IN THIS ISSUE: Amy's Ramblings ESL Updates Tip of the Month Volunteer Spotlight November's Vignette Giving Thanks Bits and Pieces Hogar Staff: John Odenwelder Program Director jodenwelder@ccda.net Education Services: Amy White Group Manager awhite@ccda.net, x235 Cindy Brown Manager cbrown@ccda.net, x250 Kristen Gasimov Manager kgasimov@ccda.net, x249 Diana Gibson Manager dgibson@ccda.net, x239 Erin Maradiegue Manager emaradiegue@ccda.net, x251 Jorge Membreño Manager jmembreno@ccda.net, x231 Sheila Sullivan Manager ssullivan@ccda.net, x238 Phil Spencer Manager pspencer@ccda.net, x243 Legal Services: Michelle Sardone Group Manager msardone@ccda.net Nancy Carbajal Receptionist ncarbajal@ccda.net Maria Cutipa Intake Coordinator mcutipa@ccda.net Dan Macguire Staff Attorney dmacguire@ccda.net Patty Mueller Staff Attorney pmueller@ccda.net Enrique Vargas Paralegal evargas@ccda.net Social Services Department: Dawn Dumas Manager ddumas@ccda.net, 703-443-2481 Hogar Immigrant Services 6201 Leesburg Pike Suite 307 Falls Church, VA 22044 (T) 703-534-9805 (F) 703-534-9809 www.ccda.net If you would like to have this newsletter sent to a different e-mail address or if you would like to unsubscribe from the mailing list, please e-mail emaradiegue@ccda.net. Banner picture courtesy of http://christophercrosby.com/

Amy's Ramblings “Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” -Margaret Mead Change. A word that was thrown around quite frequently during the presidential election. The Legal Services team at Hogar will tell you that they are hopeful that some of the change to come will include immigration reform so that many immigrants have the opportunity to work and live legally in our great country. This month’s vignette is about a man who played by all the rules and yet, because of circumstances beyond his control, was denied permanent residency. This month’s issue also contains another type of change. In careers, that is. The volunteer spotlight tells the tale of three Hogar volunteers who have left their previous jobs to pursue a career in teaching ESOL. Although we hate to see them go, knowing that they’ve found something that they can be passionate about more than suffices as consolation. Do you want to transform a family’s Christmas? Every year, Catholic Charities provides toys, gift cards and other supplies to families during the holidays. Please see below and give the gift of Christmas spirit! Also, please plan on attending the 1st annual "Twas the Night Before Christmas" to benefit the hungry of Loudoun County. Join us on Friday, December 12th at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church for a night of caroling, music and refreshments, all to benefit the Western Regional office and Loudoun Interfaith food pantry! Hogar’s very own Bobby Jasinski, legal intern, law student and pianist extraordinaire, will be providing the entertainment. Admission is simply a request for non-perishable food items or a $10 gift card to one of the local grocery stores. The Western Regional office of Catholic Charities has experienced a sharp increase in request for services given the current economy. Wait. Christmas already with no mention of Thanksgiving? That’s just absurd. I feel like a shopping mall. A small Thanksgiving poem for everyone: May your stuffing be tasty May your turkey plump, May your potatoes and gravy Have nary a lump. May your yams be delicious And your pies take the prize, And may your Thanksgiving dinner Stay off your thighs! –Unknown author Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with family and loved ones! Abrazos, Amy White Group Manager, Education Services ESL Updates Announcing Hogar's Spring 2009 Class Schedule! The Education Services Department is excited to present it's new spring schedule! We have a great semester ahead! Spread the word to anyone you know who would like to improve their English! Citizenship preparation classes are now available in Falls Church and Sterling. For registration information, please see below. Alexandria/Arlington St. Rita's Church 3815 Russell Road, Alexandria, Virginia 22305 Levels: Basic, Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Registration: Tuesday, Thursday, January 13 and 15, 7 – 9 pm; Sunday, January 18, 2:45 - 4:45 pm Classes: Tuesday and Thursday, 7 – 9 pm St. Charles Borromeo Church 3304 Washington Boulevard, Arlington, Va 22201 Levels: Beginner, Intermediate Registration: TBA Classes: Sunday, 3:00 - 5:00 pm Fairfax County Hogar Immigrant Services 6201 Leesburg Pike, Suite 310, Falls Church, Virginia 22044 Levels: Basic, Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and Citizenship Registration: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, January 12, 13, and 14, 10 am or 6 – 8 pm Classes: Monday - Thursday (4 Days) 9 – 10:30 am, 6 – 7:30 pm, 7:30 – 9 pm St. Anthony of Padua's Church 3305 Glen Carlyn Road, Falls Church, Virginia 22041 Levels: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Registration: