CLC Spotlight: Going to School as a Family

September is the month when many people in Cambridge go back to school – children, college students, and adults, too. It is an exciting and sometimes confusing time, especially when you are new to Cambridge and the U.S. “When I moved to Cambridge, I needed to improve my English and get a job. I needed to help my daughter in school,” explains Houdini, a Cambridge Community Learning Center (CLC) student. “I didn’t know where to start. Then Mildrid told me about the CLC.”

Mildrid is a bilingual Family Liaison at the Cambridge Public Schools (CPS). Family Liaisons help families find resources. They also help them understand how they can help their children succeed in school.

The CLC has a special English class for adult learners who have children who go to CPS. In the class, students learn English. They also learn about the Cambridge public school system in Cambridge and different City programs for children. For example, students learn how to apply for afterschool programs and summer camps.

Houdini is a student in CLC’s English Class for Parents of CPS Students. “I really like my English class. My teacher, Paula, is very patient. She speaks slowly, so we can understand her. She helps us understand English and about the schools,” Houdini says with a smile, “In class, they told us about the summer camps. Because of that, this summer my daughter went to camp, and I could take English classes at [the] CLC.”

Next month, Houdini and her daughter are both going back to school. “I am looking forward to learning about more at the CLC and seeing my friends!”

Do you want to improve your English? Learn more about the English courses that the CLC offers at www.cambridgema.gov/ESOL. 

Photo: Houdini and her classmates participate in an English learning exercise at the Community Learning Center.