ᏣᎳᎩ and English
Today a friend posted a meme on English being difficult - but how it 'can be understood through thorough thought .....'
I love the story my ᏣᎳᎩ Tsa-la-gi ('Cherokee') teacher tells, from his tough experiences in 3rd grade:
"(By then) I could understand a little more English. (The teacher) tried to involve me in things.... but I just could not understand or keep up with the other ᏗᏂᏲᎵ (diniotli) children and again (she) gave me pencils and papers and crayons and coloring books.
"... I figured out when someone in English said 'cat' they mean ᏪᏌ we-sa. But this rule was also not always so. I remember one day the children were excited, they said 'there is a cat outside!' and I looked outside expecting to see a cat and all I saw was a big machine. I wondered, how is that a ᏪᏌ we-sa (figure 11 in his book, Journeying into Cherokee)?
"Over time I learned it was a brand name, and people just shortened it down and called heavy machines that ...."
. .. We are SO fortunate that Ed was able to grow up speaking ᏣᎳᎩ, and his teacher encouraged him to draw, rather than punishing Ed for his lack of understanding....
... He eventually learned English, and attended University (before and after his stint in Vietnam), and wanted to teach art to elementary school kids. By the time Ed took up his studies and neared graduation, the rules changed! When they factored in his pre war grades. ... His GPA was too low, and he realized he would need to make straight A's for two years in a row if he hoped to teach; and just couldn't afford more schooling!
Lucky us, after working as a Home Health Aide for sky BBC, (and again, interpreting for older Oklahoma Cherokee elders) the Cherokee Nation offered a Teacher's certification under Durbin Feeling, and Ed signed up. Several years later, the Mation avertized for cultural resource teachers, and his wife encouraged him to apply!
So, in 2000 Ed *finally* began teaching language classes for adult learners - and through his online classes, hundreds of us 'all around the world' have benefited! (He's paid - and the classes are free to students!)
ᎠᎵᎮᎵᎩ (a-li-he-li-gi) I am grateful to be one of the many studying with ᏗᏕᏲᎲᏍᎩ (di-de-yo-hv-s-gi) teacher Ed!!
'Sometimes life doesn't go in a straight line .... don't give up on your dreams!'
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