Program teaches refugee kids about school

By Katie Anderson and Danielle Wayne
BengalNews Reporters
 As refugee children in excitement blurt out responses, instructors remind them to raise their hands first.
 With school supplies scattered across the table, refugee children attempt to grab the items called out by the instructor.

  Megan Schear, center, teaches two refugee students.

 For almost two months now, refugee school age children, from pre-kindergarten to high school students, have found a place to go while awaiting placement in the Buffalo Public School System. Buffalo Beginnings is a program funded by Buffalo State College and Journey's End Refugee Services, Inc. that welcomes refugees from countries all over the world, such as Iraq, Burma, Nepal and India.
 While newly relocated refugee children wait to be placed in a school, they can attend the program to learn about the American school system as well as American society.
 “The goal of the program is to both help with academics and English learning as well as socialize the students to be able to function well in an American classroom,” said Karalynn Brown, a program coordinator.
 From 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, Buffalo Beginnings is located at the Buffalo State Community Academic Center, 214 Grant St. As of right now, the program usually consists of about five children, but is welcome to growth. Instructors in the program educate these refugee youth about things such as holding a pencil, raising their hands and writing their names.
 Brown said that some refugees who just arrive to the country, because of medical of other reasons, have about a two-month waiting period before they’re allowed to enter the school system.
 “If they’re waiting to be placed in a school, they don’t really have much to do,” said Brown. “So if we can get them into a classroom setting, get them used to the American school system and use that time when they’re waiting, I think it’s beneficial for them.”
 <iframe src="http://archive.org/embed/BuffaloBeginnings_548" width="640" height="480" frameborder="0"></iframe>During this waiting period, Buffalo Beginnings prepares refugee youth with age-appropriate games and activities that incorporate English vocabulary.
“With each week we have different topics to incorporate vocabulary and American social norms,” said Megan Schear, a program coordinator.
 Buffalo Beginnings bases its set of courses on the Bureau of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance curriculum. Brown said the core curriculum is a good mix of both American academic and social issues that refugee children learn.
 Buffalo Beginnings, however, is not only for refugee children. Their mothers are also able to attend the program in order to practice their English. For part of the program, the instructors pull aside the mothers or older children to work on conversational English with them said Brown.
 “It’s pretty typical of refugee families that the dad works and the mom stays at home,” said Brown. “So that’s why we offer the parent component as well—for the mother to be with the child and get out of the house and work on her English as well.”
 Buffalo Beginnings has recently had three of its students enter the public school system. Buffalo Beginnings instructors said they do receive positive feedback from both students and teachers in the school systems. Attending the program has helped ease the cultural shock refugee students face when entering the public school system, said Schear.
 The program is looking to expand into the summer, said Maureen McCarthy, staff associate of the Academic Center. Edited by Mackenzie Clarke