Can You Tell Me Your Last Name?

Marisol, a child from South America, who speaks English quite well, knows the difference between deciduous and evergreen trees. Sheknows that the Sioux hunted buffalo and made use of every part of the animal’s body. Her second grade teacher has done an excellent job of making sure her class knows the required curriculum. But when Marisol’s library card is misplaced, we have a crisis. Marisol, who is about to be promoted to third grade, cannot tell us her last name.

“Can you spell the first three letters?” I ask gently. The library circulation program will produce a list of names to choose from if I can enter the first three letters. Then, we can check out books to her, and all will be well.

She shakes her head emphatically. Last names are part of the kindergarten curriculum Marisol apparently missed. She could have been in a different school or in a different country. I don’t know. All I know is that I have another child who hasn’t been taught to memorize personal information like last name, address, or phone number.

Immigrant parents often trust our schools to teach their children what they need to know to succeed in American life. However, with the ever increasing curricular demands, there is no time to go back and review missed skills when your class is supposed to understand simple machines. In some schools, children from immigrant families may know more about Ancient Rome than Thanksgiving. There is no time to enjoy a Pilgrim unit when you have to follow a rigid pacing guide. American holidays may be barely acknowledged in favor of the curriculum needed to pass standardized tests.

On September 11^th 2008, I found myself explaining to a group of sixth grade girls that the Pentagon had been hit by an airplane on the same day the Twin Towers fell in New York. I was a little shocked.  We live in Northern Virginia. How could these girls not know the Pentagon had been hit? Then I realized why. They were four years old when it happened, and they weren’t even living in the United States at the time.

Immigrant students deserve the opportunity to learn more about American life than only what’s required for standardized tests. Teachers must be given more leeway to review missed skills and provide background knowledge when necessary.  

Jacqueline Jules

www.jacquelinejules.com