Reflections On Red Cross's SmartStart Program

" True connection with people transcends the vast network of vocabulary you have. It forms amorphously between beings yet, when it is born, it has the most well-defined shape you'll ever see."

At the start of the cold winter season, Red Cross has been busy warming up vulnerable communities with information on basic first aid skills and disaster preparedness with the SmartStart Program.  A diverse team of multilingual volunteers have been empowering immigrants for more than a decade now, by equipping them with skills that will prepare them for emergencies and undaunted disasters as they live out their lives here in Canada.


The first class that I taught to was in my native language - Filipino.  It was for the Multicultural Helping Housing Society (MHHS), a non-profit organization devoted to help newcomers in Canada.  The class consisted of quite a large number of  people - around 20 individuals or so.  Thankfully, the room was really large! Large enough to even accommodate a crowd twice the size. It was held in one of the much isolated tri-cities, Port Coquitlam.  Maria Luisa, a long time Red Cross volunteer, has helped me pull through the whole session.

From left to right:  Roy Recarse and Gigi Recarse from MHHS; Maria Luisa and Me

First SmartStart Multilingual Injury Prevention Class

In all honesty, I was relieved that my first class was in my own language.  It's like a preparatory class for my ESL classes.  The first class allowed me to reflect on my knowledge and skills.  To temper the dynamics of teaching and gauge my ability to make connections with my students and make connections between themselves as well.  I tried to make it as engaging as possible to make them feel that in that class, I share my knowledge but they are free to share their ideas as well.  Overall, I didn't have much problems with explaining complicated things with my them.  Whenever there is something they cannot understand, I find Filipino words that can fill in the definition. That is one of the perks of speaking with people with your own mother tongue.

The next class that I taught was in ESL.  It was held in the Burnaby English Language Centre at Sussex Avenue.  Kenny - our coordinator for the SmartStart Program - and Kevin, an ESL teacher at the centre, were there to support me in teaching.  I was really nervous as it was my first ESL class.  The people in the class were at level 3; though I did read up some stuff on how a student learns at that level, I found it really hard when I was already on the floor.  Looking back to it, I think I wasn't my best at that time.  It was hard for me to make a genuine rapport and connection.  I felt like I was sharing and yet the connection was amiss at times.  Watching Kevin do comprehensive questions as the class was ongoing made me admire ESL teachers a lot.  I felt that they were really "in sync" with each other. I want to feel that "real" connection Kevin has shown, where you feel that you and your students are on the same ground.

Honestly, after this first ESL class I felt crappy as a person.  Lonely even.  I pondered on people and making connections.  I remember people telling me that my English is great and that I was rather smart but when it comes down to truly making a bond (well, new bonds at the most), I felt that those really aren't what I need.  I remember reading off a blog about Fitzgerald on smart people and it went like this:

"Being an intellectual is a curse and a blessing at the same time. I’m not like most people and as such I have little in common with “normal” people who are able to more successfully navigate the world we all inhabit. I often ponder what it would be like to be of a more average intellect, mind you I wouldn’t classify myself as super-smart but I’m quite above the average. But I’m not really willing to give it up either. So I soldier on and work at being more normal and less of a savant. It’s a struggle and it requires lots of mental and psychological gymnastics to meet people were they are and on their terms, something that’s not required of more normal people for the most part."

I kind of understood what he said regarding his struggles on connection. I use so many flowery words (that yes, poets might appreciate) but I can't seem to cater the right words for them to understand.  I don't even know how I should level most of the phrases and words I use, to my dismay.  Words like minor or integrate. - they are the average for me.  Then, as I try to pull out a word from memory to define the complicated words, I find that I just told them yet another complicated word.  My mind was clouded with word retrieval that day as I struggled to chop my words down more.  I realized how disorganized my word bank was!  (Hahaha)

It's good to know though that after much reflection, I have come up with good conclusions of my own.  First, that is in teaching, your connection with your students will help not only you in sharing your knowledge but it will also help them to remember your words as well.  Second, that one needs not form a "superficial" connection but rather strive for a "true" connection. True connection with people transcends the vast network of vocabulary you have. It forms amorphously between beings yet, when it is born, it has the most well-defined shape you'll ever see. Lastly, that no matter what kind of person you are, if you strive to make a connection then surely, you'll be answered back.  You will have a hard time understanding them sometimes due to language barrier but so will they. So, don't worry much on awkwardness. (Just try not to look awkward, I guess)  As long as both parties wish to understand and be understood, no large lexicon is needed.  

Overall, it was a magnificent experience and I think I'll grow more from the following ones.  I look forward to my future students!  Let us learn together.