ESL Program Celebrates Belonging with Faculty Summer Event
By Adam Saleh and Pathirage Dona Madhumini Rajapakse
On July 12 at HMC, the FHASS ESL Program hosted an unprecedented and a fascinating event. The event was named: Celebration of Belonging. It was all in the name. ESL Faculty members from all walks of life came together to celebrate one goal: being part of one strong team. The ESL program has expanded over the years: a bigger body of students and more diversified faculty members.
The event was a fabulous opportunity for everyone to get together, meet the new faculty members, and experience exciting activities. The event’s uniqueness lay in the fact that ESL faculty had a chance to know those who they work with; not professionally but in different capacities. This was not a work-related meeting. It was really refreshing as many faculty members show-cased their interests, hobbies and hidden talents.
The event started with enjoying great shared potluck food. This was followed by many engaging activities; some of which were: Henna tattooing, Tarot reading, Origami, and reading poetry, fiction, and non-fiction samples.
Adam Saleh was one of the faculty members who attended the event. Adam has a keen interest in different sports, and he also enjoys writing poetry and fiction. Being an indoor event, he was not able to contribute anything related to sports. Thus, he decided to write two poems that represent how he genuinely feels about Sheridan College. He taught in many universities and colleges in and outside Canada. From his point of view, he says that in all honesty, his teaching experience at Sheridan College has easily topped all his teaching experiences elsewhere. He decided to let his emotions gush out and express all the gratitude he feels for being part of such an exquisite team.
Reciting the poems triggered a lot of reactions ranging from appreciation of the sincere emotions to laughter at the puns and punchlines. Many of the attendees asked Adam to consider publishing these poems in Alchemy. (See below)
The event was organized by the ESL Department as an initiation of the Dean of School of Communication and Literary Studies, Stephanie Samboo and the management to create a space for the faculty members to share and celebrate their unique talents. The aim of this event was to connect faculty members on a deeper level, beyond the classroom. There were writers, crochet artists, origami artists, henna tattoo artists and many more. Among them Mady (Madhumini Rajapakse) one of the faculty members of the ESL department read some of her poems that resonated deeply with the audience who found them heartfelt and moving. Mady’s poems are mostly inspired by everyday challenges. She seeks to motivate the readers and to be a voice for the voiceless. One of her poems was selected to the PAMA (Peel Art Gallery, Museum of Archives) “Stories of Home” exhibition as well.
Mady’s Poems
Poem 1: “Mom” ; This poem is inspired by motherhood and the overlooked realities of motherhood. As a mother, she has experienced these common cliches and believes the role of the mother should be viewed differently.
Poem 2: “Peek a boo”; This poem is inspired by her two-year-old son, and she believes in the power of innocence and naivety, and the joy it could bring to life. This reminds the adults the importance of celebrating the little things in life.
Poem 3; This poem is inspired by the post-modern theory of fragmented and fluid identity, which has been written while she was studying the TESOL Plus programme at Sheridan College. She believes that this reflects the identity of teachers who embrace change and growth as they guide their students.
Collaborative Canvas, Journey to Togetherness & Celebrating Collegiality
Ode to Sheridan
By: Adam Saleh
Three campuses; united with one big soul.
A big S on a beautiful building shining and standing tall.
Corridors pregnant with life; Classrooms full of energy;
and friendly faces pass by.
A place of respect & appreciation I couldn’t conjure it in my mind’s eye.
Together, we collaborate.
A picture perfect; a tapestry woven strong.
We teach; we learn, and being part of a wonderfully diverse team,
we all belong.
In meetings, creative ideas brainstormed.
Agreements are reached; and wise decisions formed.
No place for malice; and for backstabbing; everyone says so long!
Teamwork will flourish, a true symphony of song.
Every single voice heard, every perspective shared,
and with a wonderful management we are chaired.
If aliens look down on us, they will see a place of harmony;
like a formation dance.
This was done by design; not by a mere chance.
I thank every single soul I worked with.
I can’t call all the names because I will take me hours to read.
So in brief, thank you, Fauzia and every Level Lead.
Ali, with words serene and wise,
navigates challenges whenever they arise.
Suzanne, whose warmth fills every room,
bringing sunshine even in the middle of gloom.
And Stephanie, with her keen mind's grace,
brings a solution in every case.
Each student a thread woven in colourful cloth we adore.
With open minds; drinking knowledge and asking for more.
So here's to you, dear colleagues all,
For making our lovely workplace a joyful hall.
With gratitude and respect I come humbly to say,
Thank you! Let's make our Sheridan the best each single day!
Lost in Translation:
A Comedy of Errors & Linguistic Shenanigans
By: Adam Saleh
From Mexico to China; From Lebanon to Vietnam
and every corner on the map
They came to the land of Maple Syrup
Either seeking quality education or having in the class a nap.
The main target was to drink from the endless bottle of knowledge
So, their fate eventually led them to Sheridan College.
Entering the classroom, so bright and grand,
You see English learners starring at you like a quirky band.
Professors of wit, with Masters, PhDs, degrees so high,
saw language error miseries that made them sigh.
First came the essays, oh boy; so profound,
where verbs and nouns were rarely found.
Sentences twisted like tangled yarn,
marking the writing, professors did darn.
When they speak, you can’t help but grin
while decoding each linguistic spin.
Pronunciation became a wild ride
as they speak with confidence and pride.
I had to keep a distance when they said flied lice
Teacher, teacher, it is not bad; it is food that is nice.
Minimal pairs are so important that can get you stuck.
I was describing the game of hockey and how to play with a puck.
Some faces looked puzzled and awestruck.
I said: “Oh, it's not what you think”.
They said: in English, that word can make us blink!
Grammar lessons took a curious turn,
They say that prepositions are torture;
and tenses give them a heartburn.
Present, past, future all in a horrible mix,
Conjugations causing lunatic fits.
Yet, through the trials and verbal mess,
understanding simple requests becomes as complex as chess.
No two words they produce without a mistake.
Yet, getting 95/100 in an asynchronous test;
Oh yeah, that is not fake.
She comes crying: “Teacher, why my score is not so high?”
I said:
“Last week, when I marked your essay, I felt I wanted to die.”
And suddenly you sound like a writer; or was that AI?
Words like wild rivers, flowing yet untamed,
Grammar, a maze where meanings get maimed.
With every syllable, a story untold;
Accents dancing, both timid and bold.
Grammar's rules, a dark route to navigate;
Adjectives and adverbs mixed, their meanings mutate.
Subject and object, intertwined like vines;
In sentence jungles, where syntax resigns.
Vocabulary, a treasure yet to be found,
Phrases deformed, and meaning stares confound.
Pronunciation, a carnival of sound;
Vowels and consonants, merry-go-round.
But with all the stumbles, laughter rings clear;
Mistakes are bridges, connections sincere.
For in these classrooms, where languages blend,
New worlds are discovered,
from the first day of classes till the end.
So embrace the journey, know that ESL students, brave and bold,
In every misstep, their funny yet insightful stories unfold.
It is still a beautiful world if you look below the surface
and ignore the linguistic hell.
Through laughter and patience, we can definitely excel.
Together, no matter what, let’s enjoy the world of ESL.
