Education majors face new opportunity
Students slated to teach foreign language skills to elementary students
Nathaniel Shuda
Issue date: 2/27/06 Section: Campus News
For many UW-Eau Claire education majors, being a student teacher is their first experience in a classroom setting, but some are getting the experience before their final semester.
Students in Curriculum and Instruction 437, Teaching Foreign Languages in Grades 1-9, will be given the chance to teach through a program that offers foreign language courses to first through fifth-graders in the Eau Claire area.
The program provides students with a way to receive a practicum experience in teaching French, German or Spanish to children, depending on their foreign language major or minor.
Senior Abbey Grambort, an elementary education major and a Spanish education minor, plans to teach second grade after she
graduates.
"It will definitely be a good learning experience," she said, adding that interacting with younger students will allow her to become used to "second-grade behavior."
During the first few weeks of the semester, students work with Paul Hoff, a professor of Spanish and foreign language education, to learn about organizing a curriculum, and what techniques work for younger children.
Hoff was involved in a similar "Spanish in the Schools" program, which began in January 2003. This program expanded during the 2003-2004 academic year to add French classes, according to a UW-Eau Claire Foundation publication.
"It's a really good experience because it's not like student teaching or anything because you're putting together a curriculum," Grambort said. "I think it's a really good experience to actually teach it rather than just reading from a textbook."
Although many students are taking the class to complete their practicum experience, those already involved in a similar program or find an opportunity to volunteer, are permitted to continue with the alternate program.
Senior Jessica Talavera is currently in the course and said, though she is participating in a similar year-long program, she thinks such experiences are good for students who are looking to get into teaching.
"It's a good way to get out there and test the waters without actually being the actual teacher," she said. "We get to see how the age group we're dealing with will respond to a new language."
With a Spanish major and a minor in math education, Talavera said she hopes the experience will better her skills for the future when she enters "the real world."
Each class will have about 12 students, depending on the number of children that sign up, Grambort said.
Classes will be held from 4:10 to 4:50 p.m. Thursdays from March 16 through May 11, with the exception of March 23, which is during spring break.
Hoff was unable to be contacted by The Spectator.
Students in Curriculum and Instruction 437, Teaching Foreign Languages in Grades 1-9, will be given the chance to teach through a program that offers foreign language courses to first through fifth-graders in the Eau Claire area.
The program provides students with a way to receive a practicum experience in teaching French, German or Spanish to children, depending on their foreign language major or minor.
Senior Abbey Grambort, an elementary education major and a Spanish education minor, plans to teach second grade after she
graduates.
"It will definitely be a good learning experience," she said, adding that interacting with younger students will allow her to become used to "second-grade behavior."
During the first few weeks of the semester, students work with Paul Hoff, a professor of Spanish and foreign language education, to learn about organizing a curriculum, and what techniques work for younger children.
Hoff was involved in a similar "Spanish in the Schools" program, which began in January 2003. This program expanded during the 2003-2004 academic year to add French classes, according to a UW-Eau Claire Foundation publication.
"It's a really good experience because it's not like student teaching or anything because you're putting together a curriculum," Grambort said. "I think it's a really good experience to actually teach it rather than just reading from a textbook."
Although many students are taking the class to complete their practicum experience, those already involved in a similar program or find an opportunity to volunteer, are permitted to continue with the alternate program.
Senior Jessica Talavera is currently in the course and said, though she is participating in a similar year-long program, she thinks such experiences are good for students who are looking to get into teaching.
"It's a good way to get out there and test the waters without actually being the actual teacher," she said. "We get to see how the age group we're dealing with will respond to a new language."
With a Spanish major and a minor in math education, Talavera said she hopes the experience will better her skills for the future when she enters "the real world."
Each class will have about 12 students, depending on the number of children that sign up, Grambort said.
Classes will be held from 4:10 to 4:50 p.m. Thursdays from March 16 through May 11, with the exception of March 23, which is during spring break.
Hoff was unable to be contacted by The Spectator.