Liliana Rojas-Guyler

Dr. Rojas-Guyler presented on the health concerns of the Latino community in Cincinnati.  I was most surprised to learn that the health of immigrants, including Hispanics, is statistically better when they arrive in the US, but quickly deteriorates to or below the level of the "native" population.  A main contributor to this decline is stress, and there are many stressors in the life of a recent immigrant: poverty, discrimination, low-paying jobs,  ineffective schools, and substandard housing.  I am aware that the life of an immigrant can be very difficult, but it shocking to realize that, even when coming from great poverty, their health is often better in their native county than in the US.

The Healing Center

What a wonderful outing this was to go to The Healing Center!  This awesome place houses various components to help the Latino immigrant maneuver through life in Ohio.  Different departments such as   clothing, food, household items, and shelter can be addressed as soon as you walk through the door.  We took a tour of different departments beginning with intake which consisted of seven cubicles.  Next, we went through the children's hangout that had a rock wall, flat screen TV, and an infant care room - all in top condition!  We toured the warehouse which was immaculate and organized well.  The clothing store looked like a section out of Macy's where parents can shop for clothing with a card and walk out with a bag full of needed items twice a month.  This is crucial for most as they may come from warmer climates and may not have coats, sweaters, or insulated boots.  There are rooms for Latino students to worship on Sunday and a chapel for anyone who needs to fellowship and pray with others.  I will absolutely volunteer there in the children's center.

Jacqueline Rioja Velarde

Jacqueline Rioja Velarde, co-founder of Latinas en Ohio, a women's advocate and leadership educational program for Latina women came and spoke on adopting a self-identity within the Latina culture as they try and assimilate into the state of Ohio. She spoke on the self-social identity that she embraced upon entering the U.S. from Lima, Peru.  Although she is a professional educator turned administrator, her inability to let go of her Peruvian roots ran deep initially.  She spoke about leaving a beautiful country where she enjoyed the freedom to move about the country within her profession, having to come here for her son's health, and having to overcome stereotypes of being unable to speak the language, being uneducated, and appearing to be stupid.  She struggled with having a cultural identity as well as she began to embrace the cultural differences that she brought with her from Peru from those of other Latinos from varying countries. She began to network out of feelings of isolation of being the only Latino in her neighborhood.  She then spoke about the intercultural identity of finally ending up being bilingual, Democratic, and surprisingly, a "woman of color."  This was interesting as she shared with us that she would have been considered to be white in her native country of Peru.  Her identity struggle has now brought her full circle.

Sherry Neal - Attorney

Sherry Neal brought a wealth of knowledge regarding immigration reform and shared with us some interesting facts about how immigrants come into our country.  She first talked about the F1 status for foreign students and the unknown fact that they are welcomed not only for their wealth of knowledge, but for their full priced tuition payments.  She talked about the H1B Visa which is a work authorization type of visa where a company sponsors a professional or blue collar worker and how their kids can attend a public school for free.  Then she mentioned the undocumented immigrant who may have come on a visa, but didn't leave when the time allotment expired.  As a result of this, immigration reform has taken root in the United States government.  In 1986 the Immigration Reform/Control Act was passed by congress which began to penalize undocumented workers, but granted amnesty to nearly two million people thanks largely to President Ronald Reagan.  Atty. Neal went on to discuss the I94 Card which is the current way that the U.S. tracks the movement in terms of entry and exit dates for any foreigner entering this country.  There have been problems, though, in how this document is processed and enforced. The attachment of this policy that requires that undocumented immigrants leave the country if they have remained here illegally past six months whereby they must remain out of the country for three years before they can return, and then up to ten years if they have remained here illegally for more than a year.  For those who left as required, they may a day late and a dollar short of being on the path to citizenship if this new bill passes both the House and Senate and grants literally millions of people the right to call this country their permanent home.  Time will tell this tale.

Main Street Schoolhouse

The Main Street Schoolhouse is amazing in that it not only educates non-english speaking adults who have immigrated from countries like Nicaragua, Guatemala, Peru, and Mexico, it serves as a high school for kids who are at risk or have dropped out as well.  Karen Cocina is a gem.  She founded the school in 1997 with just three students and has grown over twenty years later into a school that will graduate nearly 175 seniors this year.  This private school serves students year round and tailors their program to meet the individual needs of each student, so it's not a one-stop-shop so to speak.  Students are assessed and transcripts are perused upon a student's arrival  they are given workbooks with english translations and a tutor to sit alongside them for private tutoring. This is a luxury that most public schools could never dream of.  I applaud the work that Karen is doing.

Dr. Liliana Rojas-Guyler

     I found it interesting that even though her professional direction originally did not have an Hispanic direction to it, that via her practicum or internship, she ended up heading in that direction.  It was helpful to hear about her life and the immigrant stories of her family.  When she talked about her mother's attempts to learn English, I was reminded about how complex languages are, and how the head of World Languages for the state of Ohio department Dr. Wirtz(?)said that we have been kidding ourselves about what we are really accomplishing at the various levels of high school instruction.  Certainly that is not the same as living in the country where the language is spoken, but that is not without its difficulties either.  Often it is hard to get corrections or help and sometimes it is easy to keep on making the same mistakes.

Guest Speaker: Dr. Liliana Rojas-Guyler

Thursday's presentation by Dr. Rojas-Guyler on health issues in the latino community focused in part on some of the major dilemmas therein.  The "hispanic paradox" that results from these dilemmas strikes me as a bizarre and problematic phenomenon.  Some of the problems faced by recent immigrants to the U.S. are unsurprising; factors such as financial limitations, access to transportation, and health-related knowledge are expected due to the high correlation between recent immigrant status and low socio-economic status.  Additionally, the language barrier can create an obstacle for these individuals.

One problem I did not expect involves the role of doctor as authority figure.  Out of respect for physicians and their position, many latino immigrants will defer to doctors to the point of not asking questions, not requesting clarifications, and not engaging in dialogue.  I tend to take for granted that everyone approaches the doctor/patient relationship as one occurring in the arena of commerce and in which patients take ownership of their health.  Culture as a barrier to this relationship, to the detriment of individual and family health, is quite a new concept to me.

Dr.Rojas-Guyler

I really enjoyed listening to Dr. Guyler and I thought her point that these stumbling blocks to health care are not unique to Latinos, but more to the lower socio-economic families.  There are so many barriers to success.  "People" will talk about the need to get our lower income students up to par without understanding the hurdles: stress, violence, health, communication etc. that stand in their way.
I was interested to hear about the paradox. I think it's concrete evidence of our diservice to our low socio economic communities and our American lifestyle as a whole.

Pastora Carmen Colon-Brown

     I think I enjoyed  Pastora Carmen's presentation to us the best. Her sharing of her family's stories brought to life similar tales from When I was Puerto Rican. It was interesting to hear her story about how her family  used nick names so exclusively that it wasn't until the funeral for the person that the official name was known. I thought it was interesting to hear all the things her family attributed to the lack of the evil eye- protecting baby bracelet.  Although my mother had been raised in a Norwegian Lutheran Church, I had never heard of the Deaconess path of service within that Church.  One of the churches she operates out of is very close to my school so it would be within reach of my students who a not yet driving .