Saturday, January 31, 10 – 12 pm Classes: Saturday, 10 am – 12 pm St. Joseph's Church 750 Peachtree Street, Herndon, Virginia 20170 Levels: Beginner and Intermediate Registration: TBA Classes: Wednesday and Thursday, 7 – 9 pm St. Bernadette's Catholic Church 7600 Old Keene Mill Road, Springfield, Virginia 22152 Levels: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Registration: Saturday, January 24, 10 am – 12 pm Classes: Saturday, 10 am – 12 pm St. Mark's Catholic Church 9970 Vale Road, Vienna, Virginia 22181 Levels: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Registration: Tuesday and Thursday, January 6 and 8, 7:30 – 8:30 pm Classes: Tuesday and Thursday, 8 – 9:30 pm St. Leo the Great Church 3700 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax, Va 22030 Levels: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced Registration: Saturday, January 10, 10 am - 12 pm Classes: Saturday, 10 am – 12 pm Loudoun County Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church 46833 Harry Byrd Hwy. (Rt. 7), Sterling, Virginia 20164 Levels: Basic, Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Citizenship Registration: Tuesday and Thursday, January 20 and 22, 7 – 9 pm Classes: Tuesday and Thursday, 8 – 9:30 pm Prince William County Holy Family Catholic Church 14160 Ferndale Road, Dale City, Virginia 22193 Levels: Beginner 1 and 2, Intermediate, and Advanced Registration: TBA Classes: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 7 – 8:30 pm All Saint's Catholic Church 9300 Stonewall Road, Manassas, Virginia 20110 Levels: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Registration: Sunday, January 18, 11:30 – 1:20 pm; Tuesday and Thursday, January 6 and 8, 7 – 9 pm Classes: Tuesday and Thursday, 7 – 9 pm or Sunday, 11:30 am – 1:20 pm Our Lady of Angels 13752 Mary’s Way, Woodbridge, Virginia 22191 Levels: Basic, Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Registration: Tuesday and Thursday, January 27 and 29, 7 - 9 pm Classes: Tuesday and Thursday, 7 - 9 pm Tip of the Month Grouping Students In A Multilevel Class For almost all ESL courses, the levels of learning are as varied as the students in them. A multi-level classroom is based on more than just ability to communicate in English. Within each class there can be differentiation in anything from learning style, familiarity with the Roman alphabet, literacy in native language, age, and more. While the differences can be as dramatic as night from day, there are options to help tackle the challenge. The first step is identifying the levels of your students. Within the first few lessons it becomes apparent which students are moving at a faster pace than others. Basic learning students might require extra time on activities, hesitate when providing an answer, or even turn to their peers for approval. Intermediate learning students may still require a little extra time in some cases but they are progressing fairly well with the lessons overall. Advanced learning students may be more eager to answer questions, finish their work earlier, and might even seem bored. After identifying the levels of your students you can begin grouping them. According to Melinda Roberts, a National Education Consultant for Pearson Education, there are four ways to group students: Pair work (two students working together) Group work (three to ten students working together) Teamwork (teams of students working together in competition with other teams) Whole-class work (the entire class participating in an activity) Most everything that can be done individually can be done in a pair and the activity becomes more communicative when done with a partner. There can be less stress for the more timid students, as they only have an audience of one. When a stronger student and a weaker student are paired together, both can benefit. The stronger student acts as a role-model for the weaker student, yet that stronger student has to work to make their speech clear to the weaker student, and can help them with corrections. Group work lends itself well to conversation and discussion, especially with intermediate and advanced-level classes. With all levels, it helps to set up groups so that each student must contribute something- even just their opinion- for the group to come to a consensus. To do this, instead of just telling students to “discuss”, make sure they have a goal, whether it is to get information from each member or to come to a consensus. An example of this sort of activity would be to give each group the profile of a couple of different people, and have them decide, from a list of classified ads, which job is the best fit for each person. Or, give each group a grocery store ad, tell them they have surprise guests coming, no food at home, and only $20. As a group, they must decide what to buy and make for their guests that costs $20 or less. Group activities with more than one role are helpful, as students can pick roles that play to their strengths. Someone