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Post by fiberisgoodforyou on Jun 10, 2008 10:10:03 GMT -5
www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008806050352and www.freeholdboro.k12.nj.us/Park Avenue Principal to visit homelands of his students, relatives FREEHOLD — Like many of his students, Park Avenue Elementary principal Joseph Jerabek has a tale of immigration struggle and hardship to tell. His grandfather, Josef Jerabek, fled Czechoslovakia in 1942 after the ruling Communists ordered him to give up his business. When he defied them, he was sentenced to 20 years of hard labor, Jerabek said. Penniless and unable to speak English, Jerabek's grandfather escaped the country with his family and headed to the United States. Here, Jerabek said his grandfather struggled to find work. Eventually, he was hired as a furniture upholsterer in Union City, where he later saved up enough money to purchase a home for his family. Josef Jerabek lived in the United States for 50 years, long enough to watch the overthrow of the Czech Communists in 1989. In 1992, he returned to Czechoslovakia, now known as the Czech Republic, Jerabek said. It was there, on a trip in March, that Jerabek said he learned for the first time the full story of why his grandfather had fled his homeland so many years ago. Struck by his grandfather's tale — which he said included being locked up in chains by the police — Jerabek connected his grandfather's struggles with the stories told by some students of their own journeys to the United States. "It's eye-opening," Jerabek said of the stories he has heard. Through a grant from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Jerabek now wants to understand why so many people immigrate to the United States, and determine whether his students' motivations are similar to those of immigrants like his grandfather. To do so, Jerabek plans to travel to both Mexico and the Czech Republic this summer. Jerabek will first head to Mexico after school lets out for the summer. He will go to Puebla, because he said many of the school's Latino students and their families hail from the region. Between June 21 and 29, Jerabek will receive six hours of Spanish instruction every day and live with a host family. He also plans to explore Puebla and he hopes to meet with some of his students' relatives, to gain a better understanding of life in Puebla and why so many have chosen to leave, he said. "Why do so many people want to come here (the United States)?" he says he hopes to learn. On July 31, Jerabek will begin the second leg of his trip, which will take him back to the Czech Republic, he said. Jerabek plans to spend two days in Prague, meeting with educators there and exploring the city. He will then head to his grandfather's hometown of Bystrc, which lies just outside the city of Brno. In Bystrc, Jerabek intends to take down his grandfather's history, he said. Jerabek plans to document his travels through a video journal that will later be shown to the school community, including students. His journal, he hopes, will be the beginning of a community-wide dialogue. Students might recognize some of the places he shows in Puebla, he said. And by learning about his grandfather, those who have also immigrated here might see similarities they share with Jerabek. "I'm hoping they're going to start making connections," Jerabek said. Even children whose families have lived in the United States for more than one generation will be affected, he hopes, perhaps by learning their ancestors' own immigration stories. Again, the idea is to discover the similarities they share with newer immigrants. "I think all students can make a connection somehow...In the long run, it makes us all in the community think we're not so different after all," said Jerabek. He doesn't want to just stop at individual revelations, though. Jerabek has bigger plans. As dialogue begins over his project, perhaps that discussion can lead to solutions for the area's immigration issues, he said.
"I can definitely see our legislators..and local politicians being willing to listen," said Jerabek. INTERESTED?: Park Avenue Elementary school principal Joseph Jerabek is inviting community members to join him as he visits Puebla, Mexico, this summer. Jerabek will spend eight days learning Spanish, living with a host family and traveling Puebla. Anyone interested can call the school at (732) 761-2124. Article Written by Kim Predham: of the Asbury Park Press
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Post by admin on Jun 10, 2008 10:49:40 GMT -5
I moved this topic to a more appropriate location.
I saw this article a couple of days ago and thought what a swell guy. I feel real warm and cuddly after reading it.
As dialogue begins over his project, perhaps that discussion can lead to solutions for the area's immigration issues, he said.
"I can definitely see our legislators..and local politicians being willing to listen," said Jerabek
The above part is what Fiber highlighted. I have to wonder where this guy has been, there has been plenty of discussion pertaining to illegal immigration for several years now. Is he just getting it? What a dopey thing for him to say.
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Post by novillero on Jun 10, 2008 10:59:49 GMT -5
...." Why do so many people want to come here (the United States)?" he [the Park Avenue Principal]says he hopes to learn. Spoken like a true american... and he is educating the youth of today. |
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Post by novillero on Jun 10, 2008 11:00:33 GMT -5
and if anyone runs into Park Avenue Elementary principal Joseph Jerabek, please tell him that it is okay to drink the water.
