Marina Kravtsova: A SMAS Student to SMAS Staff Success Story

 Adult Ed Works!  A Student to SMAS Staff Success Story

 

 

 



Marina at her desk in the SMART Center

Did you know that several SMAS staff members are former SMAS students?  How did they go from student to staff?  Teacher Cynthia sat down with one of these success stories, Marina Kravtsova, to find out.  You might know Marina - she is our English Learner Specialist. Last year she was also our Student Council Advisor.  As part of her work, she helps coordinate the Student Ambassador program and works with Patty and Cynthia to provide students with information about resources.  Monday through Friday, you can find her at her desk in the SMART Center. 

 

When did you start attending SMAS as a student?

In August, 2011

What level of ESL did you start at and what level did you finish at?

Low Beginning to High Advanced.

What other classes did you take besides ESL classes?
Writing Intensive, Afternoon Listening Speaking, Finding Job, Gardening Club, Pronunciation, Distance Learning, and Student Council.

Student Leaders
Hitomi, Marco, and Marina
explaining Red for Adult Ed
and Red T-shirts Campaign to Students

Marina is shy to mention so Teacher Cynthia will tell you that Marina was very active as an advocate for our school and all Adult Schools during a difficult time for Adult Education.  She worked hard with other student advocates to carry the message that Adult Education Matters.  You can see some of her advocacy here, here, here, here, and here.  Also, she was the first Adult School student to ever be part of state planning for Adult Education.  She was part of the Workgroup that helped plan for the new system for Adult Education.  In addition to all this, she started a Parent Club for students that ran for several years on Fridays at lunchtime. 

How long did you study at SMAS?
Around 4 years.

What was your goal in the beginning?
Be able to speak with parents and teachers in my sons' schools

What was your goal at end?
To get a job.

What is your job at SMAS?
English Learner Specialist - testing students, placing them in classes, orienting within SMAS programs.   

What do you like best about working at SMAS?
I like the people I work with.

How did you feel about applying to work as staff at your own school?  
Less scary; It was my comfort zone, but at the same time it was little bit weird to be interviewed by people i knew for years as my teachers.  

Do you have any advice for other ESL students?
Don't give up!

#student2staff  #adultedworks  #learner2earner #adultedmatters  #don'tgiveup

Marina in action:

Marching in the San Mateo Parade

Denise, Marina, and Cristina
fundraising for their trip to the AAACE Conference -
a national conference about Adult Education.
They presented at the conference.



Marina mailing her letter to Governor Brown on Red Letter Day

 

 

Click here to read the full post

Successful Transplant

Former SMAS Student Hiro Hiyama

Hiro and Misuzu Hiyama and their business, Utsawa Floral Design, are successful transplants in the USA, thanks to support from the San Mateo Adult School.

Hiro and Misuzu moved here from Japan.  Hiro learned plant design and bonsai from his grandmother and uncle.  He and his wife, Misuzu, had a successful floral business in Tokyo.

They wanted to open a business here in the Bay Area.  They knew they needed good English and understanding of US Culture to be successful here.

 So they came to the San Mateo Adult School. 

They studied ESL with Teachers David, Mary, and Vasyl. 

Misuzu studied in Distance Learning with Teacher Cynthia.

And Hiro studied how to get a job and start a business with Teacher Martin in the special class Martin started to help ESL students find jobs, Passport to Employment.

They learned how to speak clearly, communicate well, and understand US culture.

Now their new business is a big success.  The San Francisco Chronicle wrote about it.  You can read the article here.  You can find Utsawa on Facebook here.

To find success in a new place, both plants and people need support while they grow new roots. 

Once their new roots are strong, they flourish and we all benefit.

San Mateo Adult School helps immigrants contribute their unique skills, gifts, and beauty to our community.



