International Student Teaching Spring 2009

I retired after more than 15 years working for a ministry serving children who have been severely sexually traumatized. This retirement at such a young age gave me the opportunity to consider a new call. I always enjoyed school, but my husband and siblings had experienced school as a place that created a feeling of being less than acceptable, less than smart, less than sufficient. I am also aware that many people go through their lives without being celebrated as gifted and valuable. Teaching will give me an opportunity to fill this gap. Consequently, I chose to add a teaching license to the degree in English that I already hold.

I am currently student teaching at Ashe County High School, in West Jefferson, NC. My assignment includes teaching one 12th-grade and two 11th-grade English classes. Although my cooperating teachers and the remarkably cooperative students have made this a very positive experience, I continue to learn from challenges and mistakes.

I will miss being with the students at Ashe, but I am looking forward to meeting my host family and the students, teachers, and staff at D'Amicis in Puebla, Mexico. I have traveled all my life, within the U.S., throughout North America, and recently in Europe. I chose to student teach in Mexico because many of the students who immigrate to North Carolina are from Mexico. I hope that my experiences at D'Amicis will enhance my ability to teach these students and to connect with their families. In addition to improving my facility with Spanish, I expect to learn more about the Mexican culture, particularly the culture from the region around Mexico City. Furthermore, I will have the benefit of being with additional seasoned teachers from whom I can learn how to be a better teacher.