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Post by admin on Jun 10, 2008 11:07:31 GMT -5
...." Why do so many people want to come here (the United States)?" he [the Park Avenue Principal]says he hopes to learn. Spoken like a true american... and he is educating the youth of today. Why do so many people want to come here (the United States) There are about four billion people in this world who would love to come here. Lets just let them all in and send the to park ave for their childrens free daycare/educatation. I am sure that the area homeowners won't mind paying the bill. |
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Post by novillero on Jun 10, 2008 11:30:29 GMT -5
Spoken like a true american... and he is educating the youth of today. Why do so many people want to come here (the United States) There are about four billion people in this world who would love to come here. Lets just let them all in and send the to park ave for their childrens free daycare/educatation. I am sure that the area homeowners won't mind paying the bill. Brian, it's not like it's real money. It's taxpayer money. This guy even got someone to pay for his trip to Mexico and his parent's homeland. I mean, the guy only makes over $100k as a principal in a building that also has another principlal located in it... |
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Post by fiberisgoodforyou on Jun 10, 2008 12:04:05 GMT -5
and if anyone runs into Park Avenue Elementary principal Joseph Jerabek, please tell him that it is okay to drink the water. Let be nice now!  |
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Post by lisas84 on Jun 10, 2008 12:13:20 GMT -5
Once again I am saddened and a bit distressed.
In this case, the correct spelling is "principal" not "principle."
Oh those eternally frustrating homonyms.
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Post by fiberisgoodforyou on Jun 10, 2008 12:22:03 GMT -5
Once again I am saddened and a bit distressed. In this case, the correct spelling is "principal" not "principle." Oh those eternally frustrating homonyms. Perhaps in this case a convenient and profound application of a homonym. |
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Post by fiberisgoodforyou on Jun 10, 2008 12:33:20 GMT -5
Brian I posted this under immigration, since this is an human interest - immigration story, yha know....,"What I Did On My Summer Vacation". Clearly this man wants to reach out and touch all of our roots. Maybe next year he will get a grant and go visit Ireland to learn about how the Brits cruelly imposed the British "Act of Union" and how it facilitated the potato famine to eradicate the Irish Catholics (some may say), or go live on a plantation to endure hard manual labor as a task mastered impoverished beast of burden human slaves or visit a concentration camp, or go interview the two remain Cambodian intellectuals that escaped the Khmer Rouge. or go to Darfur I know a gravel pit a little over a mile from the house my Grand Father (a very legal immigrant) was born, in Belarus where 12000 men, women and little children, all victims of the Nazis, where assassinated and then buried in an unmarked grave, they didn't get to immigrate. We all know why immigration to the US is highly desirable! Because out of most nations on this planet we are the least curel, mostly most tolerant and a profoundly "just" society and you are not forced to swear allegiance to a King or Queen, just an allegiance to our laws, yha know..., the paper thingy called the "CONSTITUTION"! |
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adefonzo
Junior Member
If I can see further than some, it's because I have stood on the shoulders of giants
Posts: 308
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Post by adefonzo on Jun 10, 2008 14:55:37 GMT -5
I am guessing it's my turn to chime in on this topic.
I read the article when it came out last week, I have received emails from people in town who were not very happy that Mr Jerabek is going on this trip, and even here on this site I see people confused or upset as to why he would make this trip.
As anyone who knows me is aware, I am no fan of illegal immigrants in our country and especially in our town...but let's get a bit of perspective on this story, please.
Yes, Joe Jerabek is the Principal at the Park Ave Elementary school, but his decision to apply for this grant, and to go on this trip is his own. This is not something that the school district is paying for, this is not something that the school district has suggested he do...he is doing this of his own freewill.
Let's face facts folks...over 50% of our school district is Hispanic, whether you like it or not, it's a fact.
The idea that one of our Principals is willing to take his vacation time and dedicate it to visiting some very poor sections of Mexico in order to get a better understanding of the families of many of his students is, in my opinion, commendable.
If you don't like some of the specific quotes in the article, fine...but that doesn't take away from the overall story. Sometimes we get too caught up on a specific sound bite and miss the point of the whole story.
Look...everyone is entitled to their opinions...and yes, there are certainly many trips that he could take to understand the immigration reasoning for every culture of student who occupies our schools...but again, he is taking this trip because over 50% of the students in our schools are from Hispanic countries...and overwhelmingly from Mexico.
I know the majority of people on this site are opponents to illegal immigrants, and they see this as another way of somehow appeasing the immigrant crowd...I guess for once I am in disagreement with that point of view.
