PAYING IT FORWARD by by by by Ann SetoAnn SetoAnn SetoAnn Seto

NEWSLETTER SPRING | 2013

Teaching ESL can be challenging, but for dedication, the rewards outweigh the costs. For ESL teachers, our lessons extend beyond just the

students. These students will take what we’ve taught them and bring it home to help their spouse, children, and even their friends.

NEW IMMIGRANTS KNOW BETTER

pg 2 NEW BEGINNINGS FORCHINATOWN’S NEW AMERICANS The Chinatown YMCA Celebrates the Year of the Snake!

pg 3 NEW AMERICANS WELCOME CENTER GOALS & VISION

pg 4

CHINATOWN

I have had quite a few jobs in the last five years but the one that I could always rely on was ESL (English as second language) teaching. I interned and worked as a classroom teacher, but I have always found that choosing to be an ESL teacher has its own unique attractions. Upon my five years teaching ESL at the Chinatown YMCA, I have concluded with some reasons why teaching ESL can be a rewarding career choice.

Teaching ESL can be challenging, but for dedication, the rewards outweigh the costs. For ESL teachers, our lessons extend beyond just the students. These students will take what we’ve taught them and bring it home to help their spouse, children, and even their friends. The first time I heard my student, James, thank me

because he was able to help his friend translate one of her conversations over the phone, the heartwarming feeling rushed into me as my teaching has indirectly helped another person. How

rewarding is it to know that the knowledge you’re sharing is being spread around?

Another reward would be seeing the students learning English that would qualify them for our Civics or Computer class. When they are able to advance to Civics class, one day, these students will have the opportunity to take, and better yet, pass the citizenship exam and become U.S citizens. As technology has become a widespread source of communication, many grandparents are learning to utilize the computer to communicate with their families overseas. When they

are able to proceed to an advanced class such as Civics or Computer, ESL teachers will have played an important role in getting them there.

A major reward of ESL teaching is seeing the impact of our teaching as our students improve. As non-native students begin to speak, read, and understand English, there is nothing more rewarding than to see the apparent impact that we, as teachers, have placed.

Whether it is teaching ESL to a low level or an advanced non-native speaker, ESL teaching can be a rewarding and impactful career. I am proud to be able to share my knowledge and experience with my students at the Chinatown YMCA.

New Americans Welcome Center

In a general sense, the new immigrants who just arrived in this country are mostly stereotyped as having a lack of language skills, no educational background, and struggling in the big gap of cultural differences between their own traditions and western traditions. At least that was what I believed when I firststarted teaching computer literacy class at the Chinatown YMCA branch since over 90% of my students were new immigrants from China. But after all these cycles of teaching new immigrants in computer night classes, they have proved to me that I couldn’t be more wrong. Limited language skills, yes, but that doesn’t mean they don’t know how to express themselves in a smart way. Use different simple words and even body language; they can always easily make me understand what they want to say and what they learned. Limited educational background, yes in some cases, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have knowledge. As a matter of fact, the key is not how well you

As a matter of fact, the key is not how well you can use one language but how you can understand a skill

and use it in your own life. The most impressive thing about new immigrants is their courage and passion

toward learning.

can use one language but how you can understand a skill and use it in your own life. The most impressive thing about new immigrants is their courage and passion toward learning. They can sit-up and focus in a long class even after a very long hard day working and still can be able to pay full attention to all the details I teach in class. All these great characters deeply change my opinion about new immigrants. New York City has always been proud and famous for its large population of immigrants. In a

2

way, all the new immigrants from all over the world are sharing the same difficulty in this giant big apple. With their devoted actions and strong beliefs, they will be able to change their lives in the US and work hard toward their goals. All their dreams will certainly be fulfilled in the future. I am so proud that I can be a part of their success stories. I can happily imagine maybe someday, one of my students might talk to his grandchildren about his life long story; and it might start with a sentence like, “I remember I had a teacher named Jacky when I first arrived in the US….”

NEW IMMIGRANTS KNOW BETTER By JACKY HUANG

What classes do you offer?

It is a great pleasure to announce that a few students in the Civics class have passed their Naturalization Exam. Congratulations to Wei Feng Chen, Cai Zheng Chen, Xue Fen Mei, and Xiao Xian Yu. These students have accomplished what many Permanent Residents long to do once they have reached their five year mark as a lawful Permanent Resident. Now these four individuals have achieved one of their goals by becoming a United States citizen. They can now be responsible citizens and go out there and vote in upcoming elections. Celebrations were held and praises were given to effective teaching and to an effective teacher. However, such high

praises should be debated. It is not only effective teaching but hard work and dedication from the individuals who truly wants to become a citizen; Success is 10% teaching and 90% hard work. Congratulations again to Wei Feng Chen, Cai Zheng Chen, Xue Fen Mei, and Xiao Xian Yu.

“We Are Ellis Island” Presentation“We Are Ellis Island” Presentation“We Are Ellis Island” Presentation“We Are Ellis Island” Presentation

The Chinatown YMCA Celebrates the Year of the Snake! by Stephanie Chan

Sunday, February 10th marked the

beginning of the Lunar New Year. To

celebrate this traditional and festive

occasion, the Chinatown YMCA held a

lantern making workshop at the Houston

Street YMCA. People from all over the

community, including our own NAWC

participants and their children, came to

make lanterns using traditional Lunar New

Year red envelopes. Staff from various

YMCA locations also joined in on the

festivities and offered a helping hand.

