I sat with a woman from Somalia in her small apartment living room in Nashville. She was one of our older students who had grown up and spent most of her life in a refugee camp in Kenya. She had never been to school, never learned to read in her own language. This woman was in our beginner classes, going through ABC and 123 like any kindergartener. It was hard for her to learn and she struggled.
But she was also incredibly courageous and driven. Through her daughter who translated for us, she told me how she had always wanted to know about numbers, to be able to count, and write down numbers. With a huge grin on her face she counted from one to twenty. Because she could count she felt like she could do or learn anything. Because she had this one piece of knowledge she was ready to take on whatever else she needed in her new life in the US.
For her, English class wasn’t just learning English, but it was gaining confidence in her ability to learn, to grow, and accomplish her dreams.
Some of our classes have begun having baby showers when a woman is about to have a baby. One of the showers ended up being the actual day the mama went into labor! Having a shower before the baby is born is not traditional for most of our students, but they have openly talked about how much they LOVE this American tradition. And they talk about how good it is to have what you need before the baby comes and not to have to shop while hugely pregnant.
But my favorite part of this is how in each of these classes a community of support is formed for these mamas. Most of these women are in our country without the normal support system they would have in their country of origin. Their mamas and aunties are half a world away. Now they have a community of other language learners along with a few native English speakers to help them navigate life in this country.
For these women English class isn’t just learning English, but it is gaining community and support for the many adventures we have in life.
When I ask new students why they want to come to English class there are a few common answers. First, most say some version of “Everything!” But after asking a few more question they end up in a few different categories. 1. They want to be able to talk to their kids’ teachers, their doctors, or people working at stores. 2. They want to go to school (maybe get their high school diploma or go to college). 3. They want to get a job. They aren’t in English class for the sake of English class, but for a much bigger goal of being able to function and move in their lives in the US.
For these women, English class isn’t just learning English, but it is gaining independence and stability to make better lives for themselves and their children. And for those who have had to flee their homes because of war or persecution, this stability is not taken for granted.
