My Portuguese School by Irene Ribeiro

Because Canada is a multicultural nation, it was found that more and more people wanted to preserve their cultural background and most of all their language. The Heritage program was designed to respond to the needs of the numerous communities that appealed to this fact.

This program now has classes in more than 36 languages. In the Kitchener-Waterloo area there are a diversity of languages being taught through the Heritage program, one of them is the Portuguese. This program is offered on Saturday mornings at St. Joseph elementary school. We have classes that go from junior kindergarten to grade 6. Our numbers are increasing year after year, parents believe that their children need an education in their ancestral language also. Most of the children do not like the idea of waking up early every Saturday morning and missing their favourite cartoons, but this concept changes as they grow older.

At the Portuguese program, the proper teaching of the language and culture is an aspect that is very stressed. Our staff consist of 15 teachers, volunteers, and a supervisor. These are really dedicated people who give their maximum so the program can run smoothly. This program owes most of its success within the Portuguese community, to Mr.Inacio Mota, who is the Assistant Supervisor and is responsible for its "booming" and rejuvenation.

This article was originally published in Cross Cultures Magazine in Volume 1 - Issue 3 - 1992. Unauthorized copying, distribution or other usage without express written permission of the publisher is prohibited.