Imagine that you are of high school age and have just arrived in this wonderful country. You don't know any English, yet you are eager to discover new ways. In your neighborhood, some people speak your language, but as you walk the streets of New York City, the world that you see is a far cry from your old one. Nothing seems familiar. Your parents and friends tell you that your new life is beginning. This is now your home.
As soon as possible, your guardian brings you to your new school. Because you are past the age of 15, you learn that you must attend high school even though you may not have completed 8th grade in your own country. How are you supposed to succeed if you can't read or write English? Perhaps you are totally illiterate. Panic sets in when you realize that you have many obstacles to overcome.
Now imagine that you are the principal of a high school in lower Manhattan. Every year, approximately 500 youngsters from 40 countries appear at your doorstep. These newly arrived immigrants have eight years or fewer of formal education and do not know a word of English. About half are educationally on par, that is, working at the expected grade level for their age; the other half will have difficulty achieving a high school diploma. Most of these students will stay in your school for only one year, then will continue their course of study at another high school. But first it will be your responsibility to acclimate them to this country and get them on the right track—the track called success.
A Newcomer's High School
I am the principal of that school. Liberty High School is a one-year transitional school dedicated to helping immigrant students feel welcome, adjust to their new environment, succeed in learning to read and write in English, and become self-assured. To best accommodate our unusual population, we offer a wide variety of courses, including nine math courses; Spanish, Chinese, and Polish bilingual programs; and free-standing ESL classes. Each student takes a series of exams to ensure proper placement: a mandatory Language Assessment Battery test, teacher-created ESL tests, and math tests. Youngsters are asked to write in their native language to test their literacy skills.
Our student population continually offers challenges. The ethnic make-up, education level, and age of arriving youngsters constantly change. At one point, our students were predominately Hispanic; today, our Chinese students are the majority of our student body. A growing number of Arab and African students have joined us, too. More of our general population is coming in less prepared academically and, in many cases, much older. To best prepare these students for their futures, our programs must constantly evolve to accommodate their needs.
Life Skills for Diverse Needs
My staff and I work closely together to develop innovative programs that meet the needs of our ever changing population. By building on what students come with and know, we can expand their knowledge and skills. Although we strive for the highest level of academic achievement, we are realistic.
For example, youngsters who will reach their 19th birthday with no chance of fulfilling the requirements for a high school diploma are placed in the section of our school called the Business Academy. Besides studying math, global studies, and English, these students receive several periods of survival skills, including business awareness techniques. They learn to read a want ad and to prepare for an interview. Topics for discussion include how to look for an apartment, speak on the phone properly, and apply for a driver's license.
Developing Literacy
A major challenge facing us is literacy. To meet this problem head on, my staff and I have devised three programs: one for our Chinese-speaking students, one for our Spanish-speaking students, and an expanding ESL program for everyone else. Our dual-literacy program for Hispanic students, a self-contained interdisciplinary approach, uses a language arts class in Spanish to reinforce the skills developed in the ESL class. A second strand consists of math, science, and technology. Teachers focus on familiar topics. For example, the Spanish language arts teacher reviews and builds on the students' knowledge of how to write and mail a letter. The ESL teacher presents the necessary English vocabulary and has students practice writing social and business letters, an activity reinforced by the Spanish teacher. The activity culminates with a visit to the local post office, where students mail letters to people inside and outside the city.
Our free-standing ESL literacy program has grown tremendously. A double period of ESL has evolved into a four-period interdisciplinary approach to learning. We have incorporated math skills and global studies skills into the curriculum, along with art and home economics.
A Hands-On Principal
My door is always open to students. They call me "Mr. Bruce" and know that I regularly tour the building. During one of my classroom visits, an Albanian student admired my tie. After thanking him, I asked if he ever wore one. He surprised me by saying that he didn't know how to tie one properly. I was taken aback and asked the rest of the class whether they knew how to put on a tie. Not one of the 16 boys in the class knew how.
The next day, to everyone's surprise, I returned to the class with a bag of ties. For the entire period, I demonstrated how to put a tie on properly, and each student practiced with a partner. Even the girls eagerly participated when I explained that they might need to help a male friend or relative dress properly for an important occasion. By the end of the period, all the students proudly exhibited their new accomplishment.
On the following day, I received an urgent call to go to that classroom. Thinking the worst, I ran to the room. As I entered, to my amazement all the boys stood and showed me that they were wearing ties. Their pride was quite evident—and so was mine.
When the focus of our culinary arts program shifted from showing students how to make chocolate lollipops to instructing them in all aspects of food preparation, I again intervened in the classroom. We teach our youngsters everything from purchasing food to cooking and serving. Students visit the local market, where they practice vocabulary by naming foods and discussing the perfect menu. We began Café Thursday as a weekly opportunity for teachers and staff members to purchase a student-cooked meal. I have sampled steamed vegetables over rice, lasagna, chicken with rice, and chocolate and lemon cakes.
When I asked my Polish students to make pierogi, they declined, saying that the preparation was much too difficult. I persisted and prevailed. Part of their final exam included making 300 pierogi for the school to sample. Everyone enjoyed this delicious treat—the culinary event of the school term.
Beyond Liberty High
Because many of our students have basic health needs, staff members escort students to a nearby clinic where they are immunized and receive physical and dental checkups. Eyeglasses are provided free of charge. Thanks to our affiliation with Operation Smile, an organization that helps children with facial defects, one of our Chinese students no longer suffers from a cleft palate. We face each problem one step at a time as we help our students become successful.
Trips are a highlight at Liberty High School. Because we live in a fantastic city, our teachers take students by subway or bus to the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the Bronx Zoo, and many museums. Free tickets to Broadway shows allow us to expose our students to the world of live theater. Just recently we attempted our first Field Day with the entire school in attendance. Groups of students, each wearing a distinctive T-shirt, engaged in noncompetitive activities. The day was memorable and enjoyable.
When the term ends, we proudly place our students in more than 30 city high schools. We try to match the needs of each youngster with the proper school, often encouraging them to enroll in schools outside their neighborhoods.
Our friendly environment, which is our students' first sample of life in the United States, is something we work at constantly. Although we have them for just one year, the thousands of students who have passed through our doors have truly benefited from our care and concern. The success of these newly arrived immigrants will ensure the prosperity and growth of this country.
