he is the Spanish club president. He is very social. He faced his challenges head on, and persevered.
7. How is your classroom size, how many immigrants do you have in your classes?
Middle school, 20 ESL immigrants, high school 20-30 ESL immigrants, ESL class smaller, just ESL class, 1 ESL student in my Spanish class at middle school, she is a fifth grader from Mexico.
8. How do you address immigration to students in the classroom, send out newsletter?
Meet with them weekly, English lesson for all students. They come to us with hospital bill. No social worker at school, i'm bilingual, bring in bills ask me to set up doctor's appointments. Got both mom's driver's licenses. Got two boys their driver's licenses, taught them to drive. Teachers better knowledge at 12th grade. Fun things, had them over for holidays like thanksgiving.

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6.  What do you find is the most helpful to the immigrants you serve? The English classes or the people they meet?
Both, making friends that are going through the same thing as them is very important and they can relate to each other and their experiences.
7. Are parents involved in the programs or just the kids?
Actually, I really only teach parents of children, the children are better at English than the parents.
8. Where did the money come from the support this program?

9. Is it a challenging job to work with immigrant and refugee families?
No, I love it! They work so hard and have so much to offer. They are teaching me as well and it is lots of fun.
10. Can you tell us your favorite moment of teaching these immigrant families so far?
Just last week they were sharing about being made fun of when shopping in public and it broke my heart. So, I told them to keep their held up and not look down, to be confident, because they are valued people as well. It was great to see their tears turn to smiles as I shared these encouraging words.

Classroom where interview was filmed.

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1. What program do you offer to help immigrants?
I teach English or assist them where they're at in their English learning.
2. How did you find immigrants to work with or did they find you?
Miss Shaffer and I posted the flyer for the class on Facebook and around town. The immigrants then signed up. The owner of El Canelo heard about the program and now I am traveling there twice a week to teach 5 of the workers English.
3. What is the average age of the people you help?
Late 20s
4. What are other agencies in the area that you have referred immigrants to use?
I haven't referred any, most have gotten services on their own. Schools, stores, and Lawrence County volunteers help the families get things they need.
5. What countries are the immigrants from?
Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and El Salvador.
T-shirt for El Dia de los Muertos, festival honoring Spanish culture, tradition, started by Miss Shaffer.

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Posting this flyer around establishments in neighboring towns and online is how Miss Shaffer and Elaine got their immigrant students for the class.