Everyone Needs A Mentor, But Especially The Bilingual Student

"According to Dorothy Zeymour, "A child is quick toproductive members of society.
grasp the feeling that while school speech is "good,"One can only envision the racial effects that this lack
his own speech is "bad," and that by extension heof encouragement to speak two languages has upon
himself is somehow inadequate and without value.our students. Especially when you think about the
Children in society today are less likely to think highlylanguage inflection and accents. Perkins asserts,
of themselves due to lack of self-esteem, lack of"Besides, there's a reason for this. Johnson's dialect,
knowledge, and lack of discipline.as is mine, is a mixture of accent and sentence
These children are seen everyday in today's society.construction handed down from enslaved Africans
In order for these children to avoid feelingwho didn't speak English, and weren't taught it."
inadequate, they must be seen and heard in order toSurprisingly, this embodies the thought patterns of a
gain approval. Let's face it, every child needs amajority of teachers who believe that English is the
mentor, but especially the bi-lingual student.only right language to be utilized. On the other hand
The psychological impact upon children, who enterPerkins also states, "It is unfortunate that we
the American School System without knowing English,continue to engage in whose blacker than whom
is avidly expressed in the story "Black Children Blackcontests, that attack the preservation of one's
Speech" by Dorothy Zeymour: "In either case thecultural history and identity too, of all things, poor
psychological results are devastating and lead straightgrammar" (Perkins 367).
to the dropout route"(339).For any student who has not been taught English,
This leads the reader to believe that in today'sthe richness of one's culture and history might be
students, there may lethargy or lack of goals towarddestroyed beyond measure. A positive or negative
educational literacy, and that there is a huge scar onteacher, professor, or public speaker can make or
the students who go through our system withoutbreak a student. if a teacher encourages the use of
mastery of English. For example, Maria Lopez is eightboth languages instead of one, I believe that student
years old, a third grader in a local public school district.will progress far beyond our expectations.
She has doubts about whether her native tongue isMy wife is a living example of a student who could
the true language that she should be speaking inhave been culturally destroyed. Instead, due to the
school. However, the teachers continue to disciplinemany positive experiences she had as a small Latina
her when she uses her language, and this causes(Hispanic) child, she became the culturally rich person
grand confusion for her humble mind. She asksthat she IS today. She remembers the encouraging
questions like: "Why can't I speak Spanish? Why do Irole models that were in her life growing up. These
need to learn English?" At home she is encouraged toincluded her mother, teachers, and counselors.
speak Spanish only, and is often called on to interpretYet many students may not have the positive
to English, even though she is only eight years old.atmosphere at home, school, or even at church.
In fact, in the Houghton Mifflin Reading Series (2003)Certain excellent teachers, instructional aides, and
there is a story called "Pepita Talks Twice" by Ofeliaadministrators, can make or break the bilingual child.
Lachtman. It is about a six year old girl who is calledThey may become the hero and mentor to the child.
upon often to interpret from Spanish to English on aIn fact, there are many classified employees, I have
daily basis. In the story she tells her father that shenoticed, that are becoming "make it or break it" for
will never speak in Spanish again.these children.
Her father becomes livid. As the story ends, the girl'sEveryone needs a mentor, but especially the bilingual
dog, whom she normally calls "Lobo" (wolf) runs intostudent. It doesn't matter the languages or racial
the street. She calls out to him screaming: "Wolf,background, these students need encouragement to
Wolf!" The dog doesn't move. Then she says "Lobo,utilize the gift of two languages.
Lobo!" and the dog moves away from the street andFurthermore, "Past experience keeps black Americans
avoids a head on collision with a Volvo.gravely suspicious of anyone wanting to change
The young girl Pepita learns that she is blessed withanything about a way of life that's exclusive and
two languages, and not cursed. In the end, shetherefore empowering" (Perkins 367).
becomes thankful that she is bilingual, and her fatherRed, yellow, black, or white, students need to be
praises her for saving the dog's life.encouraged to be confident of their cultures, let go
Like many Pepita's in today's world, there are severalof their inhibitions, trust those who can be trusted,
students who are encouraged to speak in English, butovercome fear of learning a new language, run to
not in Spanish. This is sad. The Spanish studentsteachers who care, and close all doors (mentally) to
mentioned herein, Maria and Pepita, find themselvesall negative past experiences. A teacher who
being confused and isolated by today's Americanpositively influences the bilingual multi-racial classroom
Classrooms.will be sensitive to the intricate needs of these
The solution should be that they must learn English,students. That teacher will also be opening up a
but yet be offered Spanish classes as well, so thatwhole new world of opportunity, enlightenment, and
they can learn to read, write, and speak in bothhappiness within a students' unique cultural
languages. Unfortunately they are not, and insteadbackground.
they drop out, become confused, and never become