First_Day_of_School_from_a_Hispanic_Student’S_Perspective

First Day of School From A Hispanic Student’s Perspective Yuridia, Yuri as I would later learn to call her, was very quiet her first day of school. She is Hispanic and very withdrawn. She is the oldest child, with two younger siblings, one of which had Tay Sachs. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes, Tay-Sachs disease is a fatal genetic lipid storage disorder in which harmful quantities of a fatty substance called ganglioside GM2 build up in tissues and nerve cells in the brain. Even though her younger sister had the disease, Yuri’s parents refused to have her tested. Yuri still has a chance of developing the illness. Even with the death of her little sister, Yuri preserved. I enjoyed watching her go from a shy young girl, who spoke no English to demanding that her parents speak to her in English only. On the first day of school, Yuri as well as her classmates perceived me to be a mean teacher. I must admit this is the perception that I wanted to display. I learned from my grandmother and father, who were both educators, that it is best to start off a new year being hard and easing up later once the students understands your expectations for them. So on the first day of school Yuri cried when her father left her. She made little effort to communicate for the simple fact, that she was scared and in an unfamiliar setting. “Many young learners of English experience a silent period. This is normal. After a few weeks or months, the children will show of evidence of a large vocabulary and a simple grammar. To help the students feel comfortable the teacher can ask the students to help in class, according to Marie Trayer (2002).” She stood by the door most of the day waiting for her father to return and pick her up. This in fact was Yuri’s first time being separated from her family for more than two hours. When Yuri entered class she was very tensed at first. Then she realized that a majority of the students in the class were of Hispanic descend. Having little interactions with African Americans, Yuri was hesitant when it came to interacting with my assistant teacher or me. Because she wasn’t aware if we were able to communicate with her, Yuri didn’t interact or try to communicate with us at all, in fact she didn’t even inform us of when she had to use the restroom, which resulted in an unpleasant outcome. To help Yuri relax in her new surroundings, I would often allow her to assist me in the classroom. I also found out from her parents what she enjoyed doing at home, and incorporated these ideas into my lesson plan. I would often place paint and other crafts on the table that I knew she would enjoy, and begin using them. Yuri even though she would not engage in conversation, would eventually join end. After awhile Yuri still would not communicate verbally, but through non-verbal means. I also found out that by showing Yuri that I wasn’t afraid to embarrass myself, allowed her to feel free to explore and discover without judgement. References NINDS Tay-Sachs Disease Information Page (October 6, 2011). Retrieved On May 23, 2012 from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/taysachs/taysachs.htm Trayer, Marie (April 2002). Guide for Understanding Hispanic Students in your Classrooms. Retrieved on May 23, 2012 from http://www.mc3edsupport.org/community/kb_files/Guide_Understand ing_Hispanic_Students.pdf