The Dreams . . .

To learn enough English to be ready for the baby in November

   To earn enough money in the next three years to  buy a car in the United and to drive it to Mexico to give to family members. He would then return to the USA to continue farm work. 

Of learning enough English to relieve some of the stress of not being able to speak English in a country where so few individuals speak a second language. 

Of having fresh blue crabs for dinner caught after a long day of farm work.

 Of having enough open space to give a home to all of the living creatures that seem to find Luis almost every day. 

       

       

To live near the sea where there are real boats and sea breezes and pirates.

                       

Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes. Camp Songs and English Acquisition.

For the past year or more, I have gotten away from using my guitar to teach English in the migrant camps. As we talk more and more about pre and post assessments and measurable objectives and outcomes with regard to migrant education, I think I have become too caught up with this educational jargon and forgotten how effective music can be as a tool to teach and learn a second language. 

I can hear the State Director of the Migrant Program South Carolina asking why does it have to be an either-or situation. Why can't you do a pre-assessment of what parts of the body an ELL knows before the song and then a post assessment after the song is over? Of course it can be done this way, but these measurable objectives seem to interfere with the joy of the moment at times. At the same time, I know that we are moving away from migrant education programs that are more like summer camps to MEPs that are more outcome based. I just have to combine the joy-of-the-moment with a planned lesson with measurable objectives in a way that students are having fun while learning at the same time (and I can show that they are learning. . . and the State MEP and the Feds know they are learning too . . . and more importantly, my migrant students are beginning to realize that they are learning meaningful skills while enjoying a simple tune at the same time.)

Eyes and Ears and Mouth and Nose . . . Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.

Our Guests Enjoy Themselves in our Luxurious Pool!

5-26-2011

Three Nights and Four Days in Sunny Beaufort, South Carolina.

 Itzel asked us over month ago if she,  her little sister Vanesa, and brother Chris could stay with us when her mother had to go into the hospital for several days. I don't think we had a chance to say no. The 3rd grader was quite persuasive. They were our guests from Wednesday night until Saturday morning when Rachel and I drove them back to the migrant camp. 

They loved swimming in our olympic size swimming pool, watching the boats on the Beaufort River from the Henry Chambers park, and feasting on ice cream of all flavors. When Vanesa was born two years ago, Itzel and Chris stayed with my family while their mother was in the hospital . It is so amazing to me that Itzel seems to remember every little detail about her stay in our house: our dogs names, our day at the beach (and the fact that we accidentally left all her shells at the beach that day), and Rachel's bedroom full of all kinds of wondrous things. 

I wish that all the children who live in the small rooms of the camps could spend time on the beach, playing in the waves, and eating ice cream on hot summer days. I am concerned that these visits to our house make it difficult for the children to return to their home in the migrant camp on St. Helena. We tend to really pack in a lot of activities during their visits. I just don't want to complicate their lives any more than they already are. 

Depending upon another doctor visit this week, there is the chance that these little guys might be staying with us for an extended period of time. Amy and I realized that we are not as young as we used to be, but we are trying to figure out the best way to proceed in the event that their mother might need to spend an extended time in the hospital. 

Without Rachel, who will be in the Dominican Republic for most of this summer, it's hard to imagine that Amy and I can provide the care that we would want to give these kids should they stay with us again. We shall see.