Akiko Ota, who directs the English Language Learning Center at GSU, said when parents find the help accessible, it “lowers the fear of interacting” at their kids’ schools, leading to more engagement for both them and their children.
Danna Pacheco stands with with her three children at their Oak Lawn home. She took English as a Second Language classes at Ridgeland School District 122 taught by Governor State University adjunct faculty. The university's partnership with Southland schools helps parents learn English at the schools their children attend.
“I didn’t practice the English language and I was always afraid about taking a class because I didn’t feel like I was bilingual,” said Pacheco, who lives in Oak Lawn with her husband and three children, Estevan, 5, Veronica, 7 and Victoria, 10. “But when I took the classes in the English program, that gave me the confidence to believe in myself and look for a job.”What’s more, Pacheco wants to polish her English “because I can help more people, more students if I am a good communicator.
The teachers from GSU can accommodate students who speak any language, though the majority are Spanish, Arabic and Polish speakers. This year there were 130 parents enrolled throughout the program. “If I could do it, everyone can,” she said. “It’s not us helping — we are sharing ways, and the parents are the ones who are making it happen.”
“I’ve seen where districts have their own teachers teach classes, there’s nothing wrong with that, but a lot of the teachers are burned out by the end of the day,” said Nevarez. “I was looking for someone who would come from outside the district.”“To me it’s a great pipeline, if we can have these parents learn a little English, get to know teachers, come in and volunteer and if we can hire them, even better for us,” Nevarez said.
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