Perhaps all of us are aware of a Hollywood trend: actors, such as the couple “Brangelina,” adopt children from a foreign, impoverished country, in the hopes of enriching the children's lives. And, certainly, living in a household in which both parents have starred in more than fifty high-grossing films combined would leave a child with nothing close to a disadvantageous life.
What we might not be aware of, however, is that many children are adopted from lower-opportunity countries into everyday American households. It's easy to imagine Maddox Chivan, son of “Brangelina,” taking for granted his lifestyle, not even realizing what life in his native Cambodia is like. But, is it harder to imagine that Kaylan, Anisha, and Lizzie—three girls adopted from India into middle-class Minnesota—would do the same?
When the PBS program Frontline offered to take the three girls back to their home country, the girls' answers were surprising. They had images and stories in their heads—the typical stuff you or I see and hear about India through the media. When Kaylan puts on an Indian garb she ordered on the Internet, she is relieved to put her “normal” American clothes back on. Anisha fears sticking out in Minnesota crowds, but feels American more than anything.
Once arrived in Calcutta, the girls were taken aback. They remarked at the beauty of a city so full of sadness. They commented on the terrific—or terrible—sights all around them as they rode the bus through the city alongside lanes and lanes of bicyclists and confusion. At the mall, they nervously laughed, realizing that the pizza, McDonald's, and ice cream they had eaten were just unreachable goals for the people all around them.
What, then, do you suppose Nguyen Qui Duc thought as he returned to Vietnam, from which he was evacuated at the age of ten? From ten onwards, he was raised American; however, the seeds of Vietnamese national pride and patriotism had already been planted. As a journalist, Qui Duc returned to Vietnam. He did not ride the bus, but instead biked most of his way. He did not patron international restaurant chains, but instead local holes-in-the-wall for their delicate Vietnamese cuisine. He did not express desire not to have been born there, but instead spoke of his home country in a tone of utmost respect.
This difference is remarkable.
As a future ESL teacher, this differences reenforces perhaps the most crucial of all instructional proverbs: No two students are the same. A classroom may have two students from Guatemala, and these two students may share some similar characteristics. However, one student may have come to the United States at age three, possessing little or no attachments to their home country, while the other may have come last year and may feel very strong attachments.
Age may also be a factor, as well as the students' level of cognitive development. For example, a first grader is likely to grow very angry if someone insults his/her mother, whereas a high-schooler might simply shrug it off and continue about the day. Similarly, a younger ELL may have an innocent, learned attachment to a home country that may be grown out of as the child develops.
They key in my future classroom will be understanding my students on a personal level. Even with an Internet Culture Project, and the resources it will provide, nothing will beat the level of knowledge you can gain from a student by simply talking to them. And, this is understandably so: even in a class of 30 kids, getting a personal portrait of each and every student is difficult; across seven classes, it only takes more and more time.
It is amazing to see the difference in the Indian girls' reactions and those of Qui Duc upon returning to their home country. How much more amazing will it be to teach them?
(Vietname/India video.)
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