Click here to read the full post

Thanks for a Dream Fulfilled

Francisco Ramos, originally from El Salvador, says his hardest task here in the U.S. has been finding a job. He writes this about his experience:

I was a regular student in San Bruno Adult School. I remember when I talked with Teacher Jay about my task, about how I was looking for a job and a few days later he gave me the information about another class at San Mateo Adult School - "Job Search/Resume Writing." He put me in touch with teacher Martin Doener, who is in charge of that class and Martin helped me to write a Personal Resume, a Cover Letter, like it is used in the USA. He taught me how to use the different web pages for looking for a job and how to practice some personal interviews with the most useful questions in the real market. After all these things, I am right now an employee, and I am very thankful for the Adult School, because when I was desperate, without any options, in the Adult School of San Mateo I found hope. Thanks to everyone who´s helped me to make my American dream come true.
Click here to read the full post

On The Road To Citizenship

Cindy Rong Zhen Sun wrote this letter to the San Mateo Adult School and with her permission, we share it here:

Dear Administrators and Teachers:

I am a new American Citizen, Cindy Sun, and I have been studying English as a Second Language in the San Mateo Adult School for about three years now. I feel very good about our school. In Spril 2006, I attended the San Bruno English Class with Teacher Charlene Spediacci, a very fine teacher. When I could not speak or understand English, Charlene told me, "Don't worry. it takes a long time to show progress." I always remember Charlene's words. When I recited some lesson, she was very happy and encouraged me. This encouragement gave me greater confidence in overcoming my difficulties. She was my first teacher. I am grateful for her kind words.

Druing the past three years, I have joined many different classes and studied with many teachers and assistants who have helped me. They are Lisa Dolehide, Mark Tharp, Fredy Gold, Glenn Cunliffe, Betty Chen, Aleth Reilly, Hannelore, Tia Marlowe, and Carolyn Pannu. They teach different courses abd taught me many ways to learn English.

Right now I can read, write, and speak better, but understanding English is still difficult. I have studied a long time in Distance learning in Room 28. Teacher Carolyn is helping me write correctly. I feel Distance Learning is a good way for me to learn. Citizenship Class is teaching the history of America in Room 29 and also at the Senior Center. The teachers, Aleth Reilly and Bety Chen, helped me prepare to successfully pass my Citizenship test.

I am thankful to our school for giving me more knowledge. Many students and I need our school to stay open so that we an continue to study and more students can become valuable citizens in this country.

Sincerely,

Cindy Rong Zhen Sun
Click here to read the full post

Antonia's Advice

Antonia Li is a success on many levels. Originally from Shanghai, China, Antonia moved here twenty five years ago. She learned English, worked in restaurants, and then ran her own restaurant. She is now retired - and still learning English! Antonia has a lot to teach others about both business and language learning success.

In her own words, here is a method that has helped her excel in many areas:

I study at home. I set a time to study every day, about two hours a day. I listen for one hour with a book on tape while I'm walking around the golf course nearby my home. It's like throwing a stone that catches three birds. Firt, by listening to a book on tape, it enhances my English listening capability. Second, I try to repeat every sentence from the tape at some point. It helps me to catch the words quickly and memorize them. It helps me to exercise my brain. Third, I get my workout done.

I use the second hour to learn English bya differnt approach - either by workong on my Distance Learning homework or working on the "Words, Words, Words" book I bought. It's easy to use and the Words games and activites for vocabulary building are fun.

It seems it is a perfect plan for studying English but the hardest part is how you stick to your plan.

I try to work on it.

Click here to read the full post

The Power of a Positive Attitude

Francisco says, "I feel easier. When people talk to me, I can understand them."

He is a student in Distance Learning. In the past, he attended regular classes. Right now, he doesn't have time to come to those classes because he works a lot, so he uses Distance Learning in order to keep learning English.

His advice for other immigrants, "Study. Work hard. Don't feel bad because these economic problems are in the whole world, not only this country. But you need a positive attitude. Keep fighting for a good future because we, immigrants, need to make a good image for everyone. We need to change the bad image."

He smiles and adds, "Don't try. Do it! The energy is contagious."

Click here to read the full post

Learning about "Real Life"

Yoon is from Korea and has learned so much about “real life” from coming to the adult school. She created a power point presentation for her classmates about her country which was very exciting for her. She has also learned more about standard grammar and pronunciation. She especially likes the Distance Learning program where she has learned about intonation as well as about good Internet sites to help her with her English.


