Exploring the University Experience while Teaching English: St. John’s Students and Immigration Advocacy Matters (IAM) Collaboration

On March 11, 2012 in Bent Hall, over forty students, staff and professors from St. John’s University worked with over sixty volunteers and immigrants from Flushing, NY to explore the meaning and possibility of a university education in the United States.  This event was the result of the diverse and collaborative efforts of the Philosophy Department in St. John’s College, First Year Writing in the Institute for Core Studies, Office of Academic Service-Learning and the Learning Communities working with a community agency, Immigration Advocacy Matters (IAM).  Add link to information on IAM.

Nature and Purpose of Immigration Advocacy Matters (IAM)

IAM is located in Flushing, Queens and their mission is to provide support to the immigrant community through educational, legal, and personal advancement programs that encourage integration into American Society. They will assist all adults of all ethnic backgrounds to become literate and obtain the necessary skills to secure employment, become self-sufficient, and pursue further education.  

As part of their Academic Service-Learning project for  Dr. Zachary Davis’ Phil 1000c: The Human Person course students were asked to develop a lesson plan with the principle coordinators of IAM that would introduce non-native speakers of English to core terminology regarding American universities and illustrate what it means to attend a university like St. John’s.  The event opened with a brief introduction to St. John’s University by the staff of the Academic Service- Learning and Learning Communities.  During the event, students from Dr. Davis’ philosophy class and Dr. Sean Murray’s first-year writing course met in small groups with the ESL students to introduce this vocabulary and then put these words to use in a scavenger hunt across the campus to find key locations such as the financial aid office, the library and student housing.  During this time, students spoke and learned of the unique struggles immigrants face in this country in attempting to achieve a college education.  The three hour event ended with pizza and sandwiches generously supplied by the Learning Communities department and with general reflections on the experiences that day on campus for everyone.  The Learning Communities also supplied the bus transportation for the 60 ESL students to and from Flushing.

Much of the success of the event was marked by the unique experience gained through direct contact with a wholly different life perspective.  St. John’s students were encouraged  to generate discussion with persons who have very little English competency and very little knowledge of American Universities.  As Keith Dominguez, a freshman student in Dr. Davis’ course, describes his experience: “Working with these people is such a delight because they come from all walks of life and are of all ages and education levels and they are interested in the education system of the United States.”  It was not merely an opportunity to teach English, but an opportunity to demonstrate how a university education is indeed viable option.

Taking the role of “teacher” in this respect, students were able to experience education from a new vantage point.  Betty Iskhakov, for instance, writes: “As a result of working with the immigrant population, IAM, as a student, I was presented with the problems that teachers face sometimes with their students, which is a language barrier… The woman I was paired up with, Isabel, and I conversed about educational systems and we were both able to learn from each other’s experience.  This type of pedagogy enables students and people to be open to more than one type of view and opinion, which broadens our horizons in ways we did not know possible.”  (Same paragraph)he concept, details and planning of the event sprung from Dr. Davis’ and Dr. Murray’s linked courses and was brought to fruition due to the close partnership  with IAM and the collaboration of the Learning Communities and the Office of Academic Service-Learning.