February 2008
E-nunciations
It is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing. It is not how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving.
-Mother Teresa
IN THIS ISSUE:
awhite@ccda.net, x235
Cindy Brown, Associate ESL Coordinator
cbrown@ccda.net, x239
Diana Gibson, Associate ESL Coordinator
dgibson@ccda.net, x231
Erin Maradiegue, Associate ESL Coordinator
emaradiegue@ccda.net, x251
Kristen Gasimov, Associate ESL Coordinator
kgasimov@ccda.net, x237
Sheila Sullivan, Associate ESL Coordinator
ssullivan@ccda.net, x238
Phil Spencer, Associate ESL Coordinator
pspencer@ccda.net, x243
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.
There is no remedy for love but to love more.-Henry David Thoreau
Everyone at Hogar Hispano hopes that you had a wonderful Valentine’s Day or, in my case, a wonderful “Singles’ Awareness” Day! Many of you even taught your English class on February 14th – now there’s love!
Because weather this winter has been reminiscent of my home state of Ohio, I thought I’d briefly remind you of our snow policy. When the public school system in your county is closed, so are classes. If they have canceled evening activities, classes are canceled. If you ever feel like driving to class would be dangerous, please do not drive! Cancel your class by calling your site coordinator and then by calling students. We do not want our students trekking to class only to find out their class has been canceled.
In more exciting news, we’re taking our Spring Training Series on the road! Please look at when and where we’re offering our trainings and plan on attending. It is with great pleasure that this semester we can offer trainings at different locations – not just our Falls Church office. We look forward to seeing you there!
There are some great features not to be missed in this issue. Read about a fellow volunteer, Nora, who not only teaches a Citizenship class, but always helps out at the Naturalization workshops – AND even got her mother to volunteer, too! Also, don’t miss the poignant vignette about Alexandra, an immigrant who came to the United States from the Democratic Republic of Congo to escape abuse and torture. Lastly, check out how Hogar Hispano partnered with Loudoun Cares to make sure Loudoun families stay warm through these winter months.
Great things are happening around here and one thing is for sure: we couldn’t do it without you, our dedicated volunteers!
Abrazos,
Amy White
ESL Program Coordinator
Looking For A Summer Internship?
Hogar Hispano’s ESL program goal is to increase the community’s awareness of services provided and reach a more diverse group of immigrants. With that in mind, Hogar is seeking a currently enrolled college student for a two-month paid summer internship. The intern will be responsible for designing, implementing and managing an outreach strategy to recruit students and increase the ESL department’s visibility in the media, local businesses and parishes.
Qualifications include:
- Upcoming full time sophomore, junior, or senior student in Fall 2008 in Marketing, Communications, or related field
- Proficient in English and Spanish (speaking, reading and writing)
- Proficient in Microsoft Office
- Valid driver’s license
- Ability to work flexible hours
- Excellent interpersonal skills
Hogar's Spring 2008 Training Series
Hogar Hispano is pleased to announce it's latest Training Series! We have created some new trainings at your requests, as well as brought back some old favorites. We hope that you can find one that fits your busy schedule! Please RSVP to Erin Maradiegue at emaradiegue@ccda.net.
Immersion Works! (Given in Portuguese)
Trainers: Amy White and Sheila Sullivan
Saturday, March 1, 9:00 – 11:00 am
St. Rita’s Catholic Church, Alexandria
"I don't speak Spanish. How am I going to teach ESL? Are they really going to understand me if I just speak English?" These are common questions that ESL teachers face every day. Many who don't know Spanish are skeptical that they can be successful ESL teachers. This presentation will show participants that it is possible to teach students using only English in the classroom. A lesson will be given completely in Portuguese, demonstrating how using body language, realia, and repetition eliminate the need to speak the native language in class.
After the presentation, time will be allotted for a “Best Practices” session in which teachers can share their experiences of what works and what doesn’t work in the classroom. So bring some ideas to share with your fellow teachers – and don’t forget to bring an open mind!
Building A Community In The Classroom Through GAMES!
Trainers: Phil Spencer and Kristen Gasimov
Saturday, March 8, 1:00 – 3:00 pm
St. Leo the Great’s Catholic Church, Fairfax
Create a community within your classroom by teaching in a non-traditional, student-centered environment that makes students feel “safe” and leads to more peer-to-peer interaction. And what better way to encourage your students to loosen up and have fun than by playing games? Not only are these games enjoyable for you and your students, but they are very useful in reinforcing lessons and creating a sense of belonging and community in your students. Come to learn, meet other volunteers, EAT CANDY and PLAY!!!
