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Volunteer Stories....... I began volunteering at LETC as a tutor just last year after a long career in communications with the Federal government. When I first met the delightful student assigned to me, I couldn't imagine why she had come to LETC - her English conversational skills were that good! But I soon learned she'd had little formal schooling either here or in her native country, so she was anxious to work on reading and writing English. We laughed about the fact that I have the opposite challenges as I struggle with her language (Spanish) -- I've got the grammar down, but stumble in conversation.
While I continue to enjoy my tutoring, I'm thrilled to be teaching a 2B class this year as well. And what I'm finding most fascinating about the classroom is the range of skills, learning styles, and backgrounds students bring. Each student is unique. A few are like the student I tutor - quick to speak but without much experience writing and reading. Some aren't literate at all in a first language. Others arrive with plenty of education, but no experience with the Roman alphabet. Still others have a fair grasp of written English, but aren't at all confident speaking. And they come from so many different countries and speak so many different languages! The 20 or so students in our 2B class this term come from 15 different countries and speak at least five different languages. Meeting the needs of such diverse students really keeps the teacher on her toes! But helping them work toward a common goal is immensely satisfying. And watching them come together and help each other along the way thrills me and gives me such hope for our shrinking world.
Judie Guy, 2B --------------------------------
This fourth semester at Language ETC and I am consistently impressed at what a fantastic organization it is. I have taught ESL at other schools both in the U.S and abroad, but have not found any to be as well-run as this one. The students are always positive, optimistic and upbeat, even after long days at work. The staff is always available and responsive, making sure we have the resources and training necessary to provide our students with the best education possible
The other teachers have also enhanced my Language ETC experience, my co-teachers and teams are altruistic, down-to-earth people who are eager to give back to the community. I always look forward to the night I teach because I know it will be an evening surrounded by quality people and challenging fun.
Karen Saville, 4A
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This is my second quarter at Language ETC as an Instructor. Last quarter I taught Level 1A and this quarter I am teaching Level 1B. This is my first real teaching experience and I absolutley love it. At first I was apprensive because I was not sure if I was up to the challenge and a quarter and half later I think I am still trying to figure it out. I feel like I learn something new every class. I have found the Web to be a treasure trove f ideas to make class more fun; the Language ETC staff as well as my fellow volunteer teachers are also a wonderful resource. Making the students laugh- even when it is at me and not with me- goes a long way. Using choclate to encourage class participation does not hurt either. Sheila Madhani ------------------------------------- Five years ago while sitting in church, LETC volunteer Kathy McDonnell had something of an epiphany. She saw a notice in the church bulletin looking for volunteers to teach English and decided to sign up that very week. After a career in international law which often required her to dedicate 60 hours a week, Kathy was looking to cut back on her schedule and find a hobby. She thought teaching ESL might fit the bill. While she had no teaching experience at the time, she quickly learned how much she enjoyed interacting with the students, and her hobby grew into something more serious. Kathy enrolled in teaching classes and is now a master’s candidate in TESOL at American University. She even taught a teacher training seminar in China last summer. “Language ETC gave me an avocation from what was originally just a retirement hobby,” Kathy said on a recent break from her Wednesday night advanced class. The classes at AU have helped Kathy to experiment with new ideas in her classes and apply the latest teaching methodologies. For example after taking a course at the university on pronunciation, she proposed a class on pronunciation at Language ETC. Lately she has been considering a class on writing. “I can put what I am learning at AU immediately into practice,” she said. “Book learning is one thing putting it into practice is quite another. In her five years at Language ETC Kathy has developed a flexible style of teaching that includes time spent getting to know her students and their backgrounds. She feels that a sense of humor is indispensable for a good class, and she advises new teachers to brush up on English. “Learn before you teach,” she says. “There are many things as native speakers that we just take for granted.” Kathy, a New York native who has lived in the Washington D.C. area since 1983, has no plans to retire from her second career anytime soon. She says the one common theme in both of her careers has been a love of working with the international community. “I think the school is fabulous,” Kathy said. “It gave me the opportunity