Raise a child, not a test score: Perspectives on bilingual education at Davis Bilingual Magnet School

Bilingual Research Journal, Spring 2002 by Smith, Patrick H, Arnot-Hopffer, Elizabeth, Carmichael, Catherine M, Murphy, Ellen, Et al

Elizabeth: What about implications for teaching?

Chris: Well, I think we understand the [Mexican American] culture better, and how the kids might feel about using language, and sharing about their culture, or being proud. I think we can be more sensitive that way, in the sense that we understand the language, the culture, and where the kids are coming from.

Teachers also identified autonomy as a key ingredient in the school's success. Although Davis faculty share a commitment to the goals which guide the DLI program, each teacher is uniquely successful based on his/her experiences and beliefs about teaching and learning in two languages. Principal Guadalupe Romero explains this philosophy:

I try to make it clear to parents that students in the dual language immersion program are at "all levels," just like their non-immersion program counterparts in other schools. And that teachers need to be free to choose what they think works best for them, and of course it has to be in Spanish.

Parent contributions to dual language immersion

Successful bilingual programs are characterized by strong efforts to reach out to parents and families from different backgrounds (Miramontes, Nadeau, & Commins, 1997). At Davis there are many ways for children and families to succeed in and contribute to the life of the school. Davis is home to a guitarrista group and the state's first performing mariachi group for elementary school students. Dia Extendido, the after-school program in which 98% of Davis students participate, offers classes in trumpet, violin, guitar, dance, art, computers, sports, and drama. Escuela Nocturna [School After Dark] is held two evenings a week and features classes in Spanish and English as a second language for parents and community members, in addition to computers, child care, tutoring, and other classes for adults and children. Unlike parent-- involvement programs where parents and community members participate in based support roles (viz., volunteers or fundraisers), Davis also engages parents as learners.

Interviews and conversations revealed that Davis parents recognize and value the bilingualism and cultural awareness their children are developing at school (Poveda, 2000). As the following comments illustrate, the DLI program at Davis has also motivated some parents to (re)learn a second language. An African American father explains his reasons for studying Spanish in the Escuela Nocturna program:

Hispanic people are gonna be the highest minority in this country. In the area that I live in there are a large number of Hispanic people. I have two kids and we have them at a bilingual school and it's to my advantage to learn because I don't want my kids standing in front of me saying things that I don't understand.

A Mexican American mother from the extended community, raised as an English monolingual, added:

My husband and I started coming last year. It was my daughter's first year in a bilingual school ... so when they offered the after school program for us, we thought that it was only fair. If she had to learn, so did we. My goals are to learn more Spanish and to be able to speak more Spanish. And plus, my kids feel good. [They say] "Oh! This is mom's and dad's time to go to school."