Last week at the Teen Coalition, I was able to observe the Journey to Healing Program. It is a group of Khmer and other youth who want to become informed about the tragedy so recently suffered by the Khmer people (in some cases their close relatives) and who want to be knowledgeable and proud about their culture. I believe this is a wonderful program to help youths deal with some of the horrifying things that occur in our world, but to also help them realize that they don’t deserve to be discriminated against here in their freedom either. From what I could see, it’s an awesome way for students to learn more about their culture while also fostering feelings of pride.
Since the center is often bustling with many groups working on different things, the Journey to Healing group squirrels themselves off to the side of the meeting room. Monica leads the group and tries to keep the space relatively quiet and unintimidating, asking new visitors to close the door behind them. However, the group members themselves are anything but shy! Some keep pretty quiet, but most are ready and willing to offer their opinions. We begin with a fun ice breaker just to get talking, and jump right into the day’s agenda – choosing a traditional meal that Monica will teach the group to cook during a workshop. Students brainstorm some of their traditional cultural meals and share the ones they are curious to learn how to make. After they’ve exhausted their ideas, each student votes for the best dish that they really want to learn most about. Monica will then learn to cook this dish (if she does not know how to make it already), then bring back her knowledge later on to show the group how to create the culinary masterpiece. (And –of course—eat it, too!)
One of the coolest ideas in the program I observed was how they keep it a safe space. Group members are expected to be respectful, not hurt or offend anyone, and use appropriate language. If they break any of these rules, they can choose their punishment: 10 pushups, 10 jumping jacks, or $1 in the snack fund! The teens are generally very open, welcoming, and respectful, but I think this is a really clever and humorous way to make sure they know how important their behavior is.
Kate,
ReplyDeleteI love all of the things that you mentioned that they were doing at LCHC! I wish that we could tell our students to get down and do 10 pushups if they were misbehaving in class! That is probably something we should hold off on until we are more veteran teachers. I think it shows the students a good point though. Many times students do not realize that their actions and words can have a negative impact on others. I think by making students put $1 into the snack jar it is not so much a punishment but rather a consequence for not showing respect to others. And at the end of the day that $1 will positively impact everyone! I hope that I will be able to coach or be a group advisor so I might be able to implement these ideas. I think it would work better in a small after-school setting rather than in the middle of a history class. LCHC is a great place to pick up different tips and strategies that we can use in our classrooms!
I echo all your comments. i was lucky enough to be there twice for Journey to Healing, once when it was ending, at a wrap-up meeting, and another time when it was just beginning and they were sorting out ice-breakers, introductions, and ground rules. The mentors do a superb job, and the students get comfortable very quickly. (I especially love the Khmer greeting that everyone does at the beginning.) Getting the students to talk and think about their culture may help them understand their own family situations better as well. I have really enjoyed every visit to the teen center, from talking to the mentors to interacting with the students.
ReplyDeleteI just went to another one of those sessions. A professor from UML came and talked about the history of Cambodia and his trips there. Even though he was expecting a few questions on the genocide there he was surprised on how many questions he got. It ended up being a very interesting history lesson on what led up to the communist revolution and why the country's recovery has been so fast, yet uneven. I got lucky going to that session.
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