Doctora Liliana Rojas

Many of the things that Dra. Rojas discussed today about the Latino community needs in the health aspect, were not new to me. I hope that more people can realize how hard it is for the Latino community to get help, and instead of pointing fingers we can become advocates for them. Many Hispanics come here with the dream of a better life and better resources for their family, so it was sad to hear that most of their health declines between 3-5 years of their arriving to their dream country. I had met many Mexicans and Guatemalans families and I can second what Dra. Rojas said today.  Transportation, language, education, discrimination, lack of insurance, fear of legal action, poverty and more is their biggest enemy. I'm so glad that I'm part of this course that has helped me much more to understand many issues and to be able to share with everyone my experiences and feelings. I hope that we can make a change in this world.  We all have something special to give in life. God bless.

Pastora Carmen Colón-Brown

What a refreshing talked today from Pastora Carmen Colón-Brown that brought back too many memories that hit home. Once again we get to meet another beautiful human being. Her program in Vida Eterna is dedicated to the Latino community and the kids. It is amazing to know that we have a lot of Negi’s out there that share a similar story in life. I loved how she was able to identify herself with Negi’s life.  One of my favorite stories was about the Vick’s and how we use Vick’s for everything. Ask me about it as I have like five packages of them around the house and if someone coughs, I run for it. I have to share this funny story with you.  One night my son who was six at the time said to me, “Mami can you please get that thing that makes everything better and put it on my chest”?  That was a priceless moment for me. In her church you can find help with many resources like the citizenship class, English classes, and summer reading programs, Girl talk, homework, fellowship and worship.   

Dr. Liliana Rojas-Guyler

Dr. Rosas-Guyler spoke on the health status of the Latino community. Drawing on her vast experience and knowledge, she explained the health disparities that exist today. She explained that they can be compared t those of others of the same socio-economic status. These are due to language issues, poverty, lack of insurance, transportation and education. One of the most interesting facts that she described was the Hispanic health paradox. Is is best described as new Latino immigrants being in relatively better health than those who have been here five years or more. There are many reasons this can exist but I think the main reasons are the quality of food and stress that must exist from entering and earning to navigate an entirely new culture. Other reasons that have been given are discrimination, substandard housing and lower paying jobs. I also have to agree that the sense of belongingness has to lend itself to mental health as discussed. That is to say, the higher the sense of belonging, the better the mental health. The questions that I have after all of this discussion is what can be done to help with the health issues that are occurring in the community? How can we better educate and help local Latinos to better navigate the health system?

Main Street Schoolhouse, Hamilton, Ohio

       The Main Street Schoolhouse is a private, non-profit school founded and directed by Karen Cocina.  It is clear from her comments to our group that she has paid close attention to the needs of  her students and she has arranged a variety of programs to fulfill those needs. International students can complete requirements for a high school diploma, not just a GED. I did not know before that private school students do not have to take the OGT. That test is such an impediment to ELL students that even if a student had most of the high school credits, completing their high school program with her and getting the diploma with the Main Street Schoolhouse, could be a way around the challenge of that test.

Dr. Guyler

Dr. Rojas-Guyler’s presentation was very informative. Being on the education side, I have not ever had an opportunity to be exposed to health concerns for the Latino/Hispanic community. Furthermore, this was a very interesting presentation to learn about the needs of this community in Greater Cincinnati especially when this community continues to grow.

Not only does living in poverty affect their well-being and health, but also includes, but not limited to language barriers, a distrust of the system, and a lack of insurance.  The fact that Hispanics/Latinos have a higher rate of health related issues really surprised me; however, it is very alarming to learn that they experience higher levels of injury and cancer and will often die from these at a higher rate.

Her comment about the Latino communities growing and their inability to afford health care does not provide a very promising future for them.

Dr. Liliana Rojas-Guyler

Dr. Liliana Rojas-Guyler's discussion about health issues for latinos in the US was very engaging in terms of what we need to be aware of in terms of latinos and even just the lower SES students in our classrooms. She provided us with a great number of facts about different reasons why latino health is declining in the years after the migrate to the United States. Previously, I knew that the language, transportation, and poor living conditions were impeding latino health, but I had not considered that there were also cultural reasons for why the health may be declining. She mentioned, for example, that many times people will not go to the doctor because they are prioritizing their families and other things going on in their families' lives. It would be of great benefit to the latino community if there was better knowledge of these issues and of the fact that latinos are more likely to die from the diseases that they have largely because they wait so long to go to the doctor. 

Dr. Liliana Rojas-Guyler

Dr. Rojas-Guyler spoke to us about the health disparities of Latina women in comparison to other cultural groups in the U.S. and it was troubling to find that although many may immigrate to the U.S. as healthy individuals, things soon change once they get here.  It was startling to understand that it only takes five years before they are one an a half times more likely to have high blood pressure, suffer from stroke, develop diabetes, or suffer from obesity than other cultures.  She spoke about the lack of affordable health care among some Latinos which many of us are provided through our employers.  She shared with us that the lack of Latino health care providers was also a growing problem in Ohio.  It was also brought up that for those Latinas who did make it to the doctor due to chronic health concerns were more likely to have a disease diagnosis at a later stage and might, therefore, die from it.  Her talk ended with race and color, specifically.  She talked about how the color of one's skin could possibly result in a loss of citizenship, as it did in the case of Japanese citizens who were forced into internment camps during war times and how she feared that might happen again.  At any rate, her overall presentation brought eye opening information.

Dr. Rojas-Guyler

She was very animated and obviously passionate about health in the Latino community. She listed a great many disparities in health care for Latinos versus health care for whites. It seems to me that the services may be available but there are cultural, economic and logistical issues as to when and how Latinos access the health networks.

Dr. Rojas-Guyler, doctor from the University of Cincinnati, shared her perspective and experiences surrounding the health issues in the Latino community. She was very articulate and led a class discussion on what variables play a major or minor part in the overall health and welfare of the Latinos in Greater Cincinnati. The reasons cited were: language barrier, fear of authorities, poverty, lack of transportation, lack of knowledge, limited English, a lack of Hispanic doctors, a lack of insurance and/or financial resources, discrimination and lack of preventative measures. What was very surprising to learn was the fact that many Hispanics arrive to the US in overall better health than people living in the USA but see a decline in their health after 3-5 years. Reasons cited for this precipitous decline includes the typical American diet, working conditions, feeling "different" and a sense of isolation. Solutions are needed but limited research has been done.

Deaconess Carmen-Brown

 Carmen- Colon's presentation threw more light on so many aspects Hispanic/Latino culture that we have been discussing throughout. Her story is very similar to Negi's life and this help to clarify a lot of the cultural and social believes in the Latino community. Just like Negi Acrmen suffered identity issues like not accepted by whites and nore the blacks. On the other hand it was hard to believe that Latinos are not considered as non-white. However, it was amazing to know that she is doing everything to keep her Latino Culture and embarrass the American culture.  

It was not surprising that she became a pastor, the relationship bet her mother her father gave her a different view of men in general. She was angry with her culture  and the way men treated women and really did not want anything to do with her people. However, like she said it was like God's purpose for her, what she is doing as a pastor is incredible. She serves as a link between the Latino community and the challenging society as well as a role model to them. Her educational programs are incredible and our group is going to be supporting her with some of the challeges she is facing as far as getting educational material.

