My research of literature reviews strongly suggested that children's executive function and metalinguistic awareness benefits from maintaining a balance of knowledge of two languages. My action project materialized into a survey in which each question was tailored to be connected to this research finding. I realize that attaining and maintaining bilingualism can be a challenge for both parents and children. I am interested in learning what challenges and concerns are involved with teaching and learning a second (or third!) language. I wonder what thinking processes, habits or activities of effective bilingual families are. What topics and opinions are trending today compared to thirty years ago? What are some myths about bilingualism? What are the reasons that parents and family members support their children in becoming bilingual? I hope that people can feel comfortable, open, and honest with their answers. I am also interested in generating a list of ways how to overcome these challenges. I think that this information will help me become a more knowledgeable and resourceful teacher.
In January, I made a list of places in my community that I wanted to involve in my survey. The first was Oakbrook Elementary School in Utica Community School District. My cooperating student teaching teacher's son attends that school. Our friendship has been special because we have found ways to professionally work with each other for the past ten years without teaching at the same school any longer. We inform each other of new developments in education that we learn about at conferences, through discussion boards on LinkedIn, researching, meeting educators with innovative ideas, university classes, and reading. I was very interested in learning more about the Mandarin program at her son's school when I chose bilingualism as my thesis research project topic. The language program offers children the opportunity to be fully immersed in Mandarin for first half the day: from morning until lunchtime. All of the teachers are native speakers of Mandarin. Maria says that her son is learning some things such as identifying objects in his surroundings, counting, expressing his feelings, and singing songs. However, she feels that most of the regular curriculum seems to be put on the parents. She concluded by stating that she is not liking the immersion program completely due to this reason. I spoke to the administration twice to ask permission to meet one of the Kindergarten teachers and speak to them about the opportunity to conduct a survey on bilingualism. The principal said that he is a stickler and is trying to crack down on things like that. I was disappointed but grateful for the conversations I had with my reliable and helpful cooperating student teaching teacher!
The second place I chose was a preschool at the church I belong to, Our Lady of Czestochowa. I met with Justyna, one of the teachers and administrators every Sunday in December and January. The preschool offers care for 2-5 year old children for a half or full day. All of he children speak Polish. More than 75% of the children, who were born in the United States, own Polish as their first language. I thought that was interesting because their second language learned will be English! The preschool has failed to reopen to this day due to resolved OSHA violations.
Snow days and freezing temperatures halted some of my meetings with teachers and people I was hoping to involve in my survey!!!
The third place I was hoping to work with was Our Lady of Czestochowa's Polish School held on Saturdays. Polish classes are offered for preschool through high school aged children. My sister and I went to that Polish School every week until we graduated from high school. The curriculum includes reading, writing, speaking, listening, and performing (memorizing poems!!) for various holidays and traditions observed throughout the year. Students participate in plays, Jurek Rozalski's 950AM Polish radio programs, and interviews for tv. A big part of the curriculum includes Polish culture: history, writers and poets, songs, folk dancing, art, cooking, and traditions. The children are also taught to be ambassadors, public speakers, and be able to be involved in politics and the community to sustain a link between the United States and the UN. However, Polish classes have been suspended since the New Year due to major pipes bursting and water damage to the entire school building due to the freezing temperatures this winter!
Once I started creating the survey, I realized that my original idea of passing out a survey, collecting and analyzing data, creating and passing out an information brochure, and then resurveying parents was not feasible. Due to the Polish School being postponed, parents and children were no longer neatly separated by age (and ability) in separate classrooms. They were all mixed up in each Mass on Sunday!! I thought about asking the priest to announce that I will be passing out a survey on bilingualism as they walked out. But then I thought about people misplacing the surveys and delaying their participation. Should I hand out envelopes with stamps? Will they send them to me? And when?
I decided to pass out the surveys on a Saturday and Sunday when the Polish Scouting Organization held an annual bazaar at church. Parents bring their children so that they can participate in an indoor "bon fire" filled with games, singing, guitars playing, boy and girl scouts sitting in a circle around fake flames dancing among fake wood. The girl scout troop I supervise was going to be there and every scout was to bring a baked good for the bake sale fundraiser-and I make colorful cake pops!
Originally, I was planning on passing out my second batch of surveys to see how parent's views have changed by end of February. I am a couple of weeks behind my goal. It has been frustrating, difficult, and disappointing not having my own classroom and a school to be teaching at this year. Being part of a school is like being inside the community and being able to collect information from all directions and being able to branch out knowledge like the sun's rays.
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