who is quiet may be a great writer, and they can make a big contribution to the group by taking on the role of “secretary”. Same for the student who has great listening or speaking skills- they can pick roles they are good at, or ones that will challenge them, if they are comfortable enough. Most group activities can be made competitive by rewarding the first group done (with no mistakes!), or the group that does the best job. Whole-class work involves activities in which members of the class are working on the same task, but are performing at different complexity levels or performing different tasks. Long-term activities, such as a class newspaper/cookbook/article have many different roles that different students can work on- from writing to taking pictures. You could plan an “invite a guest” night (the guest can be anyone- even a friend or family member) where everyone prepares questions to ask the guest. Lower-level learners shouldn’t have much trouble coming up with the easier questions (“What is your name?” “Where are you from?”) or they can read some of the questions out loud when the guest comes. Mixed-level classes set the tone for collaborative problem-solving as, by design, they communicate to students that they all have strengths and can learn from one another. The key is to enable students to become comfortable. Teachers should work to foster a spirit of mutual respect and cooperation from the onset. Try some of these activities in your class and help to build a classroom where students learn with AND from each other! Volunteer Spotlight Many volunteers come to Hogar Immigrant Services knowing that they want to give back to the community and make a difference in the lives of immigrants. Others come from experienced teaching backgrounds looking to reignite their passion for teaching in a more informal setting. Still others have found an entirely new direction in life from their time at Hogar, going on to pursue graduate education and TESOL career paths. In this month’s volunteer spotlight, we wanted to let you know about a few of those career-shifting teachers, and how Hogar has helped them get on the path to their new life goals. Several volunteers have come to us with dreams of working internationally through organizations like World Teach and the U.S. Peace Corps. Many must defer their applications or assignments to such organizations until they gain sufficient teaching experience. That’s where Hogar comes in! Cullen Wade, a beginner class teacher, had been teaching with Hogar since January in preparation for his Peace Corps assignment. When he left for Africa this month, he wrote to us that “the last three terms have been a total blast, and my class was usually the highlight of my week. Since I'll be teaching ESL in Lesotho, it's been invaluable for sharpening my skills and developing confidence as a teacher.” For Laura Kieffer, and intermediate teacher and career-shifter at Hogar, the change was more gradual. When reflecting on her decision to give up a higher paying job to pursue a Masters in TESOL, Laura says that she feels “very lucky. I had an excellent job where I honed many useful skills. I put all of me into that work and successfully made my department run smoothly at a high level. I began to feel that those communication skills and my energy should be used in a way that was more meaningful, more satisfying for me and more helpful to humanity. I am lucky because I am now actively in pursuit of that aim, working towards something I know I love to do.” Now Laura has been accepted into the graduate program at American University and is still waiting to hear from Columbia and NYU. Congratulations, Laura, and good luck with your future studies! When the real estate market took a nosedive, Jonathan Westmoreland, then working in real estate investment and sales, knew it was time to shift his focus. As work slowed down, he started volunteering as an ESL teacher both at Hogar and at his local library, eventually working his way up to six days a week during the summer! Jonathan says, “I found volunteering so gratifying that I chose to do it full time.” Last month, Jonathan left for Ecuador and is now a professor with the Wall Street Institute, a private language school. When asked to give advice to anyone considering a career switch, he said, “Realize how important your work is. The gift of language is a prolific one. Learning this language is crucial for social mobility.” Truly, his new life in Ecuador has proven fulfilling so far. “I’m discovering that I am anxious to get up in the morning and go to work!” We are grateful to all our volunteers, no matter how their time at Hogar fits into their life plans. Whether Hogar is the simply the highlight of their week, or if it is a stepping stone to a new path in life, the positive results for the immigrant community are the same. We are happy to provide our students with these much-needed services, and to provide volunteers with the experience to