 

Dr. Liliana Rojas-Guyler

Dr. Liliana Rojas-Guyler's presentation made me think about a lot of issues that the Latino community faces that I have never thought about before. It was very informative to hear all of the reasons that there are health care disparities. I found the Hispanic Health Paradox to be shocking and a little embarrassing I'll admit. People are coming to the US for greater opportunity (among many other reasons) and due to their situation, diet, access, knowledge, etc. their health is declining at an astounding rate. Though each of us may not be personally responsible, I feel guilty that this is what is going on in our country. What can we do about it? Why were these people so much healthier in their own countries with (most of the time) a lot less?

Pastora Carmen Colon-Brown

Pastora Carmen Colon-Brown brought us a colorfully told session on her life and culture growing up Puerto Rican.  She began by telling about her experiences growing up and one particular incident came up about being shot with a b-b gun because her family wasn't wanted in their suburban neighborhood.  She shared other instances regarding the family structure and the possibility of dual families being shared by her father - which brought the room to silence as she reiterated that this was common practice in the Puerto Rican culture.  She went on with a heartbreaking story where she compared her life to that of Negi in Esmeralda Santiago's novel, When I Was Puerto Rican where she was expected to care for her brothers and sisters versus enjoying a child hood that many of us took for granted.  With a perfectly un-accented voice, she declared her disdain at having lost her accent due to her school's insistence that she stop speaking spanish in the home in the hopes that her english speaking abilities would grow.  Lastly, she spoke about her being "called" and her walk towards God and back to her Latino roots as Pastora of Vida Eterna-Iglesia Luterana where she oversees many programs that enrich the education of children, adults, and girls in particular through mentoring, tutoring, and worship services.  To quote Maya Angelou, Pastora Carmen is truly a "phenomenal woman" of whom we hope to help in the near future.

Dr. Rojas-Guyler

This presentation was very pertinent to the class.  The presenter quickly established that the issues within the Latino community and healthcare do apply to other impoverished ethnic groups.  The dilemma is how do we improve the health status of our lower socio-economic groups?  Are there ways the average person can help with this problem as we have witnessed in the other 'help' agencies?  Maybe it's our role to place the pressure on the government to create change.  Dr. Rojas-Guyler presented her topic very well and did not skirt any issues. 

Dr. Liliana Rojas-Guyler

Dr. Liliana Rojas-Guyler brought up some very relevant points in her lecture which seemed to fit in with the idea that the Hispanic community faces opposition on numerous levels. I think that one of the points she brought up that I most agree with is the fact that many immigrants distrust the “system” and that greatly hurts their ability to feel comfortable pursuing help when they need it. Dr. Rojas-Guyler stated that it’s one thing to find a doctor and get to her office, but it’s a second and entirely different thing to actually trust the doctor. If someone can’t trust the doctor they are seeing, there is a much smaller chance that they will receive the medical care they need. I know that my grandmother is awful to take to a doctor. She feels that it’s socially inappropriate to complain to a man (yet ironically will only see a male doctor because “men are doctors”), but she also is extremely hesitant to trust someone and often lies about what’s wrong with her. She grew up in a middle-class white family and if she has this type of issues, I can only imagine how hard it would be to trust a doctor if you had actually be subjected to discrimination. 

Deaconess Carmen Colon-Brown

Carmen Colon-Brown spent the morning describing her life growing up in the United States. It was very interesting to hear her describe the trials and tribulations that she and her family experienced as they lived in New York and New Jersey. Growing up during the Civil Rights Era, she described how her family had their dogs poisoned, their windows broken and she was even shot with BB's strictly due to being Puerto Rican. As she spoke, she frequently referenced the book "When I was Puerto Rican" and compared her experiences to Esmerelda. It was extremely informative and, at times, entertainng to hear her story. Due to her experiences and her "calling",  she now  strives to help the Latinos in the area. This was very exciting to hear and learn about. She offers programs citizenship, English, summere reading programs, homework and even classes tailored strictly for girls and women. One interesting fact that she shared was the fact that she believed only 20% of Puerto Ricans were opposed to the US and that was because they were afraid of losing their culture.  Once again, a resource in my own backyard that I did not know even existed. However, it was a resource I could definitely see myself helping.

Dr. Rojas-Guyler

Dr. Rojas-Guyler gave an interesting presentation on Latino health in the area - focusing largely on the socio-economic factors that impact health.  It was really interesting when she made the point that she could replace the word Latino with African-American or Low-SES and the data wouldn't significantly change.  I was intrigued by the videoclips from PBS - I will definitely be checking that out.  I especially liked the final quote, "no one was white before they came to America" (I can't remember the author).  It definitely gives you something to think about.

Pastora Carmen Colon-Brown

Pastora Carmen's discussion about the similarities between When I was Puerto Rican and her own life was fun to hear. I love to meet people who pose a counter example to the stereotypes that we hear so often about latinos / Puerto Ricans so that I can use these in my classes as how the latino community is changing. She broke the stereotype of what religion to be, what man to marry, and going to college. I think she was very brave to have done what she did, at times to even be denied membership in her own family. She made her own decisions and kept the portion of her identity that she liked and left behind the portions that she did not.

Dr. Liliana Rojas-Guyler

It seems tragic that Latinos who leave their home countries to achieve some sort of better life for themselves and/or their families, often lose their health in a three to five year period. This speaks to the negative effects of isolation, transportation issues, lack of literacy, and stress. Would people make the same choice if they could foresee the health concerns?

As I stated in class, I had no idea of the court rulings concerning who could be citizens. I have feelings of bewilderment that such actions occurred to people who were born here. They had their citizenship stripped from them. It is incomprehensible to me. This helps me to see the emotional toll that the discrimination against immigrants must take on people, not to mention the physical, economic and social toll.

Lilian Rojas' presentation was very informative. I am gained a lot of insight on the Dynamics of the Hispanic community, details on their relationships and the barries that Hispanic and the Latino community faces as far as getting health services are involved. It was not surprising to hear her say there was not a lot of research on health disparities for immigrants. The challenges are enormous and continue to exist. It is not surprising that the biggest issue is literacy, from the laguaguage to educational deficit, literacy levels and lack of orientation towards prevention. It was interesting to know that according to research immigrants come into Anerica with excellent health situattions and shortly after, their health deteriorates. It was interesting to know that cultural identity and belonging improves immgrant health, therefore depression as a result of the challenges they face when they migrate to the United States.  

Carmen Colon-Brown

What an invigorating presentation by Deaconess Carmen. First of all, her presentation was unique because she was speaking from her own personal experience since she was a first generation born in the Unites States.  I really enjoyed how she made personal connections to the novel When I was Puerto Rican. Her presentation helped solidify the information presented in the novel, as well as, her first-hand account of how life actually was for her and Esmeralda.

I found it quite interesting that her intentions were to break away from her culture, but through her faith/religion she was called to lead a Latino congregation.  Her many roles that she must play every day were also remarkable.  I think many times the outside world does not realize all of the hard work that is put into organizing a program such as this, or even the amount of time and dedication that is essential in its success.

I look forward to working with her and her organization for my community project.  

Pastora

Pastora's devotion to her call to serve the Latino community is amazing. I was particularly drawn to her assertion that you have to meet the people where they are, that you have to ask them what their needs are. I couldn't agree more. I think one of the challenges is that people often have difficulty articulating their needs or understanding that a need could be met if it has never been met before.

