Spanish may be the loving tongue, but woe be unto bilingual children “talkin’ Mexican” in the wrong place.
English professor Michael Wickert recalled a traumatic fourth grade experience in Yuma when his teacher punished students who were caught speaking “Mexican” in his class. Students were not allowed to go to lunch, the restroom or water fountain until the “misbehaving kid” was punished, he remembered.
Fast forward to 2019 where, at least in the borderlands, “bilingual is better.” Southwestern College received a $3.5 million Department of Education grant to create proficient bilingual educators. A partnership between SDSU’s School of Education and SC provides students the opportunity to transfer to SDSU and earn teaching credentials as bilingual instructors.
Developing Effective Bilingual Educators with Resources (DEBER), under the direction of Wickert, strives to aid aspiring educators to become culturally responsive teachers.
“Our goal is to assist students interested in becoming bilingual teachers and who want to transfer to SDSU,” he said. “It is designed to develop bilingual educators, but through this we are going to have stipends for students that are going to help them with general expenses for school.”
DEBER will help SC scholars become familiar with the SDSU campus and create connections at the university. Wickert said SDSU faculty will visit SC to meet DEBER scholars and develop relationships.
“We want to create an environment where when students eventually do transfer they already know a number of the faculty at SDSU,” he said. “They are going to know these people by their name, they are going to have some familiarity with the campus.”
SC student Julia King, 19, a liberal studies major, said she feels supported by the DEBER program.
“It’s hard to go through by yourself, so to know that I can go ask questions and have that extra support is awesome,” she said.
SC student Camilo Marizcal, 18, a computer science major, said he wants to become a math teacher. DEBER has helped him to understand the process of pursuing a K-12 teaching career.
Wickert said DEBER will create educators who can understand underrepresented students.
“Teachers who have that kind of background can create a greater sense of inclusivity in our classrooms,” he said.
Marizcal said it is crucial to have bilingual teachers in the borderlands. He currently works at San Ysidro High School as a tutor in a bilingual math class. He said the difference between English classes and bilingual classes is noticeable. Students are more willing to participate, ask questions and to interact, he said, if they have someone who speaks their language. He said he has seen students turn in blank papers because they do not understand.
“It is not that they are not smart, it is just that they do not have the same opportunity of speaking the language, of understanding,” he said. “They have the potential, but without the help they cannot succeed.”
King said the DEBER program has created focus on the community’s shortage of bilingual teachers.
“I think it is exposing a need we have in (the Sweetwater Union High School District),” she said. “We need more bilingual teachers here and by giving extra support (I am hopeful) it will pull in more students who want to pursue bilingual education.”
King said many Latino students need to improve their Spanish and non-Latinos need more exposure to proper Spanish.
Wickert said the program is in the early stage of development and he is searching out students who may be candidates.
“We need really good students that are going to provide good input,” he said. “(Then) we can really improve.” He said DEBER will be up and running in spring 2020.