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Post by fiberisgoodforyou on Jun 10, 2008 15:36:31 GMT -5
Andrew I hope he has a wonderful and enriching summer, sounds like fun, I have been to the Yucatan as well, I have visited ancient Roman Ruins. International travel is fantastic and truly broadens one's sense of culture, sociology and humanities. I do expect that the politics of immigration continues to stay out of our public schools, and that agendas will continue to be left at home.
Let Kids be Kids...and leave this immigration stuff to the "Big People" to resolve (one way or another).
On a side bar....There are many nice homes for sale in freehold Boro.
I invite the Principal to seriously consider moving into the ACTUAL town his students live in!
If he seriously wants to pursue an "out reach" to the immigrant children of freehold boro and their families, why not go "ALL IN" and embrace 100% of the student body not just 50%.
Move here please. As a boro resident you can really get your arms around a "discussion (that) can lead to solutions for the area's immigration issues" too.
I know a number of real estate agents that can help him both buy and sell!
No better place to both live and work right!
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Post by admin on Jun 11, 2008 6:31:16 GMT -5
Brian I posted this under immigration, since this is an human interest - immigration story, yha know....,"What I Did On My Summer Vacation". Clearly this man wants to reach out and touch all of our roots. Your original placing of the post wasn't;t wrong, it certainly was a toss up as to where to put it. Since it is so close to home, I felt it should be in with the schools. After all, this guy is one of the people who expects the tax payers to vote yes for more facilities that will benefit his students, many of whom are the children of illegal aliens. |
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Post by admin on Jun 11, 2008 6:53:17 GMT -5
I am guessing it's my turn to chime in on this topic. I read the article when it came out last week, I have received emails from people in town who were not very happy that Mr Jerabek is going on this trip, and even here on this site I see people confused or upset as to why he would make this trip. As anyone who knows me is aware, I am no fan of illegal immigrants in our country and especially in our town...but let's get a bit of perspective on this story, please. Yes, Joe Jerabek is the Principal at the Park Ave Elementary school, but his decision to apply for this grant, and to go on this trip is his own. This is not something that the school district is paying for, this is not something that the school district has suggested he do...he is doing this of his own freewill. Let's face facts folks...over 50% of our school district is Hispanic, whether you like it or not, it's a fact. The idea that one of our Principals is willing to take his vacation time and dedicate it to visiting some very poor sections of Mexico in order to get a better understanding of the families of many of his students is, in my opinion, commendable. If you don't like some of the specific quotes in the article, fine...but that doesn't take away from the overall story. Sometimes we get too caught up on a specific sound bite and miss the point of the whole story. Look...everyone is entitled to their opinions...and yes, there are certainly many trips that he could take to understand the immigration reasoning for every culture of student who occupies our schools...but again, he is taking this trip because over 50% of the students in our schools are from Hispanic countries...and overwhelmingly from Mexico. I know the majority of people on this site are opponents to illegal immigrants, and they see this as another way of somehow appeasing the immigrant crowd...I guess for once I am in disagreement with that point of view. I too received emails. But they were from people not happy with my previous post. Those emails defended the principal as a really good guy who is doing a good job. With that said, I will make clear, I called the comments in the paper dopey, not the principal. I stand by those comments. On this site we have highlighted many good articles that were sacked by dopey comments. This is just one more. I really don't think there is anything of value, substance or admiration in this article. Lets summarize. A well paid person is going on an educational vacation on someone else's dime. He thinks he will learn something. I am sure he will, but, here is a neato idea. Stay home. Instead of learning Spanish, teach the area immigrants to speak American. Then talk to them. I bet some will be very interesting to talk to! I also bet that the story will be as old as America itself. Contrary to what the open borders creepfest tries to say, there really is nothing unique or special about todays immigrants. The story as to why they come here is the same as generations past. I will shave my head into a Mohawk if this guy comes back and actually puts something in the papers that is different, something we haven't heard before. Contrary to the dopey comments I pointed to, this country has been in the great immigration debate for many years now. It was and still is a national concern. The real issue is not immigration itself, but illegal immigration and the many negative consequences of it. I have said before and will say again, illegal immigration is government failure. When I read this article, I was immediately reminded of a three part series that the APP ran a couple of years ago about five open borders women from Georgian Court College who did the same thing. That entire three part series said a lot of nothing. It was fluff and no substance. Want solutions to the area problems? There is no need to go to another country. The solutions are right here. The problem we face locally is a BOE that coddles the illegal alien population and a governing body who is afraid of their own shadow. I agree, we need solutions. Part of that is engaging the local population. Some people do not want to hear that, but it is fact. What is disturbing is that nobody is taking things in the right direction. Going to Mexico is not going to change that. I hope the principal has a great and safe trip. He will be better for it, but he will bring nothing of value back with him that will enlighten or aid in the local issues. |