Pastora also helped me to better understand the powerlessness that occurs as a result of not have access to affordable transportation. The idea that people charge others upwards of $100 to take them to the doctor or to an office is an abomination.

Pastora Carmen

What an inspiration. I really enjoyed being able to hear her personal stories. It made the book come to life and her passion in her call to serve the latino population in Cininnati. I would love to volunteer for her helping with new mothers, health and academic support.

I was curious about how she was disowned 3 times... What happened that caused her family to accept her back, and then disown her again!?!

Culturally, I was interested in the Santeria. I was familiar with the concept and how the Catholic traditions were mixed with indigenous beliefs and rituals. I first learned about Santeria in New Orleans though, and I always associated it with French and Creole cultures. Anyone know anymore???

Carmen Colon-Brown was our featured morning speaker for Thursday, June 27. Hailing from Puerto Rico, she spoke with amazing parallels to Esmeralda experiences chronicled in "When I Was From Puerto Rican." She was affable, interesting and entertaining with her stories, experiences and travels.
As the eldest of a large family, she talked of having very little childhood as she cooked, cleaned and looked over younger siblings.

She shared personal stories that were often laced with rejection as she described not fitting in with various groups. She also rejected the expectations placed upon her as a Puerto Rican woman - get married young, have babies and take orders from your husband. This very independent and strong woman went a different path - marrying an African-American man with Native American and Jamaican roots, getting a college degree and becoming a pastor in a Lutheran Church!

She is passionately and devoutly attending to the needs of her flock of Latino parishioners and their families. Her Lutheran Church has many outreach programs to help those in need. Those needs might be reading and writing English classes, Citizenship Exam prep courses, and summer programs for children.  A Girl Talk program was discussed and how this helps senoritas dealing with their particular issues and concerns.

A really inspiring lecture from a great lady doing wonderful things in the name of serving others.

Carmen Colon-Brown

A very interesting talk by Carmen. She related her experiences growing up Puerto Rican and how that related to the book. She also explained about her ministry and how she is working to help Latinos. I was very interested to learn how the gender roles for Latinas is so prevalent throughout the culture. So many strong women who tolerate having their husbands having another woman. They just assume that is the way things should be. It also seems that violence against wives is common and accepted. She related how there is a strong responsibility to the family and that everyone has specific gender expectations. I quite enjoyed the talk.

Guest Speaker: Carmen Colon-Brown

I enjoyed hearing from Pastor Carmen Colon-Brown this morning and getting her firsthand perspective on Latino culture, both as a Latina herself and in her capacity working with the local Latino community.  One of the questions that has arisen in the course of the week regarding Esmeralda Santiago's When I Was Puerto Rican is "Are these experiences and perspectives an accurate and/or representative example of the Latina experience?"  Pastor Colon-Brown demonstrated on many levels ways in which the events of her own life allow us to answer that question in the affirmative.  The examples she imparted pertaining to her own background and experiences provided many specifics that I find useful in broadening my own understanding of the local Latino community.  While I've gained a great deal of insight this week through some of the more philosophic discussion, I find the practical knowledge will likely be of even more use.

Pastora Carmen Colon-Brown

I loved how Pastora Carmen Colon-Brown was able to connect Negi’s story and her own. I already enjoyed When I Was Puerto Rican, but Pastora was able to bring the story to life even more than it already was. I can only imagine how difficult it was for her to be banned from “acting Puerto Rican” and speaking Spanish in her home, but I really appreciated her willingness to be open with us and explain what life was like for her growing up. This class as a whole has provided me with such an incredible new perspective from which I can approach the immigrants that I work with and Pastora’s presentation is just one more that has taught me so much. I think the program that she is running through her church is fascinating and wonderful. I’m also very happy that it is so close to where I’m located because I’m looking forward to working on a community project for her. 

Main Street School House

The whole idea of serving a popualion of immigrants that isfaced with all the major challenges of the languaguage, financial difficulties is incredible. We need many more of these schools and I was surprised when Karen said she has made multiple attempts to get state funding  to no avail. It was interesting to know that she also works with students who cannot learn English at a fast pace in a traditional high school. These students just don't graduate with a high school, but this school offers programs that prepare them for college. Another great aspect about the school is that it provides a less indimidating environment for people of all age groups, mostly to adults who are past school age and want an educadtion. I also like the fact that it can sevice an entire family at once. The after shool reading programs will serve as great enrichment for all grade-level kids      

Pastora Carmen Colon-Brown

I was mesmerized by Pastora's stories of her childhood that related so closely to Negi's life. I was shocked to hear first hand about the abuse she endured especially with regards to being shot at with BB guns. I learned a lot about the culture and some of the traditions I didn't know much about. I appreciated her candid nature while being very informative. I think her ministry and outreach is amazing and how she is doing this all on her own with the time and resources that she has. Her dedication and wealth of knowledge about meeting these people where they're at and going from there is refreshing. She seems to think of everything and supports people in a variety of ways such as transportation, prayer, girl's self-esteem groups, ESL classes and Citizenship test prep. I really enjoyed her presentation and all the information an insight I gained from it.

Pastora Carmen

Pastora Carmen really reemphasized a lot of points that we have talked about this week - adding another personal perspective to the lessons we are learning.  As someone said this morning - a major takeaway from this week is the amazing people we have met and a renewed faith in humanity.  I loved hearing her personal stories and the connection she feels to When I Was Puerto Rican - it brought another level of understanding to the novel.  As she talked about her congregants and some of their stories about immigration and government services, I was again struck by how these issues are so politically charged and how many misconceptions are out there.  When she started talking about the projects her passion and excitement for what she does became so apparent - as well as the respect she has for her students.  I loved her statement about giving her students dignidad even if they are younger - something they may not see or experience a lot of on a daily basis.

Carmen Colon-Brown

I really enjoyed the talk from Mrs. Brown.  I was intrigued with the stories of the family values of the Puerto Rican culture.  She was very upfront with some of the more unpleasant issues within the culture.  This woman has broken several norms from her culture but her calling has helped her return to assist and embrace the Latino community. She is wearing so many hats as a pastor, social worker, educator, resource provider, and I'm sure that I leaving out others.  This class has introduced me to several 'superwomen' who are making a huge difference.  I'm wondering if there are any men doing the same in the area?

Mainstreet Schoolhouse

What an amazing adventure this place was! From the outside it didn't have an characteristics of a school house. However, after going up the stairs, it was certainly a surprise to see what was on the 2nd floor.  I found a very inviting environment conducive to learning. I was truly amazed at the passion of Karen and her staff. As with the other organizations that we have visited, I have never heard of this schoolhouse, but I am so glad I know about it now. The curriculum that she made and provided for her students exemplified her hard work and passion do truly make a difference. She also provides an unconditional support for her students to ensure they succeed.What a powerful spirit!

My spirit was renewed to hear Karen tell about how she started the school and how she maintains the school 6 days a week and 14 hour days. She helped me to see that one person can make a difference. So, I am forever grateful to have had this experience.