Making The Most Of Your Step Forward Book (For Intermediate and Advanced Teachers)
Trainers: Diana Gibson and Cindy Brown
Saturday, March 15, 1:00 – 3:00 pm
Hogar Hispano Office, Falls Church
Learn about the many features that the Step Forward Series offers and how they can make your lesson planning easier. From multi-media options, to creative “homework” assignments, to standards-based learning, this book will give you plenty of material to work with. We’ll also give you tips on how to teach “real-life math” and the life skills in this book that are so necessary to our students’ success in this country. Come learn how to fully utilize this amazing resource!
Error Correction While Teaching Speaking
Trainers: Cindy Brown and Amy White
Tuesday, March 18, 7:00 –9:00 pm
Holy Family Catholic Church, Dale City
The most important skill adult ESL students need to acquire is effective oral communication, aka speech. In this training we will review useful tips for maximizing students’ speaking time during class, and introduce teachers to useful methods for correcting speech errors. How can you make your classroom a comfortable environment in which students are not afraid to make mistakes while still making necessary error corrections and pointing out problems? Learn how to encourage your students to self-correct errors that they make. Discover tricks for correcting errors quickly and quietly without interrupting a student’s train of thought or putting them on the spot in front of the class. Discuss what types of errors require instant individual correction and which ones can be addressed later as a whole group. Participants will discuss common errors they hear in the classroom and practice using new correction techniques while participating in trainer-introduced speaking activities.
Mini-Bootcamp
Trainers: Phil Spencer and Diana Gibson
Wednesday, March 26, 6:00 – 9:00 pm
Hogar Hispano Office, Falls Church
If you are new to Hogar Hispano's ESL program, this training is for you! This is an abbreviated version of our intensive 6-hour teacher training course that prepares volunteers for being in an Adult ESL classroom. The training includes step-by-step lesson planning, activity ideas, do's and don'ts of the classroom, and policies. It is also a wonderful chance to meet other volunteers.
Attendance at a boot camp is mandatory for all new volunteers.
Low-Prep Activities: Easy for you and enjoyable for students!
Trainers: Kristen Gasimov and Erin Maradiegue
Wednesday, April 9, 7:00 – 9:00 pm
All Saints Catholic Church, Manassas, Room 1
Have you ever forgotten about lesson planning until the last minute? Have you ever run out of things to do before class is over? Do you ever wonder if your students enjoy being in class and will return week after week? This training is full of ideas that require little-to-no preparation, but are still big hits in the classroom, including simple tried and true games that will keep your students coming back for more. You’ll leave equipped to teach interesting classes without slaving away on prep work.
Teaching A Multilevel Class
Trainers: Sheila Sullivan and Erin Maradiegue
Saturday, April 19, 1:00 – 3:00 pm
Hogar Hispano Office, Falls Church
Whether you teach a beginner, intermediate or advanced class, there are always students of varying levels and abilities within a classroom. How do you meet the needs of all learners and keep everyone’s attention? In this training, discover how to identify your students’ goals as adult English learners and create an environment where everyone is engaged.
Paper Bag Stories
Want an activity that is sure to include a lot of laughter, cooperative learning, and entertainment? Try using Paper Bag Stories!
This exercise takes a little preparation. Begin with five or six magazine photos of interesting looking people- the stranger they look the better! Place the pictures in a brown paper bag. Next, add several objects from around the house to the bag- a key, a hat, a playing card, a spoon- whatever you can find. Be creative! Each bag should contain a different group of objects and photos.
Students work in small groups of three or four. Each group gets a bag and must come up with a story using ALL of the people and items in their bag. Finally, the groups take turns sharing their stories with the class! Paper Bag Stories encourages students to work together and is appropriate to use in all levels of classes.
You can vary this activity in many ways for different levels: Beginner - place fewer objects and pictures in the bag, and try to make them pertinent to vocabulary they have learned during the semester. You can also put pictures of places (a house, a store, a beach, a park) or part of a map inside. Encourage dictionary use!
Advanced - Students can be encouraged to write down their story and read it to the class.