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Post by novillero on Jun 11, 2008 7:34:27 GMT -5
I think this thread needs to be read in conjunction with this thread: freeholdvoice.proboards46.com/index.cgi?board=schools&action=display&thread=3404The cited thread shows that we spend $715,730 for extra teachers for the hispanic community (those are 2006 figures). Those teachers specialize in English as a Second Language and Bilingual/BiCULTural Education. (please correct me if I am not interpreting things correctly) |
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Post by admin on Jun 11, 2008 7:46:24 GMT -5
I think this thread needs to be read in conjunction with this thread: freeholdvoice.proboards46.com/index.cgi?board=schools&action=display&thread=3404The cited thread shows that we spend $715,730 for extra teachers for the hispanic community (those are 2006 figures). Those teachers specialize in English as a Second Language and Bilingual/BiCULTural Education. (please correct me if I am not interpreting things correctly) Wow! I completely missed that thread yesterday. Maybe Mr. Jarabek can bring that bill to Mexico with him and have them pay it down there. That way future immigrants can see a small part of what they cost us. They will learn something! The American tax payers are tired of paying these bills. As I have opined, I believe that 2007 was the last year our BOE will see a yes vote for a very long time to come. |
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Post by casualreader on Jun 11, 2008 12:03:14 GMT -5
Freehold Dudes and Dudettes:
It has been awhile since I wrote my last public opinion column but the debate over principal Jerabek and his summer time visit to the Czech Republic and Mexico has inspired me once again to take up my word processor in the struggle for justice.
Principal Jerabek deserves a citation from the Borough Council for reaching out to the Mexican immigrant community. The LLA needs to give him a medal.
I stand with you Jerabek!!!!
Instead of occupying his time with disparaging remarks about the great immigrant community that is enriching our borough -- Principal Jerabek is on a mission to learn more about the community.
Now there is a novel concept -- someone who wants to learn more about the community from which many of the immigrants in Freehold Borough come.
I take note that the funds for his trip will come from a grant from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation -- Organizations of all kinds seeking out funding from this very wealthy foundation. I do not believe there are any public dollars involved.
Some of the most uninformed commentary comes from our muddled moderator Brian.
On the use of the Spanish language -- I have concluded from my studies -- that everyone in the United States should know multiple languages. So the above commentary which discourages the learning of Spanish -- smacks of small-minded ignorance.
And as for today's immigrants -- how could they not be unique. Every group of immigrants -- because of the historical point in time in which they come -- is very different.
One of the things I am doing this summer to prepare for graduate school is looking at psychological and sociological studies of the Hmong peoples of Cambodia. Among the many immigrant groups they have struggled very hard to adapt. They are very different from the Mexicans -- who are very different from the Irish -- who are very different from the Italians.
To think it is all the same story misses the boat (pun intended).
So Principal Jerabek venture forth with pride.
Come back and teach the ill-informed and misinformed of Freehold Borough about the rich culture and beautiful traditions of Mexico.
!
Casually Reporting from the Casual Corner
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Post by fiberisgoodforyou on Jun 11, 2008 12:54:38 GMT -5
As opposed to speaking Canadian, Australian, Bermudian...I think you mean ENGLISH, as there is no official language known as "AMERICAN". We may spell things differently by losing a vowel here and there ...., and yes we use a trunk, not a boot..., An elevator not a lift...,We live in apartments not flats...yha know they may have lost the War, but the Brits still own the naming rights to the language..., its called ENGLISH Brian!  |
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Post by admin on Jun 11, 2008 15:41:47 GMT -5
As opposed to speaking Canadian, Australian, Bermudian...I think you mean ENGLISH, as there is no official language known as "AMERICAN". We may spell things differently by losing a vowel here and there ...., and yes we use a trunk, not a boot..., An elevator not a lift...,We live in apartments not flats...yha know they may have lost the War, but the Brits still own the naming rights to the language..., its called ENGLISH Brian! I am well aware that there is no official : American: language. I was fishing with that one figuring I would catch a CR, but I caught me a Fiber! I am going to throw you back. |
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adefonzo
Junior Member
If I can see further than some, it's because I have stood on the shoulders of giants
Posts: 308
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Post by adefonzo on Jun 13, 2008 11:27:58 GMT -5
On the use of the Spanish language -- I have concluded from my studies -- that everyone in the United States should know multiple languages. So the above commentary which discourages the learning of Spanish -- smacks of small-minded ignorance. So by this statement you agree with Brian that the both the illegal and legal immigrants (who you continue to lump into one group) should learn English in addition to their native Spanish, correct? |
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Post by casualreader on Jun 17, 2008 9:30:54 GMT -5
DeFonzo dude:
I agree that immigrants need to learn English.