to find out how much I like this. I certainly have an allegiance to the school for that.” Kathy McDonnell (5A Wednesday PM) ---------------------------------------------------- While working at a restaurant in Georgetown, Language ETC volunteer Navid Choudhury met a young Moroccan studying English. As Navid observed his co-worker Noud, he became very impressed with his dedication to learning and his regard for his teachers and school. “I saw how much he gained from being at the school,” Navid said. “He talked so highly of his teacher and how this was helping him assimilate here.” Navid decided he would seek out this school that had helped his friend so much and volunteer his time. He is now finishing his first term of volunteering at Language ETC and says the experience has taught him a lot about his students and himself. He hopes to continue with his students into the next term. Though Navid was raised in a bilingual home in his native Bangladesh, he is very sympathetic to students who have moved to the United States to change their life. At the age of 21, he left Bangladesh to study in the United States. Now that he has established his career, he is ready to give back to the community. Aside from volunteering at LETC, Navid is active in other initiatives close to his heart such as USBAC, the United States Bangladesh Advisory Council, and fundraising for the Bangladesh community at home. As a rule, Navid is guided by advice that his father has given him many times throughout his life. “When you give with the heart that does not ask for anything in return, you will never be dissatisfied.” Though volunteering at LETC is now an integral part of his week, Navid almost didn’t make it to his first class. “The first day here I had had a horrible day at work,” he said. “I was close to quitting. I was absolutely dreading coming here. I arrived with zero energy. But I walked out of here fully energized.” Looking out at the faces of his students and seeing that they too had put in long days of work but were still ready to learn inspired him to dedicate himself to the lesson at hand, he said. This pattern has repeated throughout the term. Navid says he sees many teachers who leave the school more energized than when they arrived. In his first term at LETC, Navid has learned a great deal about teaching. He says it is important for a teacher to be flexible and realize the form of delivery can depend on a lot of factors including the size of the class, the degree of difficulty and even the weather. He uses a mix of delivery methods including pronunciation practice, story telling, role playing and allegory. “A good teacher should be able to grasp where the student is accepting the knowledge,” he says. “One glove doesn’t fit all. You have to be sensitive about the delivery. Most importantly it requires getting to know the students on a personal basis.” The students in Navid’s 3B class are fortunate their teacher decided to come that first day. Future classes will undoubtedly feel the same way. Navid Choudhury (3B Wednesday PM) -------------------------------------------- As a student of seven different languages, LETC volunteer Taylor Barnett understands the frustration his students encounter as they tackle pronunciation, verb conjugation and other aspects of learning a new language. The Georgetown University sophomore is a Spanish major with a minor in Chinese and physics. He has also studied Portuguese, French, Russian, Ancient Greek and Latin. He has served as a volunteer translator at a hospital in his native city Nashville. That experience directed him to medicine and his plans to pursue a career as a doctor after he graduates from Georgetown. Despite his intentions to be doctor, he loves teaching and doesn’t discount it in the future. In fact he is also earning a TEFL certificate while he studies and volunteers. “I had great teachers in the past,” Taylor said following a Sunday morning class. “This is my chance to pass along what has been given to me. Taylor, who has been teaching ESL for three and a half years, has specific ideas about what it takes to make a good teacher. He counsels flexibility and patience to new teachers and says his mantra is “expect the unexpected.” “There is no perfect lesson on the first day out,” he says. “It requires practice and experimentation to strike the right balance. But if you put your mind into it and your heart into it you can succeed.” When Taylor sees that a class isn’t going well, he often abandons his plan for the moment and tries to make the lesson more personal by bringing up stories in his own life and asking the students to share theirs stories. “It’s important to make the lesson as interactive as possible,” Taylor says. “The only way to really learn a language is to speak it.” Taylor also expects a lot from his students. After one student complained about a homework assignment, Taylor decided that he too would do all the homework that he assigned in class. “It’s reasonable,” he said. “I expect a certain amount of commitment from them. I must show them that I am willing to put in that commitment too. Taylor’s commitment doesn’t just extend to his students at LETC. He is involved with other volunteer initiatives on the Georgetown campus including Friday Food, an organization that distributes food do homeless people in DuPont circle. Despite his other activities, Taylor said he has every intention of returning to LETC next term.