A similar, but more simple activity for low-level literacy classes: one object can be placed in a paper bag and students must describe the object to a partner, who will try to guess what it is. (It is red, it is a food, it is a fruit –Is it an apple?)
Have fun!
This month’s volunteer spotlight features Nora Velasquez, one of our most enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers, who began volunteering with Hogar Hispano through our “Natz” workshops. After having such a positive experience helping people fill out their applications for citizenship, she expressed interest in getting more involved. Nora went through Boot Camp and took additional training to become a teacher for our citizenship classes. Her energy is truly inspiring. She is always thinking of ways to give students relevant and timely information, and extra help when needed. She consistently puts the needs of her students and others ahead of her own. We recently asked Nora about her experience volunteering at Hogar through both our legal and educational programs.
Hogar Hispano: Nora, tell us a little about yourself.Nora Velasquez: I was born in Guatemala and raised in Washington, D.C. I came to the United States when I was 14. Presently, I work at the Ronald Reagan Building as an operations manager which entails property management. My favorite activities include anything outdoors such as bicycling, volleyball, and snorkeling.
HH: Why were you initially interested in volunteering with Hogar Hispano?
NV: I found out about Hogar Hispano when I first volunteered for the citizenship workshop in July 2007. It all started with the anti-immigrant wave in 2006. There was a federal proposal to make it illegal for anyone to help undocumented workers at any level and to classify those who assisted undocumented workers as felons. Hearing about this law affected me deeply. It changed my life. The first rally I ever attended was at the age of 45. It was on April 10, 2006. I never felt discriminated against in this country, but after reading all those headlines I had a bad feeling about what was about to happen. Unfortunately, I was right. Since 2006 there have been a lot of raids and many families have been separated. It hurts to see my people being terrorized.
HH: What does volunteering with Hogar mean to you?
NV: It means a chance to help people become citizens so they can have a voice and they can vote. Hogar Hispano has been a dream come true because of all the written lesson plans, so that any teacher can just pick up and go and teach. I am impressed with their dedicated staff.
HH: How do you think your volunteering at the Naturalization workshop and your citizenship teaching complement each other?
NV: I met some of my students at the workshops. The workshops are crucial to help people become citizens. There is a saying that once you’re on the horse, there is no turning back. Once students have invested their money for their N-400 form, the next logical step is for them to take classes.
HH: You’ve brought along several friends and family members to volunteer as teachers and at the “Natz” workshops. How do you get them excited about volunteering with Hogar?
NV: Very simple. There is a need that must be filled. I give them a sense of urgency. I convey to the people who love me that this means a lot to me.
HH: What has been your biggest accomplishment as a volunteer so far?
NV: I have seen my students pass the US Citizenship test. Before volunteering at Hogar Hispano, I was having informal meetings at the Ronald Reagan building food court on Saturdays. I have seen these students pass the citizenship test. I started teaching the citizenship class at Hogar Hispano in October 2007, so I have not yet been able to see the fruit of my labor since the waiting time is so long between application and actually sitting for the test.
HH: Tell us about your favorite classroom moment/story.
NV: This semester, I have been performing mock INS interviews with the students. One of my students, Margarita, has excelled tremendously. On the first day of class, Margarita told me that she was “lost” and the class was too hard for her. She also told me that her husband drives her to class from Dumfries, Virginia after a long day of work. I suggested to her, since she has a driver’s license and works from home, that it would be best if she drove herself to class to save her husband the drive and the wait. The day that we had a practice interview, she exceeded my expectations and nailed the test. I believe she will pass the test on her first try. That Friday, she also told me that she drove by herself to class that night and this was the first time she had ever driven anywhere beyond her immediate neighborhood. In fact, that morning she gave it a trial run to see if she could make it by herself. I don’t know if she was more proud of her driving accomplishment or that she had done so well in the practice interview!
Margarita has a teenage daughter who always helps her with her English. Since she began taking the Citizenship classes, she has been able to correct her daughter on U.S. history facts. Her daughter, who is in high school, asked if she could see her mother’s textbook and remarked that she hadn’t learned some of those facts in her own classes.
Thank you, Nora, for all that you do!
For more information about volunteering with the Naturalization workshop, please contact Cindy Brown at cbrown@ccda.net.
Volunteers of the Naturalization workshop are provided with a 30-minute training prior to the workshop.The next Naturalization workshop will be held April 12.
