One highlight of my week is teaching Beginner and Intermediate level ESL classes at Maudie’s Tex-Mex Restaurant. Twice a week for an hour and a half each class, I meet with a group of students at the Maudie’s home office. We gear our lessons specifically to the industry of our employees and to the positions they hold. For example, the Maudie’s curriculum is full of vocabulary about restaurants. There is also an emphasis on the type of conversations that back of the house and front of the house workers would have working various positions at a restaurant.

I think that our highly specific lessons make the class meaningful to our students. We are only two months into the Maudie’s class and already supervisors and managers have reported to me that there is more English being used by the employees who are in the class. For example, one supervisor told me that when they walk into a kitchen at any Maudie’s restaurant they are now greeted with “Hi, how are you? I’m good thanks!” where as before there might have been no conversation or a very limited exchange. Other supervisors report more conversation between the native speaking English employees and the native Spanish speaking employees. As a teacher, this is wonderful news! I am thrilled that the employees are taking what we learn in class and bringing it to the workplace.

Bex and Tanlyn with Maudie's students

A very memorable moment of the class has been being invited to attend the Maudie’s holiday party at Saengerrunde Hall in downtown Austin. Bex Rinas, a fellow E@W AmeriCorps staff member, and I attended the event last Tuesday. In addition to the catered dinner, Grupo Fantasma playing as the musical guest, and a host of photo booths and face painters- the true highlight was seeing my students and meeting their families. I truly appreciate that a business like Maudie’s would throw such an elaborate party for all of their workers. It was a special night for everyone involved!

We will take a short break for the holiday season and get right back into the swing of classes after the New Year. I look forward to what the next four months will bring and how much more the students will progress.

Happy Holidays everyone!

- Tanlyn
Literacy*AmeriCorps Instructor

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