I think we all need to learn multiple languages and Spanish is one of the most important of the other languages.
I am taking Spanish lessons now to supplement what my Salvadoran roommate has been teaching me.
Are you still stubbornly Monolingual?
Casually Hablando Espanol
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Post by novillero on Nov 18, 2008 18:02:38 GMT -5
In case anyone was wondering about PrinciPAL Joe Jerabak's summer vacation to visit Mexico to learn more about immigration... Well, since there was no follow-up article, I figure I'd post his Dodge Foundation summer vacation article. PrinciPAL Jarabek traveled to to Mexico four years ago. Glimpse of pupils’ culture helps Freehold principal
Trip to Mexico proves eye-opening experience for Park Avenue leader BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer FREEHOLD — Joseph Jerabek wanted to better understand the Hispanic pupils who have become a large part of the school he leads, so the principal of the Park Avenue Elementary School did some real-life research by taking a trip to Mexico and immersing himself in that nation’s culture and customs. The trip was made possible through a $5,000 grant from the Dodge Foundation. Jerabek, who is in his second year as principal at Park Avenue, went to learn more about the Mexican public education system and culture and to better understand his pupils’ journey to the United States and their needs. According to Jerabek, the school district’s Hispanic population has increased from 20 percent of the total enrollment to about 40 percent of the total enrollment in the last three to four years. The principal said he has come to understand that his students and their parents came to America for more opportunities and a better life. In order to get to know this group of students better and to understand their needs, he wanted to visit Mexico to see the conditions the children lived in and how and where they learned. Jerabek said his trip to Mexico in June was a tremendous learning experience that is helping him greatly in his work with his Hispanic pupils. His journey began with a visit to the Houston Independent School District in Houston, Texas, where he met with the director of the multilingual program, Noelia Garza, and was provided with resources and materials Garza had worked on for more than a decade in order to create and prepare her own multilingual program. Jerabek said that although Freehold Borough’s multilingual programs are much smaller in scale, Garza indicated to him that the school district “was headed in the right direction and would get there with time and patience.” Jerabek then traveled to Mexico and lived for eight days with a family in Merida. He spent part of each day learning conversational Spanish and Spanish grammar through the Instituto De Lengua Y Cultura De Yucatan. Time away from class was spent visiting various locations with his teachers and tour guides Ivan De la Fuente and Laura Carolina Sanchez. He was able to ask specific cultural questions that gave him a much better understanding of Hispanic culture, customs and mannerisms. He said his visit to Mexico put him in the same position as many of his Hispanic students and, according to the principal, it was not always easy to be in that position. He relayed an experience in which he tried to take a bus home from the institute where he was studying. “I was riding on the bus for a very long time, driving around in circles, and somehow ended up at the wrong destination,” Jerabek said. He was eventually able to communicate to the driver that he was lost and the driver took him back to his starting point. He then walked 30 blocks back to his host home. Jerabek continued to walk to and from the school for the first few days until he felt more confident getting around on the bus. Jerabek said he is now able to relate to the pupils in the Park Avenue Elementary School who have to deal with the same type of communication barrier on a daily basis. “Caesar and Maggie Chavez (his hosts) made sure their grown children spoke to me primarily in Spanish, although they were rather fluent in English. Meal conversation was a very good time for me to learn about Spanish culture and for them to learn about life in New Jersey and about my school district,” the principal said. A typical day on his trip included a light breakfast early in the morning, then classes for four hours. After classes ended at 12:30 p.m. he returned home for the main meal of the day, which began at 2 p.m. “The whole family was usually present for this meal. It is equivalent to our dinner here. Most family members returned home from work for this meal and then returned to work at about 3 p.m.,” Jerabek explained. After the meal, he explored the city by walking or taking a bus or taxi to various areas. Most family members returned home to eat a light meal at about 8 p.m. According to Jerabek, many business owners close their shops to rest in the middle of the day. The principal said it was wonderful to be able to have that respite from the busy day. When Jerabek explained his work day to the members of the Chavez family they wanted to know why Americans live as they do — without their family during the day. This fact is very significant and says a great deal about Hispanic culture and devotion to family, according to Jerabek, who said Mexican family values and lifestyles are where America’s family values and lifestyles were years ago. “They have very traditional family values, with the father being head of the household and the mother who usually stays at home raising the children. They work hard to keep this custom in place,” he said. Jerabek said the Hispanic population generally has large, close-knit families. He said he better understands why it is difficult to coax parents of Hispanic children to join in school activities. “The only thing they bring from home when they arrive in the United States is family. This creates an even tighter bond, less integration, more customs kept, including language,” he said. “This is why the families are reluctant to participate in outside activities. It isn’t that they don’t want to, it’s the fact that they just want to be with their families. It’s their culture.” Jerabek said school administrators are reaching out to the Hispanic community to emphasize the importance of the family and education. He said the parents of some Hispanic children are beginning to attend school functions and meetings. He believes this is an indication that the Hispanic and American cultures are beginning to blend. newstranscript.gmnews.com/news/2004/1109/Front_page/045.html |