The MainStreet Schoolhouse in Hamilton followed our delicious lunch at the Taqueria Paisano on Wednesday, June 26. The Schoolhouse was a small, nondescript neighborhood building a few blocks from downtown. The Schoolhouse created a very safe and home-like environment for the students and staff. The director was an amazing person, working many, many hours each day and rarely misses a day. Several interesting aspects of this trip includes:
-its a real school with a students working towards a diploma, not a GED
-the focus for English language learners was greatly assisted by the philosophy that English needs to be divided up by subject. This bifurcation allows students to learn English within specific academic field.
-the materials (workbooks) were developed by the staff and were impressive in their pedagogical practically.
-older technology like cassette players still be used (but still useful!)
-graduation at Miami U, with the blessings and encouragement of MU administrators.
-touching personal stories, such as a father and son earning their diploma together.
-demographics shared of where many students come from and those who found success at the Schoolhouse.

Field Trip: Mainstreet Schoolhouse

It was refreshing to visit the Mainstreet Schoolhouse and have the opportunity to meet such a dedicated educator.  While I'm no stranger to amazing teachers who are great at what they do, rarely do I encounter the level of passion and dedication to which we were exposed on Wednesday.  Earlier in the week we had the chance to learn about private service providers with an emphasis on young children (Su Casa) and adults (The Healing Center); Mainstreet Schoolhouse fills in the gaps for a variety of ages where education is concerned.

It is interesting that Mainstreet Schoolhouse achieves such a high degree of success through the use of traditional teaching resources and methods.  At a time when educators are often expected to employ progressive pedagogy at all times, it is encouraging to see highly motivated students learning in an atmosphere in which the baby is not thrown out with the bathwater - those traditional approaches that work can be retained while still looking forward.

Mainstreet Schoolhouse

I was amazed by the amount of work that goes into setting up the curriculums for the Mainstreet Schoolhouse. The way that she creates each of the booklets for each class with tremendous rigor and complexity, but also set up in such a way that the students are really prepared to do the work basically independently once they know how to look up the words. I can imagine that it would be difficult, not only for her creating the curriculum, but also for the other staff who have to be prepared to help the students with anything in any of those packets. I was also previously unaware of the fact that the students actually got a high school diploma from doing these courses. What I wonder is if there is an assessment or any writing required.

Mainstreet

I was very impressed with the Mainstreet school.  For the school director to give her life to this effort is very special.  As she has explained the trials and challenges that her students face to achieve their goals is super.  She seemed to make lemonade out of the lemons that are thrown her way.  She has developed a program that allow students at all levels to achieve graduation and higher education.  Everyone who is a part of this program must have a similar level of committment and vision for helping others.  I can only imagine that the end product is very fulfilling and worth the time and effort they give.

Mainstreet Schoolhouse

What an amazing place. I am so impressed with how much this woman has done and continues to do with very little in the way of money or materials. Teaching, running a school, designing curriculum and writing workbooks. You can tell that it is a labor of love. That comes out when she speaks about the school. Her employees also get emotional over her work. That they would focus on high school diploma rather then GED is taking the hard road but so much better for her students. I could not be more impressed.

Mainstreet Schoolhouse

I was touched by the passion Karen possesses. It permeates her work. I think her schoolhouse has filled a need for adult education that is flexible quite well.
Often times we get the push to do more online, offer more flexible classes etc, but they end up not adequately serving our students because it requires them to work so independently. Karen's school is the perfect mix- of independent and computer work that gives them the flexibility AND  the one-on-one component so questions can be answered, etc. I think the quality of our online courses would be greatly improved if there was still that one-on-one component.

Mainstreet School House

What a wonderful, much needed alternative to the traditional high school experience! Karen possesses both a clear sense of mission and vision for her school., and the patience, flexibility and  individual attention that is afforded each student is enviable, especially in comparison to constraints found in the traditional high school.

One question that came to my mind as I reflected upon the curriculum of the Schoolhouse was how it will change to address the Common Core requirements. I am thinking particularly of the technology, presentation, and critical thinking skills that are embedded in this. Will Karen's process of independent workbook completion be able to address these requirements?

Mainstreet Schoolhouse

Cincinnati is fortunate to have such an abundance of support for its immigrant population.  Mainstreet Schoolhouse is another place that provides instruction and support for earning a high school diploma to LEP students, other students for whom "regular" school is not a good option, and especially adults and older teens.  I never paid attention to the differences between a diploma and a GED, and I am glad to know that there is a place where students can go to earn the diploma and have more opportunities available than the GED provides (military service, for example).  I admit to some initial skepticism over the workbook approach, but I was impressed with the content, and I think they are a practical way to allow the learning to move at a student-driven pace.

Mary Jo Montenegro

During Mary Jo Montenegro’s speech today I was able to realize the need that we have as non-Spanish speakers to receive more training in the cultural aspect and the language barrier. What shocked me the most was to learn that in the Cincinnati area, they have over 70 languages spoken in the Cincinnati School District.  My first though is how can you be prepare for that? I can’t believe that they have only three Itinerant to serve 51 schools and try to educate and train the staff. As Mrs. Montenegro stated, the population keeps growing and we have no more funds or help to add more staff. I really admire her.  You can tell that she has love and passion for what she does, but she is only one person trying to help the 47% of the Hispanic population in her area. I can testify about the stability, illiteracy, and single mom facts mentioned today.  In Springfield I have been in many homes were they divide the rooms by using a blanket and most of the mothers can’t read or write. The challenges are obvious.  Many schools don’t provide information to parents on the target language, and they have transportation issues for summer school. I got a better understanding today of the difference between ELL and LEP and also learned about the testing procedures and rights. It was a very informative session.

Main Street Schoolhouse

I was absolutely blown away by Karen and the Main Street Schoolhouse. The vision and dedication that she has is truly inspiring. It is obvious how close this program and everyone participating in it is to her heart.  As a teacher who has struggled to find the “right” resource for her students, I find it incredible that she is personally creating so many materials for her program. I love the fact that students in the program work at their own pace and when she stated that she believes teachers should teach what students need to know, not what they already know, I found that to be such a simple, yet brilliant concept. Karen’s pride in her program and for her students is remarkable. I really hope she is able to find more support and funding so that her program can continue to expand. 

Main Street Schoolhouse

This is another place that I didn't even know existed. I have so much respect for Karen, her staff and volunteers, her vision, her work, her dedication and her willingness to help kids, teenagers, adults and even mature adults of any race, but mostly her love for the Latino/Hispanic community. I really hope that she can continue opening new schools and especially the one in Dayton because of it's closer proximity to me in Springfield.  I would love to apply for the teacher job there.  :-)  I also love Karen"s quote " If they are a failure, I'm a failure".  Hats off to your school and I can't wait to attend their graduation day.  What a compliment to their hard efforts.

Main Street Schoolhouse

Wow! Another resource in my own back yard that I was not even aware of. Main Street School House is not what I pictured in my mind. It was however a very interesting place that does a great service for local Latinos and others in the community. Karen Cocina is an extremely dedicated and passionate woman who has obviously earned the respect of students and staff alike. I am impressed with the amount of time she devotes to her school and it is evident she truly loves what she does. It was interesting to see the one on one approach at work and I do know this can be extremely effective for students. We even got a chance to stop and speak with the teacher who was working at the time.  I would be extremely interested to see the private school part and how it is operated.  I am also interested in the state requirements to operate such a school as, according to Ms. Cocina, it is not required to administer state assessments.

