Immigrant teachers share their stories
Whether you are in your assigned seat or passing by an open door, any glimpse of a teacher’s classroom can tell a part of their story. For teachers who have immigrated to the U.S., they share both a part of themselves and their culture in their classrooms.
Danielle Ellis teaches AP and IB Psychology and previously worked as a corporate human resource manager in both Australia and New Zealand. She met history teacher Scott Ellis while traveling in Spain and they came to America together where they would later marry. “The immigration process was really intense. We [had to show] we were in a committed relationship and that it wasn’t a Visa relationship [so] we brought cards, we brought photos and we had to get people like our family to sign letters,” Ellis said.
Christele “Madame C.” Cazin, French teacher, had a similar experience in her immigration process. To apply for citizenship, she had to prove that her marriage was legitimate through a series of interviews in addition to love letters and wedding pictures. “The person who is conducting the interview, they are asking you [specific] questions, so I will say that that was the main difficulty, all the back and forth,” Cazin said.
Cazin initially came to the U.S. 21 years ago through the Education First [EF] program. Originally, Cazin studied to become a mathematician but to do that, she would have had to give up her French citizenship. “I just couldn’t,” Cazin said. Instead, she pivoted to teaching French. As a teacher, Cazin values a warm, welcoming relationship with her students after observing that high school teachers in France were much less understanding than teachers in the U.S.. “The educational system is extremely different. […] Here in the United States, I went back to school. I was 26, and I would have never done that in France, because [that was] not in our way to do it,” Cazin said.
French and Spanish teacher, Ada Abregu, also moved to the United States through an exchange program. However, rather than those dedicated to students, it was a program for teachers set up between the Spanish government and the U.S. “It’s mainly to make an impact on students’ lives. I always liked my teachers in the past, especially one who was my English teacher, and then that inspired me to try to teach my language, my own culture,” Abregu said.
Abregu, having lived in multiple countries like Peru, Spain, France and Germany, has experienced different perspectives from different backgrounds. “The United States is a [type of] country [where] you have different cultures. So that way you have a more open mindset, I guess, and an inclusive environment,” Abregu said.
Newbury Park High School’s teachers who have immigrated here work to enrich students’ perspectives by sharing their backgrounds and cultural experiences in the classroom. “I think, if you know me, you get kind of a vibe about Australia, about who I am and how I conduct my classes,” Ellis said.
