Fast Facts:
"This year I wanted to take something different, so they said Arabic class, and that's something very different," said student Eva Motley.
Different is what they got. It's so different, Whitehaven is the only school in Tennessee that now teaches Arabic. There isn't even a textbook.
"The idea came about because I'm Egyptian. I was born in Cairo, Egypt and I speak the language,' said Arabic teacher Mary Antone, who is creating the class on her own. She worked on the program for a year and crafted a class based on the high demand for students who know the Islamic language.
"Everyone wants someone who knows this language, especially when we are pulling out of Iraq. We need people that can go and rebuild the city. They need people with knowledge of English and Arabic. They can use it in embassies and for translations," said Antone
"We are competing internationally, we are not just competing with kids across Tennessee," said Whitehaven Principal Vincent Hunter.
Arabic is three times harder than English to learn. It takes about 180 hours to learn English and close to 500 hours to learn Arabic. With no textbooks, Antone faces some unique challenges. "You have to figure out what the students will like, what they don't like. What will be difficult, what will be easy," said Antone.
Although it might be hard, an enthusiastic teacher is keeping it fun.
"It's a natural thing to her, like with us and English. So it's kind of fun, I love her, she's amazing," said Motley
The hope is to give these students the tools to be the bridge between the United States and the Middle East.
The U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan is making a special trip on Monday to Whitehaven, along with U.S. Representative Steve Cohen to visit the new Arabic classes. The school hopes that next year they will add to the curriculum, teaching Arabic two and three.
- One teacher at Whitehaven High School is the latest trailblazer in Tennessee academics.
- She is teaching a class that has never been taught and never been learned by any Tennessee student until now.
- She says the need for the class is undeniable and growing quickly.
"This year I wanted to take something different, so they said Arabic class, and that's something very different," said student Eva Motley.
Different is what they got. It's so different, Whitehaven is the only school in Tennessee that now teaches Arabic. There isn't even a textbook.
"The idea came about because I'm Egyptian. I was born in Cairo, Egypt and I speak the language,' said Arabic teacher Mary Antone, who is creating the class on her own. She worked on the program for a year and crafted a class based on the high demand for students who know the Islamic language.
"Everyone wants someone who knows this language, especially when we are pulling out of Iraq. We need people that can go and rebuild the city. They need people with knowledge of English and Arabic. They can use it in embassies and for translations," said Antone
"We are competing internationally, we are not just competing with kids across Tennessee," said Whitehaven Principal Vincent Hunter.
Arabic is three times harder than English to learn. It takes about 180 hours to learn English and close to 500 hours to learn Arabic. With no textbooks, Antone faces some unique challenges. "You have to figure out what the students will like, what they don't like. What will be difficult, what will be easy," said Antone.
Although it might be hard, an enthusiastic teacher is keeping it fun.
"It's a natural thing to her, like with us and English. So it's kind of fun, I love her, she's amazing," said Motley
The hope is to give these students the tools to be the bridge between the United States and the Middle East.
The U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan is making a special trip on Monday to Whitehaven, along with U.S. Representative Steve Cohen to visit the new Arabic classes. The school hopes that next year they will add to the curriculum, teaching Arabic two and three.