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Post by admin on Nov 18, 2008 19:31:39 GMT -5
In case anyone was wondering about PrinciPAL Joe Jerabak's summer vacation to visit Mexico to learn more about immigration... Well, since there was no follow-up article, I figure I'd post his Dodge Foundation summer vacation article. PrinciPAL Jarabek traveled to to Mexico four years ago. Glimpse of pupils’ culture helps Freehold principal
Trip to Mexico proves eye-opening experience for Park Avenue leader BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer FREEHOLD — Joseph Jerabek wanted to better understand the Hispanic pupils who have become a large part of the school he leads, so the principal of the Park Avenue Elementary School did some real-life research by taking a trip to Mexico and immersing himself in that nation’s culture and customs. The trip was made possible through a $5,000 grant from the Dodge Foundation. Jerabek, who is in his second year as principal at Park Avenue, went to learn more about the Mexican public education system and culture and to better understand his pupils’ journey to the United States and their needs. According to Jerabek, the school district’s Hispanic population has increased from 20 percent of the total enrollment to about 40 percent of the total enrollment in the last three to four years. The principal said he has come to understand that his students and their parents came to America for more opportunities and a better life. In order to get to know this group of students better and to understand their needs, he wanted to visit Mexico to see the conditions the children lived in and how and where they learned. Jerabek said his trip to Mexico in June was a tremendous learning experience that is helping him greatly in his work with his Hispanic pupils. His journey began with a visit to the Houston Independent School District in Houston, Texas, where he met with the director of the multilingual program, Noelia Garza, and was provided with resources and materials Garza had worked on for more than a decade in order to create and prepare her own multilingual program. Jerabek said that although Freehold Borough’s multilingual programs are much smaller in scale, Garza indicated to him that the school district “was headed in the right direction and would get there with time and patience.” Jerabek then traveled to Mexico and lived for eight days with a family in Merida. He spent part of each day learning conversational Spanish and Spanish grammar through the Instituto De Lengua Y Cultura De Yucatan. Time away from class was spent visiting various locations with his teachers and tour guides Ivan De la Fuente and Laura Carolina Sanchez. He was able to ask specific cultural questions that gave him a much better understanding of Hispanic culture, customs and mannerisms. He said his visit to Mexico put him in the same position as many of his Hispanic students and, according to the principal, it was not always easy to be in that position. He relayed an experience in which he tried to take a bus home from the institute where he was studying. “I was riding on the bus for a very long time, driving around in circles, and somehow ended up at the wrong destination,” Jerabek said. He was eventually able to communicate to the driver that he was lost and the driver took him back to his starting point. He then walked 30 blocks back to his host home. Jerabek continued to walk to and from the school for the first few days until he felt more confident getting around on the bus. Jerabek said he is now able to relate to the pupils in the Park Avenue Elementary School who have to deal with the same type of communication barrier on a daily basis. “Caesar and Maggie Chavez (his hosts) made sure their grown children spoke to me primarily in Spanish, although they were rather fluent in English. Meal conversation was a very good time for me to learn about Spanish culture and for them to learn about life in New Jersey and about my school district,” the principal said. A typical day on his trip included a light breakfast early in the morning, then classes for four hours. After classes ended at 12:30 p.m. he returned home for the main meal of the day, which began at 2 p.m. “The whole family was usually present for this meal. It is equivalent to our dinner here. Most family members returned home from work for this meal and then returned to work at about 3 p.m.,” Jerabek explained. After the meal, he explored the city by walking or taking a bus or taxi to various areas. Most family members returned home to eat a light meal at about 8 p.m. According to Jerabek, many business owners close their shops to rest in the middle of the day. The principal said it was wonderful to be able to have that respite from the busy day. When Jerabek explained his work day to the members of the Chavez family they wanted to know why Americans live as they do — without their family during the day. This fact is very significant and says a great deal about Hispanic culture and devotion to family, according to Jerabek, who said Mexican family values and lifestyles are where America’s family values and lifestyles were years ago. “They have very traditional family values, with the father being head of the household and the mother who usually