help them grow personally and professionally. Interested in finding out more about the opportunities mentioned in this article? World Teach Peace Corps English & Education Opportunities American University’s MA in TESOL Program Wall Street Institute International English School Top picture: Laura Kieffer (far left) with two students and her partner teachers at the end-of-semester party. Bottom picture: Jonathan Westmoreland talking to his students during the last class of the summer 2008 semester. November's Vignette Despite a recent election season in which immigration reform took a backseat to economic and foreign policy issues, the legal staff at Hogar Immigrant Services is hopeful that the United States government will resume its debate of this important matter. Every day staff is reminded of why the current system fails to work. One such reminder came two weeks ago from a client named Wilbur. Wilbur is an exceptionally warm-hearted young man from El Salvador. He has resided in the United States since the age of 11. Wilbur has a learning disability and has been living on his own since the age of 15. He has sought to overcome these barriers through focusing on his education. Wilbur attended high school until he aged out of public school education while struggling to graduate. When his high school informed him that he could no longer attend, Wilbur did not quit. Along with working full-time, Wilbur is now seeking his GED. Wilbur is eligible to become a permanent resident under a law called the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act, known more commonly under the acronym of NACARA. Passed as a legislative act in 1997, NACARA is one of the very few programs that allow for legalization of status for persons within the United States. NACARA was enacted following a lawsuit that was filed against the United States in a case entitled American Baptist Churches v. Thornburg. The lawsuit alleged that immigration authorities discriminated against the asylum petitions of Guatemalans and Salvadoreans during the early 1980’s when Central America was wracked by civil war. Plaintiffs in the class action suit or persons from El Salvador and Guatemala who filed an application for asylum by April 1, 1990 satisfy one of the main eligibility requirements for NACARA. NACARA also allows spouses and children of NACARA beneficiaries to also apply for permanent residency. Wilbur is eligible for NACARA because his mother was granted NACARA benefits earlier in 2000. Hogar Legal Services helped Wilber apply for NACARA, and over the past year, worked with Wilbur to prepare him for his court date in November. Two weeks ago Wilbur came to court surrounded by his family friends, among whom was his guidance counselor from high school. Much to our dismay, Wilbur was not granted his permanent residency status. Why? When Wilbur’s flight landed in the US, he was briefly stopped and then released by immigration to his family. He was later ordered to be deported in absencia at the age of 11, though he was never made aware of this, and never saw the deportation order. Wilbur may still be able to reopen his old deportation order, but the process is costly and time consuming, and the law is less inclined to support him. If Wilbur cannot reopen his old deportation order, like millions of other immigrants, he will be left without status. Wilbur’s story illustrates the difficulties that hard-working and well-meaning immigrants face with an ever more restrictive immigration system. What more could Wilbur have done? Not much. After being brought here as a minor, Wilbur was ordered to be deported, and it was done so without his knowledge. Wilbur could not have informed our legal staff of his immigration history, without which we were not in a position to help Wilbur adjust his status. It is important for immigrants to understand their immigration history if they are to have any chance to change their status, but it is more important that good, law abiding persons have an opportunity to eventually seek citizenship. The current legal avenues, such as NACARA, by which immigrants can become permanent citizens, and subsequently citizens, are shrinking. Hopefully, our immigration laws will be reformed to reflect the reality of our country's population. To learn more about immigration through NACARA go the USCIS website and search NACARA. If you think you or someone you know is eligible for immigration through NACARA and you would like a consultation with Hogar's Legal Services Department please come to intake hours. Clients are seen on a first come, first serve basis Tuesday and Thursday mornings before 9:30 am. Our office opens at 9:00 am. A consultation is $50. Bits and Pieces Give Thanks By Giving Back! The Salvation Army of Loudoun County, in cooperation with Catholic Charities, is holding a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner for families and individuals in need on Wednesday, November 26, 2008. If you would like to help give