A New Year at ISSD
By Bahar Motarjemi
The Iranian School of San Diego has begun its 38th year of instruction, and hundreds of students will learn about the Persian language one day a week. Every Sunday, students will be taught reading, writing, and speaking Persian by talented teachers and teacher assistants. Throughout its years of operation, ISSD has remained committed to ensuring quality language education for students of all ages. With its engaging coursework and ties to Iranian culture, ISSD is an exemplary institution that fosters not only a love for Persian but an appreciation for its roots in Iranian culture.
Each year, the school welcomes roughly 60-80 new students in the lowest learning level, and according to ISSD principal Ali Sadr, it is of great importance that these students are welcomed into this new environment. Considering that many of the younger kids in Persian school continue into higher levels of Persian classes, the ISSD faculty ensures that children in beginner classes are able to adapt to a potentially new educational experience. With a warm and inviting environment being just one of its many positive attributes, it is little surprise that ISSD has seen a notable increase in student enrollment since its first year.
ISSD operates independently, without political or religious affinities, which gives the school flexibility in course material and assignments. Teaching practices/materials can be easily modified to better serve the students’ education. ISSD makes many of its own textbooks and learning materials, some of which have even been implemented in other “Farsi schools” nationwide. Each class level at ISSD has a specific learning plan, which is greatly benefited by the personalized textbooks the school creates and distributes. School-wide, there is an emphasis on learning the historical and cultural origins of the Persian language, so the curriculum often involves the customs, holidays, and beliefs that are integral to Iranian culture. Assignments for class usually aim to teach students how to demonstrate their knowledge of the culture, whether it be in a geographical sense or a historical one. This helps ISSD students contextualize their studies of the Persian language and helps them gain an understanding of its background.
Beyond regular classes on Sunday mornings, students at ISSD can broaden their knowledge of Persian culture by taking enrichment courses such as theatre, dance, art, music, and more. Much like traditional schooling, ISSD allows students to explore their interests in elective classes, but with an added component of language immersion. The elective classes are an amazing addition to a quality language experience, as they provide different settings for students to practice their speaking and communication skills. These classes are especially valuable to artistic students looking to pursue their interests alongside their “Farsi school” peers.
In short, ISSD has had an impressive 37 years of Persian education and will continue its mission of effectively teaching students Persian in the future. Through specialized curriculum and cultural components, ISSD students receive a quality language-learning experience that they can carry with them even after graduation. With their students’ language retainment as priority, ISSD regularly reviews their teaching methods and processes to guarantee students are engaged and successful. This year, ISSD is sure to be filled with meaningful activities and classes that will develop and strengthen students’ Persian skills.