stays at home raising the children. They work hard to keep this custom in place,” he said. Jerabek said the Hispanic population generally has large, close-knit families. He said he better understands why it is difficult to coax parents of Hispanic children to join in school activities. “The only thing they bring from home when they arrive in the United States is family. This creates an even tighter bond, less integration, more customs kept, including language,” he said. “This is why the families are reluctant to participate in outside activities. It isn’t that they don’t want to, it’s the fact that they just want to be with their families. It’s their culture.” Jerabek said school administrators are reaching out to the Hispanic community to emphasize the importance of the family and education. He said the parents of some Hispanic children are beginning to attend school functions and meetings. He believes this is an indication that the Hispanic and American cultures are beginning to blend. newstranscript.gmnews.com/news/2004/1109/Front_page/045.htmlOK, I am going to have fun with this later......... |
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Post by admin on Nov 18, 2008 20:27:07 GMT -5
OK. Here I go. I will keep this short. Four years after this trip, what real good has come out of it? It does sound like a great learning experience for any given individual, but what has been applied to our schools?
Four years after, the population of American students has dwindled further. There are more signs in spanish placed in the schools. I might be wrong, but as I understand it, the immigrant population still has an abysmal showing in PTO involvemnt and other things that could help the schools. Shouldn't the immigrant population be helping the schools out more considering they are the majority in the schools? They have benn here long enoguh, there are no more excuses. And the BOE wants the real tax payers to vote yes on more funding?
What has changed for the better in our schools because of this trip four years ago? Please, enlighten me. Someone.
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Post by novillero on Nov 19, 2008 10:50:51 GMT -5
OK. Here I go. I will keep this short. Four years after this trip, what real good has come out of it? It does sound like a great learning experience for any given individual, but what has been applied to our schools? Four years after, the population of American students has dwindled further. There are more signs in spanish placed in the schools. I might be wrong, but as I understand it, the immigrant population still has an abysmal showing in PTO involvemnt and other things that could help the schools. Shouldn't the immigrant population be helping the schools out more considering they are the majority in the schools? They have benn here long enoguh, there are no more excuses. And the BOE wants the real tax payers to vote yes on more funding? What has changed for the better in our schools because of this trip four years ago? Please, enlighten me. Someone. State education team offers recommendations Freehold board fears suggestions may cost taxpayers BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer In some cases, the amount of hard work a student completes does not automatically mean he or she has made the grade. Such is the case for Freehold Borough schools — at least two of them. Pupils in so-called disaggregate groups — which include children in special education classes and youngsters who are Spanish-speaking — in the Freehold Intermediate School and the Park Avenue Elementary School have not been making adequate progress on standardized tests — progress that state officials say they should have made. At a meeting held Jan. 23, Board of Education members and district administrators discussed the visit of a team of representatives from the New Jersey Department of Educa-tion’s Collaborative Assessment for Planning for Achievement (CAPA) school review process. The CAPA representatives were guests of the Park Avenue Elementary School last week. The CAPA representatives interviewed every staff member at the school, according to Principal Joseph Jerabek. He presented board members with the results of a rough draft of the team’s findings. The draft included a recommendation to hire at least six new staff members, with some to be in supervisory positions in math, language arts and bilingual education. Also recommended was a full-time guidance counselor and a full-time reading coach. The report states that the district will need to reinstate the world language program that was restructured two years ago to make room for a bilingual program that accommodates children whose native language is not English. According to Superintendent of Schools Philip J. Meara, the world language program was not eliminated, but the staffing for the program was. Sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders have a separate Spanish class, but pupils in the lower grades are only exposed to Spanish instruction on a limited basis in their regular classroom, he said. Meara said the district was permitted to make that change in the world language program and is not violating a state mandate that requires that particular curriculum. Jerabek told board members that after the final CAPA report has been presented, team members will arrange to hold meetings with the staff to help set priorities for the recommendations. The recommendations from CAPA are made in an effort to identify courses and/or other educational necessities that are missing in the schools and to which students are entitled, according to Meara. The team recommended additional documentation on the part of the principal and staff, additional meetings between the principal and teachers, and more direct observation by the principal of classes. Jerabek said the CAPA representatives also want to see more consistency in documentation. The purpose of the CAPA visit was to identify problems