Main Street Schoolhouse

It was very interesting to visit a place like Main Street Schoolhouse. I never knew there existed a place like it where students or even adults could go to receive their high school diploma in such an alternative fashion. I was amazed by her dedication and passion for what she does and who she helps. You can tell that she puts in many long hours, days, and months so that she can really help those in need in her area. I was surprised by the fact that she has developed the curriculum for her Progressive English program and has created a whole series of books for both English and Math. I could see myself helping to collaborate with other colleagues to create the measurements booklet she discussed as a way to assist her in her efforts of helping those who want to learn the most.

Main Street Schoolhouse

One thing that is very clear about Main Street Schoolhouse is that Ms Karen (I believe I heard her referred to that way) is an incredibly kind-hearted and passionate woman.  Her dedication to her cause - and the obvious love and respect that her employee demonstrated for her - are admirable.  I am sure the lives of the students she works with are forever changed by her influence.  I also think it is wonderful that she is providing a means for adults to come back and earn a full diploma instead of a GED.  I am confused by the various distinctions of private schools - as I know the private, religious schools in my area still give (and I believe are required to do so) the OAAs and OGTs.  I also wonder how her non-Spanish speaking students feel about not having bilingual resources available to them - it could be an interesting project to undertake for someone who is capable of doing so. Like Su Casa, Main Street Schoolhouse has a homey, community-based feel to it that most likely gives students the personal attention and emotional support they need to succeed.

Su Casa

Visiting Su Casa provided an enlightening experience of how the Latino community's fortitude in successfully networking and obtaining the support of the local church has really made a difference in terms of early childhood education, GED training, and social services for Latino immigrants.  Housed in Carthage, this old building has been repurposed as a one stop shop for processing immigration papers, tax services, academic skills training, employment training, and a summer day camp for students in K-3 giving them an enriching experience so as not to lose their academics over the summer.  In my particular class, my group of students spoke english well and interacted with me easily and confidently making it an enjoyable experience for all of us.  They were learning about plants and had just planted sunflower plants in their dixie cups, so they delightedly played show and tell on that accomplishment!  We read through several books on plants written in english with some spanish words or phrases intertwined so I made a game of me reading in english with them interjecting in spanish which was a hit.  This was an all around great experience.

Speaker: Mary Jo Montenegro

     For a few moments of Mary Jo Montenegro's presentation I was vividly reminded of the years I taught 3rd grade Bilingual at Lorenzo de Zavala elementary school in Dallas.  Proficiency or fluency in a language is critical for being able to use that language to think, and yet the goal of the ESL/bilingual program there was to exit them out.  Cincinnati is struggling with a similar situation: we know it takes years of instruction to develop the needed proficiency, but pushing the student through the process in fewer years (was it three?) was a frustration for Ms. Montenegro and my teacher colleagues in the class.
     I have a t-shirt that I love to wear during World Languages Week at my school.  The theme is "Create a friendship, Learn a language" and it lists hundreds (or maybe thousands-- I've never counted) of languages.  I ask my students how many can they name.  When Ms. Montenegro named the 7 most spoken languages of Cincinnati's LEP or ELL students, I'm embarrassed to admit that I had not heard of 4 of them.
     I am impressed with Ms. Montenegro's passionate advocacy for her students; CPS is lucky to have her.

Mary Jo Montenegro began her talk with some interesting statistics for CPS schools with enrollment data of only 2.6% Hispanic population.  My initial thought was that those numbers were significantly low in comparison with the growing Hispanic population.  In CPS, students are largely immigrating to Cincinnati from Somalia, Nepal, Puerto Rico, and Guatemala being brought here by varying circumstances like fleeing poverty, seeking medical treatment, or due to parents being offered professional employment from major corporations. With a 250% growth rate, LEP students from 100 countries speak over 70 languages with Spanish, French, Arabic and Wolof taking the lead. CPS has four schools offering ELL programs; one elementary immersion French/Spanish/English, one Native-American second foreign language for students up to grade 8, one high school and another elementary school. Their service delivery model of ELL teachers and ESL school coordinators, coupled with SIOP training for teachers ensures that learning takes place, but the motivation to succeed must come from the students themselves and their parents.  Being told that students can take up two to three years to be able to interact socially and seven years before they can master the language, enduring DIBELS and AIMsweb testing along the way shows me that this isn't an easy task.  There are a lot of obstacles to slow academic progress so it's not only the lack of english proficiency, but the constant mobility of families as well.

Ms. Montenegro

Our guest speaker, Ms. Montenegro, was very informative in regards to providing an understanding of her role in the Cincinnati Public School District with ELL students. I found it interesting that within their school population of 30,000 there are over 100 countries and 70 different languages represented. This is an overwhelming number predominantly because 75% of their total population is on free and reduced lunch.

It was striking to learn that it takes 2-3 years to master a language socially and 7 years to master a language academically. Now I understand a little better why some ELL students tend to struggle for a few years or more, and may even be suspected to have a learning disability which is clearly not always the circumstance.

One thing that will remain is that I must never assume anything when it comes to cultural/education practices and values.

Mary Jo Montenegro

Very very impressive speaker. Even though I work with the CPS school district it was interesting to sit and listen to an overview of some of the other schools and servicies they have to offer or  the wide range of choices that are available to parents. These options pose a challenge to them given their various family dynamics. I gained more insight to the major barriers which the eduacators and adminstrators face, some of which are the limited resources in terms of communication between the schools and the families. Most of these families have a limited English proficiency and it is costly and difficult to find an iterpreter for most languages. However, there is a welcome center that helps parents navigate this process. What surprised me the most was that due to the hiring freeze CPS was not going to hire more Ittinerant teachers to support the needs of the growing ELL population. I aso gained more understanding of the testing procedures of newcomers as well as ELL students with disabilites.   

Mary Jo Montenegro

     Ms. Montenegro explained about her role as a school social worker for Cincinnati Public Schools.  She is a bilingual person which helps her do her job with the Hispanic part of the ELL population that she works with.  It was surprising to be to hear about the variety of other languages which are also represented in the schools here in Cincinnati.  It is enormous task to get these students placed, tested and to get the parents involved with the schools.  An additional challenge that is especially noticeable with the Hispanic students is their mobility, the changing family structure which is sometimes impacted by deportations and family members who have differing status in term of immigration.  

     I was not aware that there was a time limit when ELL students can not be put on an IEP during their first several years of language acquisition.

 

Mary Jo Montenegro

I thought that Mary Jo Montenegro’s presentation was excellent and incredibly interesting. I have enjoyed all of the presenters that we have encountered this week, but Mary Jo was additionally fascinating to me. One of my close friends teaches in CPS and I was aware that CPS’s ELL student population was growing, but I had no idea how diverse the actual population is. I had never even heard of Wolof before today and, as a teacher, I believe I would feel quite intimidated if I had a student speaking a language I had never even heard of enter my classroom.

I found the statement that it takes 2-3 years to socially master a language and 7 years to master it academically to be very interesting. I think that many of the ELL students that I know are well on their way to achieving “social mastery,” but far from being able to academically master English. Of these students, quite a few are content with social mastery and aren’t striving for anything past that. I wonder, as an educator, what we can do to further interest in full, academic mastery of English.