Taylor Barnett (2A Sunday AM)
------------------------------------------ In a recent class my students and I were discussing the concept of “community.” The students were listing different community resources on the board and they of course included Language ETC in their brainstorming. I asked, “Why is the school part of your community?” They thought about this for a minute and one student answered, “The school is part of the community because it brings us together to learn English.” Another student thoughtfully added, “The school helps us to succeed and be better people.”
I learned about Language ETC 3 ½ years ago through a volunteer network at a former employer. I sought out this opportunity to be in a teaching environment, but I could not have predicted how rewarding my experience has been and continues to be. Being a volunteer ESL teacher at Language ETC inspired me to leave my previous corporate employer and begin a career in education. I now work for a non-profit organization that recruits and certifies career-changers so that they can start their careers as teachers.
Each week in class I am amazed with my students’ dedication to learning English. They work full-time jobs, they have families, and some commute over 90 minutes (each way!) to the school to learn. They have chosen to make a commitment to learn English and attend classes at the school four nights a week. My students have ranged in age from twenty to fifty-five. I have taught immigrants from El Salvador, Russia, Ethiopia, Laos, Honduras, Ecuador, Mexico, and Algeria, and many other countries. They each have their own unique reasons for leaving their country to begin a life in the United States. However, they all share a common dream to succeed in this country. To fulfill this dream they must be motivated and dedicated to learn English.
I volunteer at Language ETC because I am continuously inspired by that very motivation and dedication of my students. By helping them to learn and build a fulfilling life here in the US, my life is more fulfilling. I want my immigrant students to succeed in this country like each of my immigrant forefathers once did. They may not be citizens of this country (yet), but I see my students who hail from every corner of the world as part of the American community. I may be a teacher in the classroom, but my students continue to teach me lessons. I have learned about their cultures, their languages, their struggles, their families, and their goals. With my experience at Language ETC, I have positively gained a new perspective about the people and world around me. Erin Murray, Level 3A -------------------------------------------------------- Volunteering as a teacher of ESL has afforded me a wonderful opportunity to give back to the community, even if only to pass on to others just a little of what I have been privileged to learn in the course of my own academic pursuits. I love helping others and getting to know people from all over the world. Perhaps most importantly, I receive much more from this experience than I could ever hope to give. My students are extremely generous people; they way outdo me in generosity. Since I teach the most advanced ESL class that's offered at Language, ETC, many of my students return year after year (even though I challenge my students, teach a tough course, give difficult exams, and insist on punctuality!), so I get to know them well. It has been very rewarding to see how each student progresses in his/her English proficiency over the long haul; this kind of thing is usually more difficult to detect over shorter periods, such as a single semester or a single year. Georgia Martin, Advanced Level ------------------------------------------------------- I began voluntering about three years ago after having come back from
living and working in Eastern Europe. I was grateful to everyone that
helped me learn their language and thought that teaching English would be a
rewarding thing to do in my spare time. Three members of my close family
are immigrants (a cousin, an uncle and my grandmother) as were many members
of the community where I grew up, so foreign languages were never far away.
