Lessons Far From Home

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Lessons of an Imported Teacher

Prince George's County needed teachers. Mabel Ventura left the Philippines to fill the gap -- and earn a paycheck to help her family back in Manila.

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"The other teachers told me the kids don't understand, 'Be quiet.' They said you have to say 'Shut up.' Yesterday, for the first time in my life, I said, 'Shut up.' "

"Only two of the students speak English. The others speak Spanish. What are we supposed to do?"

The room erupted into a chorus of voices, and the teachers became almost as undisciplined as some of their students. Everybody wanted to chime in.

Gaskin called for order. There was no time this morning to address everyone's concerns. They had to move through other parts of the training: ethics, homework expectations and school system procedures. Gaskin reminded them that they had a large support network: school officials, the principals, their assigned mentors and each other. "Don't get discouraged," urged Gaskin. "If you didn't start off with a bang this week, start off with a bang next week. You can do it. You're here, and that's an achievement already." She asked the group to write down two positive things that had happened in school because "the positives always outweigh the negatives."

Mabel wrote that she got to know the names of most of her students. She saw "signs of respect and learning." And, above those two, she added, "I got my first paycheck."

"THE WHALE SHARK!" HER CLASS YELLED.

It was morning reading time, and the boys and girls were gathered on a bright red-and-blue rug. Mabel was reading a picture book about sharks. She told the class that whale sharks can grow to 48 feet long, more than the length of a school bus. Voices interrupted.

"Longer than my school bus?"

"Can they eat a school bus?"

"What about the baby sharks?"

"Stop kicking me."

"He's kicking me."