Old Farmers Road School in Long Valley fosters pride in multilingualism
The need to place more focus on diversity came about organically after Jeannette Ezeta, an English as a second language teacher at Old Farmers Road School (OFRS) in Long Valley, had an unexpected conversation with a group of young multilingual students early in the school year.
They asked for their native languages to remain a secret.
Recognizing the significance of this statement, Ezeta partnered with the school principal, Jenna Hawkswell, to reshape the students’ perceptions of multilingualism. Their objective was to honor students’ home languages and instill pride in the diverse cultural backgrounds within the school community.
Messages from Around the World
This initiative led to the establishment of “Messages from Around the World,” a weekly event where multilingual learners showcased greetings, songs or inspirational messages in their native languages over the loudspeaker. This sparked a deep appreciation of the love of languages in the OFRS community.
“I can speak French, Albanian and English,” says second grader Elio Mile. “I was shy on my first day, but I don’t feel that way anymore. I was a role model for kids to speak different languages.”
Students who were initially hesitant about their multilingual abilities discovered a newfound sense of pride. Other students in the school eagerly volunteered to participate. What began as a platform for multilingual expression developed into a celebration of cultural diversity. Students were lined up down the halls to participate.
Creating cultural connections
Through this initiative, students created cultural connections with one another and their families through a multitude of languages, including Russian, Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese, Mandarin, French, German, Polish, Edo, Hebrew, Swedish, Albanian, Guarani, Gujarati and more.
“I am very glad that my grandpa teaches me German, and I get to share what I have learned with the school,” says third-grader Carly Redinger.
“I felt joyful to share the Swedish birthday song that was taught to me by my great grandmother,” adds third grader Camilla Breen.
“I was inspired by the other students on the announcements,” says fourth grader Charlotte Ward.
“Ms. Searles encouraged my classmates and me to share our languages with the school,” says second grader Mikaela Paige, with a tinge of excitement. “She helped build my confidence in speaking Portuguese.”
As an educator, Hayley Searles fosters language connections in her second-grade classroom.
“Multilingualism facilitates conversations with their families and promotes more interest in diversity and traditions around the world,” Searles says. “It was truly incredible to see.”
A bridge to collaboration
The positive impact of this initiative extended beyond students, as all teaching staff engaged in professional development to understand the social, emotional and academic advantages of maintaining native languages alongside learning English. The PTO featured 40 students in a dedicated section of the yearbook, highlighting the richness of various cultures present within the school.
“We are super happy with the multicultural activities to promote and encourage kids to speak and be aware of other cultures and languages,” explains parent
Florencia Kennedy.
This initiative created a sense of belonging for all and was a collaborative experience for students, educators, administrators, and parents within the OFRS community.
Mikey Connolly, a fifth-grade student, summed it
up best.
“I think it is important to learn different languages because it can get you far in life,” he says. “You can also interact with other people from other places around
the world.”