When I first started, I was nervous that I wouldn't enjoy teaching, or
that I wouldn't have any more free time, but the students and staff at
Language ETC have made it easy. It has been a great experience so far. I
look forward to coming to each class and hope to continue as long as I can. Jim Kelly, Level 3A Sunday teacher -------------------------------------------------------- As I was leaving LETC after a class one night not long ago, a gentleman walking his dog stopped me. “Are you a teacher here?” he asked me. I replied that, yes, I was an ESL teacher. He asked me if LETC accepted volunteers. “Yes!” I responded enthusiastically. “Almost all teachers here are volunteers! Are you interested?” He explained that he had lived in the neighborhood for years, and having recently become semi-retired, he was now looking for a volunteer opportunity. I encouraged him to contact the LETC office. As I walked away, I suddenly stopped and, without thinking, yelled “It’s the best part of my week!” My voice surprised me. I heard him call back through the dark “It must be nice to know you always have something to look forward to in your week!” I wonder if that man knows how right he is. The best part of volunteering at LETC is knowing that when I come to class every week, I’ll be greeted by students who are motivated, curious, and excited about learning. A peek into our class on any given Thursday would look like any generic class of students and teachers. We commiserate on the intricacies of the English language. We share our likes, dislikes and goals. They bring me pictures of their families. They stress over their quiz grades. However, just below the surface there is something very special about these students. Of course, it’s a huge commitment for students to work all day and then spend their evenings or weekends in class. Though for many of them, this also represents a precious opportunity for formal learning that they may not have much experience with. The pride the students take in coming to class, sitting at their desk, and practicing their new knowledge in their textbook is inspiring. Nothing is taken for granted. The opportunity to work with such students makes the two hours I spend with them the best part of my week. When I started volunteering at Language ETC last fall, I knew that I had a lot to learn. One year later, I know that my assumption was correct, but I just didn’t realize WHO I would be learning from. I may be known as “Teacher” to my students, but the reality is, they have taught me. Jennifer Sullivan, Level 2B Thursday teacher -------------------------------------------------------------------------- At the beginning of each term I have taught here at LangETC, I tell my students that all of my grandparents were immigrants to this country. Most of them look at me with surprise on their faces when I go on to tell them that their teacher’s grandparents could not speak, read, nor write English when they arrived in the U.S. I explain to the students that I want to help them because many people helped my grandparents to learn English. My interest in teaching ESL comes from my desire to help new immigrants along their journey to becoming citizens of the United States. My grandparents began that journey many years ago when they came from Sweden, and I believe that learning English was the one of the most important factors contributing to their success in this country. The desire to learn English that I see in my students makes me feel that they share this belief. Also Also, my profession as a social worker taught me that the best way to help people is to help them acquire life skills that will enable them to achieve their personal goals, even if their circumstances might seem impossibly daunting.
For me, teaching ESL is a win/win experience - the students learn English and we volunteers experience not only the satisfaction of helping them to achieve that goal, but also the enjoyment of learning about other fascinating cultures. I feel it is privilege to be able to develop closeness with our students that enables me to explore and celebrate their varying ethnic identities. When people leave their homeland and try to become part of another culture, it is both a scary and exciting process, and success is usually measured in ways the rest of us may take forgranted. What might appear to be a small accomplishment to those of us who were born and educated here, may represent an enormous achievement to the new immigrant who is balancing a new identity with the security of the familiar one from home. Having been part of this immigrant process in my own family, I am thrilled that my volunteer teaching not only honors my own ancestors who have made my life possible, but also contributes to the vitality of the immigrant process as it continues through the LangETC students in my classes. Carolyn Carroll, Basic Level Tuesday and Thursday teacher -------------------------------------------------------------- As an immigrant and a former ESL student, the process of crossing borders
and adopting a new country is very familiar and deeply personal to me. As
an ESL instructor at LETC, I try to facilitate that journey and celebrate
the joys of learning a new language and culture. In light of the prevalent and ongoing discrimination against immigrants, it
is extremely refreshing to come into this classroom and be reminded of what
truly makes this country so rich, diverse, and wonderful. The students
possess a deep passion for learning and for living in America. The effort,
energy, and time that they devote to speaking English is truly an
inspiration. Learning English is more than just conjugating verbs and practicing basic
vocabulary; it is also about building self-esteem and accomplishing a task
that once seemed impossible. During class, we also laugh and share our
hopes. We all have a common need to communicate, and it is very exciting
when language ceases to be a barrier. Teaching has had a tremendous impact on me. I love working with immigrants