someone a warm meal who might otherwise not have one, please contact Debbie Appleton at the Salvation Army in Leesburg (703) 771-3371. Volunteers are asked to work in 1-2 hour increments beginning at 12:00 pm. 12:00 – 2:00 pm Dining room set-up 3:00 – 4:00 pm Food preparation 5:00 – 7:00 pm Serving dinner 7:00 – 8:00 pm Clean up Call the Salvation Army or just show up! ______________________________________ Help Bring Christmas To The Needy Every December Catholic Charities serves children and seniors, the working poor and the homeless by providing them with gifts and household supplies for Christmas. But giving to the needy of Northern Virginia is not possible without the generosity of people like you! Catholic Charities is currently collecting donations of new toys, books, art supplies, clothes, household items, and Target or Walmart gift certificates. Please drop off your unwrapped gifts at Christ House (131 S. West Street, Alexandria, VA 22314) Monday through Friday, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm or 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm by December 12. For more information call 703-841-3838 or go to www.ccda.net and click on Christmas Gift List. ______________________________________ Training Opportunity: Teaching Writing to Adult English Language Learners Unable to attend Hogar's Wreading and Riting training? Don't worry! The Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center is offering a training on how to teach writing to English Language Learners Saturday, December 6, 2008 in Falls Church. This training is great for new and experienced teachers. To register go to http://www.valrc.org/ under Calendar. When: December 6, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm Where: Pimmet Adult Center- 7510 Lisle Avenue, Falls Church, VA 22043 ______________________________________ Help Low-income Families In Your Community The Fairfax Department of Family Services is looking for volunteers to work with their Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA). Free tax training and certification is available. Volunteers are needed throughout Northern Virginia beginning of January 2009 through April 2009. To register as a volunteer contact James Do at 571-749-7838; TTY 703-533-5316 or email James.Do@fairfaxcounty.gov. ______________________________________ First Time Home Buyer Classes Available in Herndon Reston Interfaith in partnership with the Virginia Housing Development Authority is offering information for first time home buyers at the Herndon Senior Center (873 Grace Street, Herndon, VA 20170; (703) 464-2000). In addition to learning what you need to know in order to purchase your first home, the session includes information about tax benefits you can receive from Fairfax County. Classes are typically held once a month, alternating English and Spanish every month. Each session is on a Saturday from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. The next class will be in early December 2008. The classes are free and materials will be provided. Further counseling is available if needed. To register contact Martin Rios at (571) 323 1438 or martin.rios@restoninterfaith.org. ______________________________________ Help the Homeless Walkathon, Saturday, November 22, 2008 For more than 20 years, the Fannie Mae Help the Homeless Program has brought together caring and committed individuals to work toward preventing and ending homelessness in our region. This year, it is estimated that there are nearly 12,000 people in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area who are homeless. Together, we can help solve this issue. All it takes is a few hours of your time. Please join tens of thousands of your neighbors for the 21st Annual Help the Homeless Walkathon. If you would like to walk with Catholic Charities, please meet us under the large banner that contains the alphabet on the Mall. We will be standing under the “C”! We would LOVE to see you there. Catholic Charities benefits greatly from this walk, as we are one of the agencies that receive the proceeds of the event. Last year, we were awarded more than $25,000 of the proceeds from this event. Please consider designating Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington on your event application. Our agency code is: VA011. When: Saturday, November 22, 2008 Time: Registration opens at 7:00 a.m. Pre-Walkathon Program begins at 8:30 a.m. Walkathon begins at 9:00 a.m. Where: National Mall Washington, D.C., Smithsonian Metro Station. Preregistered check-in is on the Mall at 7th Street NW. Event Day Registration is between 12th and 14th Streets on the Department of Agriculture lawn, across Jefferson Drive from the National Mall. Transportation: Metro recommended. Take the Orange or Blue Line to the Smithsonian Station. Metro opens early at 6:00 a.m. Cost: Preregistration: $15 for youth (age 25 and younger) and $25 for adults. Event Day Registration: $15 for youth and $30 for adults.