My first real encounter with the Roma.

I did demo lessons a few weeks ago at a school about two blocks away from my house. What that entails is going to a school and giving short 15 minute lessons that are filmed and put up on a website so parents can see their children "learning" and "using" English while having fun in hopes of hiring me to actually teach them. One of the classes I "taught" was a group of about seven little Roma children ranging from about 6 to 8 or 9, all thrown together in the same class, eons behind any of the other classes I was in. Is it because they aren't as smart as the other students at the school, definitely not. Most of these children barely speak Czech, let alone English, but were so hungry for approval of any kind they were by far the most eager of all of the children I saw.

I'll be the first to admit, I know next to nothing about the struggles of the Roma, in any culture, especially here in the Czech Republic. The only experience I have had with them was in Paris, where they were usually trying to pick my pockets or beg for money. I, like many tourists, came to have a healthy distrust of them, preferring to keep my distance and sort of watch them from a far. However, today was different.

I didn't have a choice but to get in the thick of it with these children. Any praise I gave them was greeted with smiles and even harder work. Often they would continually repeat the words I had just taught them to get one more high-five, smile, word or praise or famous Gillian laugh of joy out of me. These little kids worked their asses off, rolling the few animals words I taught them around in their mouths like they were candy, smiling, laughing, genuinely enjoying this break from their regular Friday, not because it meant they didn't have to do regular class work, but more than likely it was another chance for them to get some sort of acknowledgment.

After the class I talked to the school's English teacher who told me a little about the educational plight of these children. Most Roma children are either in the LH classes or placed in to special schools for the learning handicapped, not because they are learning handicapped, but because they are Roma and don't speak Czech. So instead of teaching them Czech, they are simply moved into classes that don't allow them the chance be able to succeed in "normal" classes. Most of these students will drop out of school by the fifth grade and of those who do stay less than half will graduate from high school and only 1 in 1000-2000 will eventually go to University. It is truly appalling.

Sadly, the Czech Republic can boast some of the better educational and social conditions for the Roma, at least in Central and Western Europe. There seem to be more advocates working to ensure the success of Roma children in school and far more vocational training programs for teens than any place else in Europe, accept maybe Romania, where they have guaranteed representation in Parliament. In Cesky Krumlov the city pays the Roma population to clean the streets and public buildings and hate crimes against the Roma are the lowest in the country. Hell, my favorite restaurant in CK is called gypsy's.

As for my part in all of this, I will spend two days a month, in the Roma first grade, teaching them what English I can and encouraging them in learning Czech. "What difference does that make Gillian?" you may be asking yourselves. Well, I have run two lessons now and in that time, the students have been twice as engaged in their other classes, communicating more with their primary teacher, asking about the English word for what ever they see and generally seem to be putting more effort into their education. So, for those of you who say you can't make a difference, I say "stuff and nonsense". Just get involved.