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In 2022, I moved back to the U.S. with my family after living and working with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in Nicaragua. After connecting with organizations there and working in areas of community development, disaster response, and peacebuilding, I wanted to be intentional about applying those experiences with how we live here in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. I was glad to enroll our children and join the work at Lancaster Mennonite where one of the values is to cultivate global citizens.
In a school setting, cultivating a sense of global interconnectedness takes ongoing participation and intentionality. Part of this process is structural, offering courses and activities, and part is mindset or culture, how the school thinks about and prioritizes a global awareness throughout what we do.
As a teacher and a parent at LM, I see this intentionality around global awareness and interconnectedness in a variety of ways. I appreciate having colleagues with roots near and far. I often ask Spanish teachers, Mr. Horacio de la Rosa or Mr. Jose Borrero, questions about how something is said or understood in Mexico or Colombia, where they’ve lived and have connections. I appreciate hearing about creative work with global learning in both the elementary English and Spanish Immersion programs. The Spanish Immersion program represents a significant, sustained effort in language learning and global awareness.
In middle school, I see this intentionality with global awareness in a variety of ways. One highlight last year was that many students read “When Stars are Scattered,” in which the author, Omar Mohamed tells his refugee journey. He then came to campus to speak with students about his experience and respond to their questions.
As someone who started learning a second language at the high school level, I appreciate that LM now offers world language learning opportunities beginning early and throughout students’ years of study. In middle school, sixth grade students have the opportunity to take a semester-long course called Introduction to World Languages. It has been a privilege to teach and be a part of this class. We have significant diversity among our student body, so finding ways of affirming those unique cultural and linguistic identities is important. This class explores concepts of communication, hears from guest speakers, and introduces the languages offered at LM. Guests have included parents of current students, International Volunteer Exchange Program participants (IVEPers) volunteering at LM for the year, faculty, and other community members. We have learned from those with connections in Sudan, Mexico, Honduras, Botswana, East Africa, Paraguay, and Germany.
I am also currently teaching Spanish 1 and 2 classes in the middle school, where we work at learning vocabulary and grammar, as well as look at the context of places where Spanish is used. Learning a language opens a door to communication, and it also increases our awareness beyond ourselves and our borders. Learning a language shapes us as we connect as part of God’s global family.
As a Spanish Immersion teacher, my main objective is for students to learn another language so that they can communicate with a larger portion of the world. I really enjoy helping kids learn something that can broaden their horizons and open their eyes to a bigger world.
In addition to helping them learning a new language, I think it’s important for students to meet heritage speakers and visit other places to experience their cultures. I had a very impactful experience after high school that sparked my interest to continue studying Spanish and propelled me towards my current career path. I initially wanted to go into missions and youth ministry, but shifted focus as I felt the growing desire to teach and provide these opportunities for others to explore this amazing world, people, and cultures that God has created.
SPANISH EXCHANGE PROGRAM
I help facilitate an exchange program between LM students and a school in Spain. This fall 11 high school students from Madrid, Spain came to LM for two weeks to live with host families, visit classes and extracurriculars, practice their English, and experience culture and life in the U.S. The past two summers I’ve taken groups of LM students to Spain to be immersed
in the Spanish language and culture, learn about the history, and live and interact with students and families. These learning opportunities outside of the classroom have been mutually beneficial by providing LM host families with cross-cultural experiences without leaving the country!
It’s also been exciting to have a number of students from Spain enroll as LM students the past two years, and we’re looking forward to more joining next year and in the years to come!
SPANISH IMMERSION STUDENTS
Students who have gone through the Spanish Immersion Program and taken AP Spanish in high school have become proficient enough to live and interact with almost half the world. Professionally, the students will have an advantage to an equally qualified candidate in almost any job because of their ability to speak in more than one language.
I’m excited to see how our Spanish Immersion students will use Spanish as they follow their interests and giftings where God leads them.