in the school so that they may be corrected. The assessment, although accepted and welcomed by administrators as a way to identify what pupils are not getting, only served to anger some board members who wondered where money for additional staff will come from when, they say, the district can barely afford to keep the present staffing level. The news that additional resources are needed comes as some residents saw their taxes increase following a recent revaluation of borough property, and as the district prepares to ask voters for a second time to approve a $7.8 million construction referendum. The referendum was initially defeated in December. Board member James Keelan asked Jerabek to review the recommendations for new staff members slowly. As Jerabek listed the new hires CAPA believes are needed, Keelan said “the people of Freehold Borough cannot afford this.” Essentially, according to Meara, the disaggregate groups in the Freehold Intermediate School and the Park Avenue Elementary School do not meet the guidelines set forth by the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) for what is considered to be students’ adequate yearly progress. The purpose of the law is to guarantee that every child receives the education he or she deserves, but it does not provide all of the financial assistance that administrators believe is necessary to accomplish the goal. School administrators around the nation — not just in Freehold Borough — have expressed frustration with certain aspects of NCLB. The CAPA team’s job is to recommend ideas that would help the students in the disaggregate groups meet the NCLB criteria by telling administrators exactly what they need to do to attain the required achievement levels. As the presentation went on, board members stopped Jerabek and expressed their opinion and asked questions. “There is no money for this,” board Vice President Stella Mayes said. “We can’t spend money don’t have. We have to roll up our sleeves, strap down and improve the situation.” Board member Ron Reich said he considered the CAPA recommendations to be an “absolute insult.” “For them to come in here and recommend we hire six supervisors with no financial recommendations on how to get them and then accuse us of not meeting the NCLB guidelines is like a slap in the face to us,” Reich said. Reich said he was very upset listening to the recommendations. “There is no way we can find any more money, no way the state is going to give us any more money. Putting in any more supervisors will upset the public. Taxpayers already think we have too many administrators. And then not to offer us any financial solutions but just to criticize us? We’re holding our hands out here. Make us an Abbott district then,” Reich said. The so-called Abbott districts are the 31 districts that have been designated as the poorest school districts in New Jersey. The Abbott districts receive state aid above and beyond what the other 570 school districts in New Jersey receive. “They are telling us what we already know,” board President Pete DeFonzo interjected. “We cannot exist this way any longer. We can no longer have one person doing five different jobs. It’s a whole different ball game than it was five or 10 years ago.” Despite the frustration expressed by board members, Meara said administrators must come up with ideas that will bring results and, according to the superintendent, these recommendations are not options, but necessities. He said the CAPA team has shown Freehold Borough it needs the personnel, staff training and resources for a fundamental systematic change. Jerabek said he believes the CAPA representatives had many good suggestions and now administrators need to find a way to implement them. “They found many positive things here. They found our teachers and our staff to be dedicated people and found our students to be wonderful. They recognized that our administration is doing hard work. They saw good things here; they just need to see more of them,” Jerabek said, adding that the staff will need more resources to support all of the new strategies and recommendations. newstranscript.gmnews.com/news/2006/0201/Front_page/001.html |
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Post by novillero on Nov 19, 2008 10:52:40 GMT -5
Several of those items Jerabek recommended were implemented. I wonder if any of those have made a difference? More specifically, if a difference was noted, can they be directly tied to Jerabek's recommendations?
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Post by fiberisgoodforyou on Nov 19, 2008 11:50:32 GMT -5
...and as such, this explains why Superintendent of Schools Philip J. Meara "got out'a Dodge"...The newest reports from the state were just released.. it would be interesting see how much we have improved with this specific demographic since this article was published. About the Bilingual sinage...if the ESL program can not teach 10 ESSENTIAL BASIC WORDS ( bathroom, art room, principals office, Library, etc...) in the first two weeks of school, what are they teaching these children then? JUST 10 SIMPLE WORDS TO TEACH that every must know. I have heard a lot of comments, asking if the bilingual signage is a clear sign of a failing ESL program. English is the Primary Language, bilingual signage sends a seriously conflicted message, as well, unwittingly undermines by devalues the assimilation message that English is the Primary language. I need to be enightened... why should it NOT be an ENPL Program? English IS your NEW PRIMARY Language Program? Is English really a "Second" language, every other wave of immigrants didn't think English is a second language? The all learn it FAST, as a signal of gratification, and a total want for assimilation to being here and living the collective cultural patch of the American DREAM! Are Dollars now a Secondary currency (well lets not go there quite yet)? |
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