Click here to read the full post

Helping Family and Community

Augustin’s story is an inspirational one. He is from Mexico and has attended our school for the past two years. He has been working at Viognier, the restaurant above Draeger’s in San Mateo for the past 9 years as a cook, specializing in signature sauces, gourmet pizza, and designing plate presentations for photo shoots. Recently, he interviewed with Google for a position as a sous chef in San Francisco. In the last few years, his English has improved greatly, he says, due to his English as a Second Language classes with Shirley McMahon, Elizabeth Yale, and Distance Learning (DVDs and learning packets) with Carolyn Pannu.

As a result of his English competency, not only his career has advanced, but also his influence is felt in helping his family members and his community. His sister is a struggling single mom and he helps her by attending the Parent Conferences for his nephew, 15, a San Mateo High School student and his niece, 5, who attends College Park Elementary School. Sometimes he attends these conferences alone; other times, he accompanies his sister and translates for her.

Augustin is well-known at our school for his outgoing ways and friendliness. Too, his Auntie, Maria Luisa, has always been happy to prepare tamales, a most popular item, for International Days as well as the Annual School Flea Market.

Augustin says, “Thanks to my progress in English, I feel comfortable in my career and to assist my family members in the San Mateo community as well as offer my volunteer services at Friends of the Urban Forests in San Francisco whose group plants trees throughout the city to make the neighborhoods more beautiful.”









Click here to read the full post

Goals and Priorities

Distance Learning Student Veronica has clear priorities: to be a good mother and a good student. Her studies in the Distance Learning program help her do both.

Thanks to the San Mateo Adult School, she is better able to help her elementary age children. “I learned lots of information for real life through this program. I can communicate with my children frequently in English. I can teach my children with accuracy. I can have lots of information not only from my studies but also from my teacher.”

She adds, “My education level is high. I have a Masters degree in Korea. But my English is not fluent so I couldn’t use my talent in the U.S.A. To learn English here has promoted me for action here so I can share my talents in my community.”

Both she and her husband are citizens and made sure to teach their children about U.S. civics, government, and culture through the recent election and the events that led up to it.

That's important because her older child has a special goal: to one day be president of the United States. With a mother like Veronica as support and role model, we know he stands a good chance of achieving it.









Click here to read the full post

A Mother Keeps Learning

Before she became a mother, Margarita went to ESL classes at the San Mateo Adult School.

Now she must fit improving her English in between working, caring for her daughter, and caring for other children.

Margarita says, “I don’t have enough time. I would like to go to regular classes but I don’t have enough time. You help because every day I come to Distance Learning, I learn something different. I have time to do my homework at home. My English classes help me help my daughter with her homework."

She adds, "I have friends who don’t understand their children’s homeowork. They call me and tell me they don’t understand. A lot of papers are not translated to Spanish. I can help them."

"My daughter is in kindergarten now. It’s easy for me. Maybe later it’s going to be harder. I’m going to keep learning so I can help her.”
Click here to read the full post

Hard-working Parent Juggles English with Family Responsibilities

Ji Yeong is a parent who attends the San Mateo Adult School. An immigrant from Korea, she studies in the Distance Learning program. This program allows her to study at home with DVDs and homework. She watches the DVDs at home and completes her homework, then meets with a teacher for corrections, practice, and a new assignment. In the past, she also took in-person ESL classes at the Adult School. Family commitments make that harder now so the Distance Learning program meets her needs very well.

Ji Yeong says that from her classes at the Adult School, “I learn about American culture and how to take care of children, information about American school, and English grammar and conversation.”

She has a son with special needs who attends Laurel Elementary. She teaches her son many skills. Her English classes help her in her communication with his teachers. Her niece and nephew live with her and go to St. Timothy’s. She helps them with their homework. Her English classes help her to support their work in school and to communicate with their teachers, as well.

Like many students at San Mateo Adult School, Ji Yeong must juggle many responsibilities. She is committed to learning English while caring for her family and meeting their needs. The variety and flexibility of the ESL classes at the Adult School allow her to do this very well.
Click here to read the full post