John Kearney (on right) teaching at the SSJNC is pictured with Joe McElroy and Juan.
Spring has finally arrived, albeit in fits and starts, but inside the Sisters of Saint Joseph Neighborhood Center (SSJNC), the warmth never wavers. Located in the Cramer Hill section of Camden, and only a 20-minute drive from Christ the King, the Neighborhood Center exudes a welcoming atmosphere to all who enter.
Since our parish partnered with the Neighborhood Center, many parishioners have volunteered their time and talent to work with their Camden neighbors. I chose to teach English as a Second Language (ESL) along with fellow parishioner Joe McElroy. Though I had some teaching experience during the last eight years since I retired as a lawyer, neither Joe nor I had ever taught ESL, and the two of us combined barely spoke enough Spanish to order lunch at Taco Bell.
Fortunately, fluency in Spanish was not required. With a day of training from Sister Clarissa and a detailed teacher’s manual and textbook in hand, we were ready. Because our students already had a basic proficiency in English, we were able to conduct the class more as a dialogue than a lecture, using videos to supplement the lessons. The teaching would be more difficult, I suspect, if our students weren’t so motivated as they are to advance in their jobs and their lives. Despite working and raising families, they still find time to attend class and complete homework assignments.
One thing Joe and I tell our students as they grapple with homonyms, idioms and the often-inconsistent rules of our grammar, is that English is a crazy language that sometimes makes little sense. For example, one day a student came to class with an Eagles backpack. Since this was in the middle of a long Eagles winning streak, I asked, “Are you on the band wagon now?” When I got a blank stare, I realized he had no idea what that meant. Not only does he now understand that phrase, but he has also learned to root against the Cowboys.
Joe and I have found the teaching to be rewarding on a personal level, especially as we get to know our Neighbors better. If you are looking for something to bring some warmth and light into the world, opportunities await you at the SSJNC. There’s room on the bandwagon for you, too!
John Kearney has been a parishioner at Christ the King since 1978.