 |
Center for Civil Society International [email protected] |
 |
The English Program at the American Home is in its seventh year of operation. It is registered with the Russian Government as a not-for-profit educational institution. Ever since the second year the Program has been averaging more than 250 students a term, which is its physical capacity, and there is a waiting list for the lowest level classes.
Five levels of regular classes are offered from beginning to advanced. These meet twice a week for an hour and a half each meeting. Conversation classes are also offered which meet once a week, and a special TOEFL class (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is also available, along with a series of lectures on various aspects of North American history and culture. Finally, the School sponsors an English Speakers Club which meets once a month during the academic year and well attended American movies are shown the other three weekends each month. English Club activities include celebrating American holidays, such as Halloween, for which they have set up a haunted house. The English Program also organized a choir in 1997 and staged its first play, Neil Simon's The Odd Couple, in spring 1998. For information on current teaching opportunities with Serendipity's American English Program, please click here.
The School offers free or reduced cost classes to a number of students. This now includes one severely handicapped student in a wheelchair (see the comment from his parents below), and children from the Vladimir Family Association--which serves families with 5 or more children. Altogether, the School provides free lessons to approximately 20 students each term and reduced tuition to more than a dozen students.
A high percentage of the School's students have been studying at the American Home for more than one semester. Currently there are more than 150 students who are at least in their second or third semester.
About a third of these are in at least their 5th semester. (Some students have started at the beginning level and have completed the entire five year program.)
Thanks to this program, some of the students have acquired better jobs or promotions. (For example, out of a group of students from the Vladimir tractor plant, three were promoted to department heads with all the rest moving to better positions.)
About half the students are in the equivalent of Junior High or High School or are University students. Recently there were also 11 teachers, 8 lawyers, 14 medical professionals, 6 military personnel, 24 engineers, 12 secretaries, and people from many other professions. Over the years, many business people, a group of specialists from the local gas company before they made a trip to the U.S., and more than a dozen government officials have taken classes.
"The lectures the American Home organizes about American traditions help to eliminate stereotypes..."
"The conversation classes are a great addition to the regular courses. If we ever have a chance to go to the United States it will definitely be easier to understand people..."
"Having 10 different levels of proficiency [i.e., 5 years with two semesters each] is a great thing. The people who are studying with me are all at the same level which allows us to use our time in class efficiently..."
"Their extraordinary sense of humor, kindness, understanding, and even their artistic abilities--all this is a great combination in our teachers..."
"The opportunity to communicate with American teachers is wonderful....
"This program is great. The classes are taught in an open, relaxing way, and this makes you feel the same..."
"We like our classes very much. We don't feel intimidated in the American Home like we do in our regular foreign language classes. When the class is over each day we don't want to leave..."
"The relaxed system of teaching, the humor, the willingness to answer all of our questions--all of this helps to break down the language barriers..."
"Everything we talk about is very interesting, as are all the videos. I think they have found the best way of teaching here at the American Home…"
"The discussions in class, the home work, the audio and video materials--all of this provides a solid foundation for learning..."
"I took the TOEFL test [Test of English as a Foreign Language--required of all students who want to study in U.S. or Canadian universities] at the beginning of our special class. After just two months I had improved my score by 30 percent!"
"Our son is confined to a wheelchair, but thanks to his English classes, he has been able to enter a new world and to be with others. He is able to study a different culture and to feel the warmth and caring of the people who work at the American Home.... We want to thank the administration of the American Home for giving him a chance to study here..."
Teaching English at the American Home in Vladimir is the
best way I can imagine to get to know Russia. You live with a
Russian family and take Russian lessons from an excellent teacher
at the same time that you have the support, assistance and
friendship of the other American teachers and the wonderful
Russian staff. As you get to know your students better they begin
inviting you to dinner, to the theater, to go dancing, etc.
Thanks to the friendships I've established here, I feel even more
comfortable than I did last year in France where I was more
familiar with the language and culture. However, I do recommend
learning as much as you can about teaching English to foreigners
before you get here. There is an orientation before classes
begin, but the more experience you have, the more comfortable
you'll feel...
--Nicole Mercer, University of California at Santa Cruz
The American Home provides a wonderful working
environment, including all the "necessities" that are
frequently not available from Russian-owned businesses. The
students, who are used to the stern rote memorization approach of
Russian language classes, respond very positively to the relaxed
atmosphere of our program.
--Matt Rehkopf, Ohio State University
I would highly recommend this job, not only to Russian
majors, but to anyone with an interest in Russia.... Vladimir is
a nice place--quiet and provincial, but within daytrip-distance
from Moscow. The teachers here all live with Russian families and
are offered three hours a week of Russian tutoring as part of
their salary, so even though we're teaching English, there's
ample opportunity to speak Russian. In terms of teaching English,
there are many opportunities in Russia, but I can't imagine
finding a better situation than I have here. The staff at the
American Home (both Russian and American) is incredibly
supportive and encouraging and has been a wonderful part of my
experience here. Because of the maximum 2-year contract, there is
a constant influx of new ideas and passing on of learned lessons
and experience.
--Kira Lee, Carleton College
Vladimir offers a real opportunity to immerse yourself in
Russian language and culture. Such immersion can be very
frightening at first, and that is why working at the American
Home is such a plus. Here I am given the opportunity to work with
Russians in an atmosphere that is very familiar, fostering, and
comfortable. I would certainly recommend it to anyone who wants
to experience Russia for what it really is--and be involved in an
internship-style occupation that is both flexible and rewarding.
--Matt Plischke, Miami University (Ohio)
Vladimir and the American Home are ideally situated.
Vladimir is a part of Russia's famed Golden Ring, and the
American Home lies in the heart of downtown Vladimir. Here, you
have all the advantages of Russian city life, but with all the
charm of the nearby dachas. The American Home really is the
meeting and mixing point for two cultures. You live and work with
a friendly staff and friendly students. The Russian lessons and
the Russian homestay give you a chance to improve your speaking
abilities while experiencing Russian culture firsthand. The
longer I stay, the more I discover how much Vladimir has to offer
me.
--Erika Boeckler, University of Wisconsin at Madison
Working in Vladimir is the best thing I have ever done to
improve my Russian, learn more about Russian culture, and give
myself time to decide what my next step will be...
--Rachel Lu Owens, University of Montana
One of the things my current professors [at Columbia
University] have pointed out to me is that, for people interested
in pursuing anything related to Russian or post-Soviet studies,
there's a real advantage to living in a city like Vladimir.
Because of the political situation which restricted most travel
and research outside of Moscow and Leningrad for so long, a lot
of the current specialists are people who may very well not have
spent much time outside these two major cities. For this reason,
I'm told, the younger Americans who are living in small towns in
Russia are seen as possessing a "unique and valuable
experience" when compared to those who worked pretty much
exclusively in the larger cities...
--Jason Muse, Occidental College
Return to the Serendipity profile.
Sponsored by:
Center for Civil Society International
Return to the "International
Organizations" Home Page
This section is accessible from the CCSI's Home Page: http://www.friends-partners.org/~ccsi/
Last updated: November 5, 1998
|
Center for Civil Society International [email protected] |
|