Points In Between: Recent Episodes
Shane Carter
How does it feel to come to America as a young person? This podcast explores what happens when immigrants and visitors experience our biggest shared American institution: school.
Welcome to Points In Between - an exploration of immigration, school, and American identity.
All the newcomer students who find their way to American classrooms have one thing in common: the experience of leaving home. This episode explores six different accounts.
This episode explores what students thought America was going to be like before they came. And what they discovered when they got here.
This episode delves into what it feels like to walk into a new school - in a new country - for the first time. It turns out, it is possible to have a good First Day.
This episode delves into the history behind American public schools. How are our reasons for education connected to our school practices? Can this help explain some of the differences in education from country to country?
This episode explores the relationship between students and the people on the other end of the equation at school: their teachers.
This episode explores language as a feature of identity, as an obstacle to be overcome by students, and as an entree into many parts of American society.
This episode looks at the small (and sometimes big) things people notice and adapt to as they settle into a new place. Also, we'll consider our interviewees in a broader historical context.
This episode is about putting down roots in a new place. How do students who are new to American schools make friends? And what happens at home as they get more comfortable in school?
This final episode of Points In Between explores two questions: Do you feel like you're American and, if you do, what does that mean to you?
Sights
The Points In Between artwork was created by Kurt Stoeckel.
Sounds
Points In Between features sounds made available under the Creative Commons license via freesounds.com:
Intro
- classroom with students and bell
- school yard
- school hallway ambience
- school bell
Outro
- high school exterior with bus
- testing in a math class
Thank You!
Many thanks to the people who participated in interviews for this project!
Do you have a story of moving to the United States and attending an American school? Record your own audio answer to one of the interview questions below and post it on social media using the hashtag #PointsInBetween.
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How did you find out you would be moving to the United States? Did you take part in making the decision or did it come as a surprise to you? What do you remember about leaving home? How old were you when you arrived in the US?
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Walk us through a typical day of school in your country of origin.
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How did you think the United States was going to look? What, if anything, surprised you when you arrived?
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Can you describe your first day of school in the US?
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What would surprise your US classmates about school in your country of origin?
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Describe your interactions with a teacher before you came to the US. Do teachers and students behave the same way in your US school(s) as they did where you came from?
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What language(s) did you speak when you arrived in the United States? Do you feel like you are a different person in the different languages you speak?
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What kinds of things do you change about your behavior as you move from home to school? Is your home culture very different from your school culture?
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How did you make your first American-born friend? And if you haven't yet made an American-born friend, why do you think that is?
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Do you feel like you are American? Do you want to feel American? And if so (or if not), what does "American" mean to you?
Points In Between: Introduction
It’s time for a little listening comprehension quiz. I’m going to play you clips of three people speaking. Your job is to figure out what they have in common. Okay?…
You’re listening to Points In Between.
This is Episode 1: Leaving Home
Shane: Can you just introduce yourself by name in …what is your first language?
This is Episode 2: A Day in the Life
Let’s begin with a visualization exercise.
Picture a school you attended. Or, maybe you’re in it right now. ..
This is Episode 3: What Did You Expect?
Selena: Well, since I was little I didn't really realize how much America was really involved in the conflict at the time. I know, you know later on, I realized like how Bill Clinton helped resolve the war and how he stepped in and why the war actually ended…
This is Episode 4: First Day
Have you ever been the new kid? I don’t mean first day of kindergarten or college, where everyone is new. I mean the kind of new kid where your classmates already know where they’re going to sit in the cafeteria at and you don’t…
This is Episode 5: The Great Equalizer
Selena: The thing that I think is most different than in American schools is we didn't really have a lot of standardized testing. Whenever they tested us you would have to stand up, you would go in front of the class, you would be asked questions, and you would have to answer them…
This is Episode 6: Behave!
This episode of Points In Between explores the relationship between students and the people on the other end of the equation at school: their teachers. You’ll hear stories about how students and teachers interact with each other in classrooms here and in places around the world.
This is Episode 7: Me In English
Here’s a simple question: What is the most widely spoken language in the world?
Before you answer, let me play you something…
This is Episode 8: Here And There
Let’s begin with this:
XuHui: I've… surprisingly find that the people here seems to be more happy about their job. I mean, yeah even the bus driver are happy about their jobs. I mean, I don't think that's the situation in China. In… basically in China we never say thank you [laughs] after we get off the bus, but here I heard some other people say that. And…yeah, it's really a good way to show appreciation and show respect to everyone who has served you. No matter what you are, who you are, and no matter who he is. This kind of a relationship shows a spirit of equal[ity]. ..
This is Episode 9: Friends And Family
Shiraj: I used to watch movies. So I kind of expected as everyone to be friendly but that was like…the wrong expectation. I mean, OK there are people [who are] friendly but to mingle with them you need to like… the chemistry… you need…It's hard to find people who had the same chemistry as you. ..