I was also surprised that they rely so heavily on DIBELS and AIMSweb to identify need. Our district has made it a requirement that all special ed students are tracked through AIMSweb in the junior high and high schools and while the program provides good data, there are times when we feel that the information we get (primarily in reading and writing) isn’t relevant to our high school students’ needs. However, I can see where these tests would be very applicable for a student working on the truly basic English skills. This may be something to suggest to our ELL teachers. 

Mary Jo Montenegro

Mary Jo Montenegro was extremely informative on the state of the Latino population in the Cincinnati Public School System. The overwhelming statistic that really set the stage for her presentation was the fact that LEP students in the district increased a whopping 250% between 2003 and 2013. That is an increase from 470 to 1895. These students speak more than 70 different languages. I was already aware of how long it takes to master a language socially and academically but the facts presented today really backed that up. The last slide that was presented was a list of cultural considerations for CPS. While they are common sense considerations, they are needed considerations that many people overlook such as don't make assumptions, value the home language and culture and create opportunities for all students to succeed. I also appreciated the common sense suggestion that to get families involved, use robo-calls that are in Spanish and don't rely strictly on letters home. While I was very impressed with the actions being taken, I was shocked that in 55 schools there are only four with ELL instructors that work directly with students and the other schools must share 3 itinerant ELL instructors especially given the fact that 46% of the students will require Intensive English supports.

Speaker: Mary Jo

I enjoyed the speaker this morning.  Mary Jo introduced plenty of information that shared the challenges of providing services for the incoming immigrants.  The obstacles seem to be endless, but I believe the work is very rewarding. (personally and surely not financially)  It's also good to hear about a school district that shares similar demographics and their challenges to serve their changing community members.  I cannot imagine the task of being put in an environment to learn where your native languge is not the norm.  These families are very brave to be willing to make this life-choice.

Mary Jo Montenegro

The presentation about Cincinnati Public Schools was very interesting in terms of all of the diverse types of situations that they are faced with. I was most interested in the case studies that she described at the end of her talk. In Darwin's story, how he showed strength and independence in crossing the border as a minor by himself and then fighting constantly to be able to stay is representative of how the community as a whole is moving forward. With the Dream Act in place many Latinos are working hard to get high school diplomas or GED's so that they can stop living in fear of being deported. Another case study that intrigued me was that of Carla, who can't read or write and who comes from a culture without addresses. It is imperative that teachers understand these types of cultural differences and comes to the parents with an open mind, understanding that this type of differences can take place and be ready to work around them.

Mary Jo Montenegro

I was very impressed with Ms. Montenegro and all that she does for her students. Her passion and willingness to go above and beyond for her families and meet them where they are at is highly evident in her presentation.

I was amazed at how many services CPS has for the ELL population. Often times I think CPS gets a bad reputation as a school district, leaving students behind, etc. It is obvious that this is not the case at all. 

I was struck by the number of indigenous languages that are spoken and the diversity of our immigrant population, especially those of refugee families. 

Mary Jo Montenegro

I found Montenegro's speech to be very eye opening. I gained a lot of information and insight into what school districts like Cincinnati are faced with as they learn to best serve ELL students in their districts. They must find ways to communicate with parents and students as to where they need to be everyday and what they want for themselves as they navigate the barriers of language, culture, and communication. I was surprised by the number of students CPS serves and what laws they face when it comes to trying to enforce school attendance, retention, and IEP/special needs issues. I was a bit confused when there was mention about the schools, areas, and regions since I am not familiar with the Cincinnati area. I do wish I had more information or a map that shows a visual representation of where these schools and areas are at that she mentioned and which schools are rated excellent and what population they serve.

Guest Speaker: Mary Jo Montenegro

Guest speaker Mary Jo Montenegro gave an enlightening presentation this morning on the state of K-12 education among latinos in Cincinnati.  Information in three key areas surprised me:

• The top seven languages other than English spoken by students in CPS are Spanish, French, Arabic, Wolof, Soninke, Kirundi, Nepali.  While the top three languages on this list come as little surprise, I did not expect the presence of three African languages nor of Nepali.
• The disparity found in research between the length of time required for the typical LEP student to master a language socially (2-3 years) and to do so academically (7 years) seems to provide a clear rationale for bilingual (as opposed to monolingual) education for these students.
• The white, non-hispanic population of the student body of Cincinnati Public Schools in 2011-2012 was 25.3%, yet the 2010 Census shows 48.1% of "white persons not Hispanic."  Given that the geographic boundaries of the City of Cincinnati and those of CPS roughly correspond, and that it's unlikely that half of the white students in Cincinnati are in private schools, we are likely seeing a substantial impact of an aging white population.

CPS ELL Programs - Mary jo Montenegro

A very interesting talk by Ms. Montenegro about ELL programs in Cincinnati public schools. I had no idea that there were that many ELL students in CPS but it stands to reason that there would be. The 70% African-American was a bit surprising though it is also evidence of whites moving away from the city. I know that we at Princeton have a growing ELL population but we are doing well with how we are dealing with it. We have SIOP in place at the high school in 9th and 10th grades which allows us to teach more on these students levels.

Montenegro

Ms Montenegro's presentation was very informative about the challenges of meeting the needs of ELLs in our schools.  In her role, she is interacting with and advocating for the families and their ability to participate in the decision making process.  I was really struck by some of the points she made about involving parents.  First, the homework club she created and requires parents to attend.  I know a lot of my high-schoolers' parents don't feel comfortable helping kids with homework because they don't understand the material - imagine adding a language difference as well.  I am really intrigued by the Diccionario de tareas para los padres and the way in which that helps invite parents into the process.  The fact that she gives each of her families a picture dictionary to help the parents learn some basic words for the environment around them.  I was also struck when she said if you invite the parents - in their language - they will come.  Again, the importance of partnering with, inviting and welcoming our parents.  At the same time - funding is hard. I am curious about what funds she was referring to when she said schools are given for money for this and if the amount is sufficient?

Mary Jo Montenegro was our third guest speaker. She is a bilingual social worker at the Welcome Center for Cincinnati Public Schools. Mary Jo was very, very informed regarding the facts, stats and circumstances regarding the huge influx of ELL and LEP students to CPS, especially in the last 5 years. Mrs. Montenegro enlightened the class with the demographic changes and the challenges they present to school teachers and administrators. Although she had a depth of data to support her presentation, she had many interesting and compelling personal stories and antidotes regarding real families from various parts of the world that are trying to find success for their children in a Cincinnati Public Schools. A very, very good speaker that allowed for class participation as well.

guest speaker - Mary Jo Montenegro

I was shocked to learn that there is such a notable refugee population within the parameters of CPS. It caused me to wonder how many other students who are from refugee families are present in the greater-Cincinnati area. In addition, I was interested to learn that research confirms that it takes 2-3 years for a child to master a language socially and approximately 7 years to master a language academically. How does this affect students in terms of higher education and opportunities?

Then, there is the group of students who have no mastery of any single language because they hear one language at home but learn English at school. This presents both literacy issues and communication issues both at home and in the world outside of home. How then do you help students to be successful? By extension, how do you help their families to gain a better level of success in terms of advantageous acculturation? Would a school's ESL, ELL, LEP programs only be enhanced if there was an available education component accessible to the parents? Is there research that would show the ROI for such an investment?