For more information about our citizenship preparation classes and curriculum, please contact Kristen Gasimov at kgasimov@ccda.net.
If you know of an outstanding volunteer who you would like to see in the spotlight, please contact Erin Maradiegue at emaradiegue@ccda.net or 703-534-9805 ext. 251.
In October 2001, Alexandra* came to the United States from the Democratic Republic of Congo and promptly applied for asylum. Her claim for protection described a harrowing life that had been subject to governmental abuse, physical torture and emotional distress, where she had been denied the freedom to practice her religion or express her political opinion without retaliation.
Alexandra is a soft-spoken woman whose voice barely registers above a whisper. Upon meeting her, one could never imagine that this is a woman who bravely stood up to her oppressors and suffered heart-wrenching indignities in an effort to remain true to her Christian faith.
Her first arrest resulted from providing shelter and a safe haven to five Rwandan Tutsis and facilitating their escape to Brazzaville. This was during a time when tribal warfare sought the extermination of the Tutsis by the Hutus. The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo considered all Tutsis subversive and Alexandra’s help resulted in having her home ransacked, her arrest and imprisonment. While in custody she was abused by the guards, given no food or water, and physically and sexually assaulted, with rape an almost daily occurrence.
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On September 3, 2002 Alexandra and her family were granted asylum status. After being granted permission to work in the United States, she immediately began sending money to support the prison fellowship.
In 2007 applications were filed in order to gain residency – the first step in eventual citizenship. For Alexandra, her husband, and their 5 kids, the costs were enormous, but they scrimped and saved and finally managed to pay for the applications. Additionally, they needed to hurry in order to avoid governmental fee increases at the end of July 2007 that would have doubled the cost of the filings. With one day to spare, the documents were postmarked and sent.
In November 2007, the government requested further information that was due within 30 days. On December 10, 2007, all required information was submitted and the family was prepared to endure the seemingly interminable wait usually inherent in government processes.
After we at Hogar Hispano, Catholic Charities, celebrated our Christmas and New Years Day holidays, we returned to work on January 2, 2008 to a pile of mail that had been delivered in the interim. We found what we like to refer to as a Christmas miracle: Welcome notices for all the family members informing them of their new status as legal permanent residents of the United States. We wrote to Alexandra and her family happily informing them of the news and congratulated them, noting that this was such a great way to start the new year. And, of course, we reminded them to be sure and call us in 5 years, when they all become eligible to apply for citizenship.
After a life filled with such dedication, suffering and perseverance, we are happy to have had a part in Alexandra’s successful struggle and look forward to assisting her in the future, as well as the myriad other clients who find their way to our offices on a daily basis.
*The client’s name has been changed to protect her privacy.
Hogar Hispano Partners with Loudoun Cares
Last month, Hogar was awarded $2500 in emergency assistance funds from the NEW Faith Winter Fuel Fund. This fund was created by Loudoun Cares to ensure that families in Loudoun County stay warm throughout the cold winter months.
Eligible expenses include gas, oil, electric, and water utility bills.
These funds will be distributed to needy families by volunteers at our Loudoun Regional Office (LRO) located in Leesburg.Loudoun Cares is a non-profit that provides extensive information and referral services benefiting Loudoun residents as it works to broaden and strengthen the capacity of the County’s non-profit community organizations. Hogar is proud to have Loudoun Cares as its newest partner!
Family Services, CCDA is offering a series of free workshops for you and your family!
Coping with Stress
March 13, 2008
Pat Cole, LCSW, will give a presentation on how to deal with the stress that we all experience in our daily lives, especially living in the high pressured environment of our Washington, DC area. She earned her Masters degree in Social Work from the Catholic University of America. Pat is Assistant Program Director of Catholic Charities’ Family Services and has worked with individuals, families, and groups for ten years.
How to Cope with BullyingApril 17, 2008
Michele Cole, LCSW, will offer a presentation about bullying, including the phenomenon of internet bullying, which may aid parents, teachers, and administrators helping children in K – 12 grades. She earned her Masters degree in Clinical Social Work from the Catholic University of America. Michele has extensive experience working with children and adolescents, providing individual and family therapy, as well as social skills groups.
Where: St. Ann Catholic Church, 5300 N. 10th St., Arlington, VA
When: 7:30 – 9:00 pm.
Please RSVP to Carol at 703-841-2531.