and teaching them and learning from them. I encourage everyone reading this
to make the three or four hours each week to feel this impact. It will be
the highlight of your week, every week. Elena Hung, 2A weekend teacher
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My volunteering at LETC gives me a good feeling of helping others. There is a Jewish value of tikkun olam (repairing the world) that encourages/requires Jews to do good/volunteer to help make the world a better place. My work at LETC lets me feel that I'm doing my part. I've been told I have an aptitude for teaching/explaining things to people for their greater understanding. Also, through past contact, my own experiences, and my foreign language learning, I have affinity for the Latino community, and am glad to help in that area. I'm very impressed with people who come to a new society, a new language, a new everything, to make a better life. I don't know if I'd have that courage. And I feel doing that takes a lot of courage. I also get a good feeling from the students, who really hang on the lessons. I can tell they're really with us, and eager to learn. My sister teaching H.S. English doesn't get that kind of treat too often. Glad to be at LETC,
Mike Rogers, 3A
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I have been a volunteer teacher at Language ETC for 3 years and with each passing semester I am reminded of why I keep coming back for more - the amazing people! Both the incredibly committed staff who run the program and the inspiring students I encounter in the classroom make it an enjoyable learning experience on so many levels. Volunteering at Language ETC has opened up different worlds to me and made me realize that despite differences in language, cultural and experience, there is always a connection to be made........and many times humor is the bridge to that connection! The students come to class with a desire to learn and an eagerness to participate and somehow, magically, in just a two hour exchange between instructors and students, language is learned, experiences are shared.... and friendships are formed. When people ask me about Language ETC I refer to it as a community school because in the end that is what it represents to me - a dedicated community of students, staff and teachers working together - across cultures - to learn and grow. Vicki Burton
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LETC provides a volunteer experience that is unique in its ability to attract people from the community who are genuinely interested in the service that we provide. The students who come through the program are noticeably eager to learn because for so many, learning English is a prerequisite for success in the United States. Witnessing the students' improvements allows volunteers to witness the benefits of their contributions. Edward J. Kaczinski
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My time spent tutoring ESL justifies the rest of my existence that week. I think that pretty much says it all. Anonymous
--------------------------------------------------- Teaching in the LETC program has opened up a door for me to learn about the area's immigrant community and my community. Seeing these adults working to learn the English language is seeing the strength and goodness of humankind. It is inspiring. The other thing that is important is that I am in the classroom, on the job! There is guidance and support from ESL staff, good teacher guidebooks, a partner teacher, and periodic special training for volunteers. Because of this, I feel my volunteer time is productive. This is my 4th semester. Jeanne Kowalski
--------------------------------------------------- When I think of Language ETC I think of one word: dedication. Whether it be my fellow volunteer teachers who dedicate hours upon hours of time (and their considerable talents) to teaching, the dedication of a staff that constantly strives to create better programs and assist teachers in improving their classrooms, or the dedication of the students themselves who attend classes four nights a week, oftentimes after long days of work, dedication is the foundation of success at LETC. Yet if dedication is the recipe for Language, ETC’s success, the final product is a delicious mixture of diverse talents, cultures and mutual benefits. Volunteers and staff benefit by learning about new cultures and the difficulties facing immigrants in the United States today. We are inspired on a daily basis by the commitment of our students. More importantly, the students benefit as they interact with native speakers and tirelessly pursue their goal of improving their ability to successfully communicate at school, at work, and in their communities. They are inspired to succeed by their friends and families. Dedication to LETC, and the inspiration for that dedication, brings mutual benefits to all who are involved. As a volunteer I am proud of the small lessons that I may occasionally teach my students, and thankful for the daily lessons that they teach to me. Kevin Greer, 4A teacher
--------------------------------------------------- A Recipe for LETC Start with one large helping of Our Lady Queen of the Americas. Add two CASAS tests, one at the beginning and one at the end. Mix in three large dedicated volunteer groups (M-Th, Saturday, and Sunday), four journals to read (per teacher, per night) and five unit quizzes (prepared in advance, of course). To this add the six days during which the school is open every week and seven trips to the language lab. Mix in eight volunteer teachers per team and nine heaps of staff assistance, generously applied. Mix thoroughly and bake for ten years of existence. Serve in generous size portions to more than 300 students. Garner with smiles, encouragement, and financial support of donors. For best results, repeat recipe three times per year. Tastes delicious...
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Volunteer 
