ESL Students Tour City Government Departments in Bowling Green
In an effort to offer practical understanding of the workings of the government, a group of English as a Second Language (ESL) students in Bowling Green, Kentucky embarked on a journey to explore various departments within the city government on Friday.
Boots on the Ground Learning
The initiative, involving 30 students from Greenwood High School, was designed to complement their ongoing classroom studies on the structure of government and the roles of key people and places within the community. These proactive students toured facilities such as the BG Transit, Police and Fire Departments, and even got an opportunity to meet the city mayor in a personal capacity.
Experiential Learning, An Effective Tool
Experiential learning has always been acclaimed as a potent tool for enhancing the comprehension of students and this initiative stands as a testament to that fact. Particularly for ESL Students, such an interaction can significantly augment their socio-cultural understanding, in addition to the academic knowledge they imbibe.
The students, according to their ESL teacher, “found the BG transit department really useful, while the police and fire departments were extremely welcoming. They thoroughly enjoyed the chance to learn straight from the horse’s mouth, from none other than the mayor himself.”
Grasping the Intricacies of Resource Management
In the current semester, one of the key topics being covered by these ESL students is that of clean drinking water. Keeping in line with their curriculum, the students were taken for an informative tour to the water treatment plant, shedding light on a topic of crucial importance.
This visit provided the students with the opportunity to see for themselves, how theoretical knowledge merges with hands-on practice in providing this essential, life-sustaining resource. Getting a firsthand look at how the water is treated and made fit for consumption, was an enlightening experience for both the students and the accompanying staff.
Preparing for Future Civic Responsibilities
With lawmakers in Kentucky currently mulling over a bill that necessitates a civics course and assessment for high school students, Greenwood High School seems to have already taken the lead. Among the goals of this initiative is to empower the students with a rudimentary understanding of civic duties and responsibilities.
Through these immersive visits, the students learned how different city government departments work in sync to cater to the needs of the community. Notably, the understanding gained through these practical sessions can go a long way in shaping these students into responsible citizens in the future.
Programs like these serve as a valuable platform for younger generations to learn, understand, and appreciate the functioning of their city government and the key roles such departments play in their daily lives.
