In the reading, Richard Rodriguez talks about the Americanization of his family and how he was forced to sacrifice his sense of private individuality in favor of achieving public individuality through assimilation. He especially points out the drastic changes that occurred in his home life growing up due to his parents deciding that English needed to be spoken in the home rather than Spanish out of a sense of necessity, and how this eventually led to the children of his household feeling a sense of separation from their parents. One thing that particularly stuck to me was regarding his father, where the author states "Though his English improved somewhat, he retired into silence. At dinner he spoke very little. One night his children and even his wife helplessly giggled at his garbled English pronunciation of the Catholic Grace before Meals. Thereafter he made his wife recite the prayer at the start of each meal..." (Rodriguez 37).
My school placement for this class is Asa Messer Elementary School, where I have been volunteering in a Pre-K Special Ed Integrated classroom. There is a mix of languages in this classroom, as some students understand exclusively English and others understand exclusively Spanish, though many of the Spanish speaking students seem to understand both English and Spanish at different degrees. The classroom also has two teacher assistants that are fluent in Spanish, who speak to the students in both English and Spanish. For example, sometimes the TA's will speak to the students in English, but it seems that when they want to give firm directions, they will speak in Spanish. This is not to say that they speak Spanish exclusively to give directions, as I have also listened to the TA's have general conversations with students in Spanish. Although I already wondered this before reading the text, taking in Rodriguez's experiences made me think more about how the Spanish speaking students in my classroom feel in regards to speaking English in the classroom. I have never heard the teacher restrict them to English while I have been there, so I wonder if they are not forced to choose between a "public vs. private" approach. I worry that as they grow older, they will have teachers that make them sacrifice their private individuality in favor of a public one.
I also had a similar experience during my volunteering, with the teacher and TA being fairly firm and passive when speaking in Spanish to the students. It almost felt like a last warning to the students that they better start acting correctly before they get further reprimanded.
ReplyDeleteI can relate to this at my placement, I am also in Asa Messer and the teachers seem to have a similar use of language. Usually directions are given in English but then repeated in Spanish if they are not followed.
ReplyDeleteFrom Jess: Olivia - Your blog post on Rodriguez's text and your experiences at Asa Messer
ReplyDeleteElementary School highlights the subtle dynamics of language and identity in
educational settings. In your classroom experience, the approach taken by the teacher
assistants to use both English and Spanish seems to create a more inclusive
environment, allowing students to navigate between their languages without the
pressure to fully comply with one. This is essential in promoting a sense of belonging
and validation for Spanish speaking students, while helping them retain their cultural
identity while also learning English. Your concerns about the potential future pressures
these students might face are valid. It’s crucial for educators to continue supporting
bilingualism rather than forcing a choice between public and private identities. How do
you believe educators ensure that this dual-language approach remains a priority,
especially as they encounter the challenges of assimilation in later schooling?