Our very own Ling Chen offered step-by-

step instructions on the lantern making

process, creating a fun experience for

families to bond. Red envelope paper was

provided to all participants and light

refreshments were served.

From the Chinatown YMCA to all of

our readers, we wish you a happy and

prosperous year of the snake!

3 Currently, we offer Beginner I, Beginner II, Intermediate level, and Advance level ESL classes, Computer literacy class and Citizenship class. However, you can check for a more updated schedule on our website or stop by our office to find out more information!

How much does each class cost?

New Beginnings for Chinatown’s New Americans! By Kenny Zhao

All of our classes are completely FREE !

New Beginnings for Chinatown’s New Americans! By Kenny Zhao ASK

YOUR NAWC

Q:

A:

Q:

A:

StudentsStudentsStudentsStudents brought families to brought families to brought families to brought families to participate participate participate participate

different family events at the branchdifferent family events at the branchdifferent family events at the branchdifferent family events at the branch

The Goals and Vision of the New Americans Welcome Centers by Dio Gica

“The goal of the YMCA is to be recognized by every New American as a

“safe haven” that provides multilingual information, resources and

referrals and a wide range of services… to help them attain their goals…”

Program Goal and Vision: The YMCA of Greater New York is committed to serving the immigrant population of the City, and, in response to their needs, has opened New Americans Welcome Centers to help immigrants achieve literacy, cultural competence, and self-sufficiency. In 2010, the YMCA will have opened Welcome Centers in areas where immigrant communities are most underserved. The Chinatown, Staten Island, Harlem, Prospect Park, and Bronx YMCAs have already served their communities through these centers. In line with its commitment to better serve the immigrant population of New York City, the YMCA of Greater New York is opening a sixth location to serve Queens, the Flushing YMCA New Americans Welcome Center. The goal of the YMCA is to be recognized by every New American as a “safe haven” that

provides multilingual information, resources and referrals and a wide range of services (instructional, vocational, recreational, and family support) that will help them attain their goals. The YMCA recognizes the need to build capacity and develop support and networks among new immigrants. As of the 2000 census, more than 35% of City’s residents are foreign-born and 43% of the City’s workforce are immigrants. Nearly 70% of the total immigrant population in New York speak a language other than English. Within this group 23% do not speak English well and about 10% do not speak English at all. Most of these immigrants live in population clusters that are underserved for informational, education, recreational, vocational, advocacy and human services that the YMCA of Greater New York is in a position

to provide directly as well as in collaboration with other human service and immigrant agencies. Program Components: The New Americans Welcome Centers serve as multilingual information resource and referral centers, and provide immigrant families with a wide array of instructional, vocational, recreational, family support, and social services. Instructional services include English as a Second Language, Cultural Orientation, Citizenship Preparation, Job Readiness, and Computer Literacy. In addition, some of our Centers offer Adult Literacy and GED preparation classes as well as Substance Abuse and Alcohol Prevention Counseling. For more information on the YMCA New Americans Welcome Centers, please contact Diosdado G. Gica, Senior Director of the YMCA’s New Americans Initiative, at 212-875-4336, or dgica@ymcanyc.org. You can also access our website at ymcanewamericans.org.

Bronx YMCA New Americans Welcome Center at Glebe Senior Center 2125 Glebe Ave. Bronx NY 10462

Ruben Arce, NAWC Program Coordinator rarce@ymcanyc.org 917-673-8688

Tania Alor, NAWC Counselor talor@ymcanyc.org 917-721-0748 Chinatown YMCA New Americans Welcome enter at the Chinatown YMCA Beacon Center 100 Hester Street, New York, NY 10002

Jie Ling Chen, NAWC Program Coordinator jchen@ymcanyc.org 212-219-8393

Flushing YMCA New Americans Welcome Center at the Flushing YMCA Branch 138-46 Northern Blvd., Flushing, NY 11354

Kathy Liu, NAWC Program Coordinator kliu@ymcanyc.org 718-961-6880, ext.123

Harlem YMCA New Americans Welcome Center at the Harlem YMCA Outreach Center (Family Welcome Center #1) 2627 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd., New York, NY 10039

Thalia Kwok, NAWC Program Coordinator tkwok@ymcanyc.org 212-690-4024

Terita Givens, NAWC / Lit Zone Partnership Coordinator, tgivens@ymcanyc.org 212-690-4024 Abraham Magana, NAWC / Lit Zone Ed. Case Manager, amagana@ymcanyc.org 212-690-4024

Prospect Park YMCA New Americans Welcome Center at the Prospect Park YMCA Branch 357 9th St., Brooklyn, NY 11215

Nabila Khan, NAWC Program Coordinator, nkhan@ymcanyc.org 212-912-2375

Joanna Zant, NAWC Counselor jzant@ymcanyc.org 212-912-2378 Staten Island YMCA New Americans Welcome Center at the Staten Island YMCA Counseling Center 285 Vanderbilt Ave., Staten Island, NY 10304

Rachael Rinaldo, NAWC Program Coordinator, rrinaldo@ymcanyc.org 718-981-4382, ext. 17

Regina Marks, NAWC Program

YMCA New Americans Initiative 5 West 63rd Street; 2nd Floor New York, NY 10023 (212) 875-4336 www.ymcanewamericans.org

Counselor, rmarks@ymcanyc.org 718-981-4382, ext. 15

ELESAIR Project at the Association Office 5 West 63rd St., New York, NY 10023

Dio Gica, Program Manager dgica@ymcanyc.org 212-875-4336

Lorna Blancaflor, Program Coordinator lblancaflor@ymcanyc.org 212-875-4345