Facing A New Language ~The Change I (We) Need

School is my hope and dream. School is my home, and school brings me tranquility. I’m a guy who’s growing in his dreams and in the encouragements of his community around him. The dreams I mention are to get enough English knowledge and, in the future, to become a Registered Nurse. I’m a guy who’s a hero in himself and will never give up appealing for help to change what he thinks is not right or not going well for him and in his community.

When I moved from my homeland of Africa, I didn’t know any English words except the words “When I’m happy, I feel very, very good.” I knew these words because when I was in the refugee camp, I used to have a t-shirt which had that sentence written on it. Many people used to look at me and ask me where I got that t-shirt from, especially the English learners. At first, I didn’t realize what it was, until they told me. When they told me what it was, I felt so delighted and sometimes I asked myself if I’ll ever know or even attend to an a English class like whites.

Sometimes white Americans came to our churches in the refugee camp. While they were speaking the English language, I thought that it was an interesting language. I learned that it was a really international language from other people and friends. Almost everyone wished to learn it, speak it, write it, and get into its roots. Of course, people didn’t talk bad about it; all they could say was that it was wonderful and that it was spoken in many different nations around the world. We, as children, thought that it was a funny language. We couldn’t know or get any words of what they were saying. It was all because their pronunciation was much different from what we knew.

I’m now feeling fortuitous to have opportunities now to learn English as I desired to when I was in the refugee camp, back in Africa. I’m glad that I’m studying some subjects such as math, English, science, and one English class called “Finding My Voice” which looks to me like my new home where I can absolutely express my childhood and life history, my opinions, and learn and get to know about other immigrants and refugee students like me. At the time I moved from my homeland of Africa, I was barren as a sky without any bird or clouds in my English knowledge. I didn’t know any English vocabulary except “Very, very well.” I really appreciate all those who have given their time to help me (us) to learn and get to know English as our second language, like our teachers. I’m full of happiness to see that I can open my mouth and speak English with people I couldn’t imagine in my mind I would ever live with or talk to. It seems like a sky full of white clouds that comes and covers my mind and eyes to be here in America.                                                                                                                                                                                                           However, many immigrants, refugees, ESL learners, and I are currently stuck in ELD classes so we can’t move forward to do what we’re supposed to do. We’re now like pigeons standing in the field which is soaked with rain. We cannot move a long distance or even fly away because our wings are wet. When I entered Catalina High School, I was delighted to be here. I was glad to be in my classes where I hoped to get much more English knowledge. I came here to learn; I didn’t come here to get bored. In addition, I came here because it was my responsibility to do so. When I came here; I didn’t realize that I would have to take four hours of English. Now other immigrant students and I have to face some challenging situations. If we don’t pass the AZELLA test, we cannot take other subjects that we are supposed to have for our graduation credits. I sometimes think to myself, “Am I taking these four hours of English because I’m a refugee or because I didn’t grow up here?” It is not only me who is asking this question, but others too who are in the same situation as I am. It feels like a kind of racism to see people like us taking four hours of English because we’re now segregated and stuck in ESL, or ELD classes.                                                                                                                                                                We do sometimes feel dull and tired from taking four hours of English, and sometimes our teachers think that it’s because we are lazy learners, but it’s not because of us. Even as I write this, I don’t mean that I’m learning nothing in the classes I’m taking, I just mean that it gets boring to learn something which is the same for a long time. We really want to have less time in ESL than four hours. We especially want the Legislature of Arizona State to understand us, to get to know and hear our point of view and change ESL programming to what we want to see happening.                                                                                                                                            I appreciate the Arizona State Legislature for the magnificent and kind idea that they spent time coming up with for us English learners of having four hours of English. I think that they came up with this idea for us students to take that time of four hours of English because they know how our future could be like and want us to know and learn much more English, but I don’t understand how they come up with a plan for all ELD students to have the same amount of ESL study time as beginner students. For ESL at the first level of English, I think that it is a great idea to study English for four hours because they really want to get in it and understand what English is. They must have enough time to study English so that they can get some knowledge and advance before they enter into other classes. For the students who have taken that time at the first level of English, I think that it’s not fair to us to still have that long ESL study period. We are now moving slowly in our classes, and we can’t take other subjects which we need to study to graduate, go to college, and reach our career goals.                                                                                                                                                    I appreciate and am thankful for what the legislature is trying to do for us, making sure that we’re getting the English support we are supposed to have, but we don’t have time to take other subjects that we are supposed to take to get enough credits to graduate from high school. I’m feeling anxiety related to my future if I don’t pass my AZELLA test. I’m quite unsure how it will be. If you’re in ESL classes and you don’t do well on the test, you may still have to take four English classes. If you do well on the test, you may only have to take one English class. I think that’s unfair to have to take those four hours of English classes.

In conclusion, it looks like the legislature is trying to show that they’re doing a great job, but it doesn’t look like that to us. We do need the Arizona State Legislature to understand us and to make the change we need. We love to learn, but not according to the plan they chose for us. Learning one thing for a long time is like eating a special, favorite, and delicious food many times – for lunch, for dinner, over and over again. And we all know that it’s not right to do that because when you do so for a long time, it gets boring and unhealthy. It seems this way with four hours of English class every day, every week, every month, and year. We need variety, choice, freedom, high expectations, support of our wishes, issues, and not to be segregated. We want to see some changes in our school and in our classes; we want the Legislature or Arizona State to not tune out our needs. We are not quiet and patient to see some changes that we wish to see. We are not going to sit down and keep our mouths shut.  Change We Need.