Su Casa

 

Su Casa was another awesome place that provides services to the Hispanic/Latino community. I witnessed a passion for helping these children through the various programs that are offered. It was quite impressive that there was a summer program for the younger children to maintain and enhance their learning experiences. These experiences will hopefully allow for more opportunites in the future to promote more success in the coming years.

I was also impressed with the GED program. It is evident that in today's world being more educated increases the chances of better jobs and better living conditions. This program will allow for more opportunities for this community. I was impressed by this mostly because not only do they provide tangible resources, but also resources that will impact their entire lives and have a life long impact.

In closing, the hands on experiment with the children helped me to solidify that I need to support places such as this.

Healing Center

I have to say that the Healing House was just amazing. I have lived in this area For over 11 years and have never even heard of, nor been to a place such as this institution.  I am  still in awe that such a place is established right here in my back yard willing to provide numerous services to the Hispanic/Latino community. I was so impressed by the inviting atmosphere, to the set-up, and all of the services provided. 

 

When I think of a place that helps people, I do not associate such a place as this. So today was definitely a learning experience. I plan to share my new findings with my school counselor, so that our ESL students will be aware of it and its services.

 

With that all said, I would welcome the idea of interviewing people who have used the services provided to gain their perspective.

 

Su Casa

Su Casa is an outreach of Catholic Charities of Southwest Ohio to the Latino/Hispanic population, mostly in the neighborhood of the facility, a population that is primarily Guatemalan in origin. It is an impressive organization.  There is a summer program for children (and it was a delight to have 45 minutes to read with them!  I taught 3rd grade, bilingual, in Dallas for 2 years, and this was very nostalgic for me), classes in English as a second language and GED preparation, among others for adults.  Because the community is transient, retaining students in the classes is a challenge.  One thing I noticed right away: the people they serve are called "clients,"  the usual term for someone who receives services.

Su casa

Su casa means exactly what it is, your house, the house of the Latino community. When you walk in the center you feel that sense of a home, of a family gathering . I was impressed by how good the kids English was and their behavior in the classroom. Furthermore the volunteer was great with the kids and they were very attentive and engaged. I believe that Su casa needs some help to continue serving but their heart is where it needs to be and it gives that feeling of a home to the Latino community, a place for families to enjoy themselves too.

Su Casa

The highlight of the day. Winding through the construction laden streets and finally finding a place to park, I looked up at the building. This was a school building. The Healing Center is a great environment. A great resource for people in the community. This was my type of place. Three stories of brick and wooden doors. Small hallways, rooms and the sound of children laughing and having a great time are noticed as soon as you enter.
The tour of Su Casa was quick and to the point. We were informed that Su Casa is a community resource center that offers educational, health and social work for the local Latino/ Latina community. It is open an amazing seven days per week! Caseworkers are available to help with domestic violence issues and questions surrounding the Dream Act. We also learned that they offer translation services; ESL and GED classes. The director also explained that there were referral services and employment assistance available as well.
Then there was the Vacaciones Utiles program. This service is offered to students in pre- K through second grade and is designed to help them stay caught up over the summer months. They are given a free breakfast, lunch and food to take home over the weekend. Working with these students was awesome. I have not worked with second graders since my student teaching and they were just as busy and inquisitive as ever. We ended up reading 3 different stories in the short time I was there. The students were amazing as they demonstrated how they could read in both Spanish and English with no problems. They were extremely forthcoming and two quickly offered up the fact that they would not be back after the end of the week, due to changing camps and going to Florida to live in "the biggest house!" We spoke about fruits, vegetables, gardens and what we could and could not grow. They also pulled me to see the sunflowers they had just planted as well.Working with these students was the highlight of the day for me. I am just curious as to whether they are looking to expand the services and help older elementary students as well during the summer months.

Healing Center

The Healing Center is a great example of what a group of people can do, working together to make a difference in the community.  I am not from Cincinnati, so was not familiar with The Vineyard, the original sponsor of the ministry.  It reminds me a bit of Ginghamsburg, a church in Tipp City, that has established outreach ministries in Dayton, Tipp, and even around the world.  Several things I noticed were particularly cool: the bike ministry, which provides people who need it a means of transportation; the shuttle service to the nearest bus stops to make their services accessible; the way they helped form a coalition to resolve conflicts between the local Hispanic/Latino population and the police department, which has become a model for other communities; the beautiful and functional building; the fact that they refer to their "guests," not clients; and the massive number of volunteers, drawing people from all (or no) faiths to participate.

Su casa

Su casa was a very interesting site to visit. I feel their program, Vacaciones Utiles, was an excellent way to bring the community together and to allow the parents time to work during the summer without having to worry about childcare. It gives the kids extra time to interact with each other and with their teachers in English. In the class we observed one of the teachers was reading Are you my Mother  to the kids. She did an outstanding job of getting the first graders to respond to questions about the story and keeping them fully engaged in the reading. Done correctly, I feel that programs like Vacaciones Utiles are a great way to keep the kids ahead for the following year especially since they don't usually have parents who speak English at home.

Su Casa

     Su Casa, the words, bring to my mind something I teach about in my Spanish 1 classes each year.  Literally, in English, it could mean .... his house/ her house/ your house( to Sir or Mme), their house or something like your'all's house.  Unless there are two or more houses, then it's Sus Casas. " Mi casa es su casa" is the welcoming refrain like my house is your house, or make yourself at home.  The loving heart and  practical service that is offered at the Su Casa center clearly contributes to the community. I think back to the brief interactions with the small group of first graders enjoying a Dr. Seuss book shared by a gifted story  I could see that it is a program with quality professionals, both paid and volunteer.

The Healing Center

     I was vaguely aware of The Healing Center but I was under the impression that it was a part of the Vineyard Church, as it was originally a mission of the church.  I was  impressed with the beautiful location, and the organization and the kindness of the staff. There was great attention to detail in supporting their "guests."  I appreciate that their volunteers and staff are from other religious groups also or no religious affiliation. Their menu of services is vast and in consideration of humans on all levels of their beings. I think anyone would feel welcome there, English speaking or Spanish speaking. I am grateful that such a resource is available in my community and I am glad to know more about it.

The Healing Center

First thing I have to say is WOW. I'm glad to have learned about a place that is committed to the community and it's surroundings. I learned today that they not only serve the Latino community, they serve any race that is in need who walks through their doors. It's amazing to know that they see over 1,000 plus a month and are able to offer medical, food, clothing, worshiping services, tutoring and more. This place serves numerous needs and most of it is possible with the help of Vineyard Church and the businesses around them and with the help of over 600 volunteers. It's great to know that we have so many people that care for others and are willing to give their time, knowledge and love to others. My favorite place was the kids club house where many kids have the opportunity to get tutoring for free and also for the moms to have that relaxing time to take care of business without kids screaming all over. I hope that I can bring my Spanish Club here for a day of volunteering.

The Healing Center: dignidad

I was impressed with the clear priority of The Healing Center to care for all their clients as guests and with the utmost dignity and respect. The care they take to train the volunteers, make the building and services accessible and professional really speaks to the level of dignity, solidarity and and kinship they are guided by. Shaina spoke of walking 'with us' or 'along side us' which again speaks to that high level of professionalism and and care that they take.
I felt The Healing Center was easily accessible for not only guests, but volunteers and the entire community.