Julianne K. Kaphar
I teach a fourth and fifth grade combination bilingual class at Fair Haven Middle School. My students are all in their first year (under 10 months) in the United States from Spanish speaking countries. I instruct my students in Spanish in the content areas to provide them access to the demanding curriculum. I also teach them E.S.L. so that they may be better prepared when they enter the regular classroom the following year. My students come from many countries in Latin America: Peru, Mexico, Guatemala, and Puerto Rico. They range from being non-literate and unschooled to being highly literate and functional in the classroom setting. My students are all here for "a better life:" their parents have all expressed high hopes for them to obtain a better quality of life than they are currently experiencing. Most of them have had very little exposure to science, yet are deeply curious about the world in which they live. Because of this, I believe that it is crucial for me to create opportunities in which they can develop their scientific thinking skills and thus broaden their understanding of their world.