Cultural Immersion Projects student teachers in Ireland earn front-page coverage
Donegal, Ireland newspaper writes about two teachers making an impression
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Two Indiana University School of Education students taking part in the Cultural Immersion Projects student teaching program are the subject of a glowing article in an Irish newspaper. The Donegal News, based in Letterkenny (in County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in northwest Ireland), wrote about the experience of Maria Miller and Ashley Bocian, who have just concluded their eight weeks of teaching in Ireland.
The article published on May 16 recounts how Bocian (on the left of the picture) and Miller (in the middle) adapted to local culture and even earned the recognition of a local radio host. Click here to see the entire article.
The Cultural Immersion Projects is internationally-known for its unique teaching experience. It places student teachers in 15 countries, the Navajo Nation, and Chicago Public Schools. Since the programs began in 1972, nearly 4,000 pre-service educators have gained professional experience in foreign, Native American, and urban schools while gaining insight into the experiences of those in different cultures. It has received numerous awards, including the 2011 Innovation Award from the “University Design Consortium,” an organization founded to challenge public universities around the world to develop innovative strategies to address the complex 21st century issues. The University Design Consortium is a project of Arizona State University and Sichuan University in China.
In 2001, the American Association for Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE) honored the Cultural Immersions Projects with the Best Practice Award for Global and International Teacher Education. In 2005 the program earned the Goldman Sachs Higher Education Prize for Excellence in International Education, along with two other IU-Bloomington departments.
“At Indiana University, we have long stressed the value of cross-cultural experiences for our students,” said Provost and Executive Vice President Karen Hanson. “The student teachers who participate in the School of Education’s Cultural Immersion Projects gain enormous benefits, as do the students they teach. The projects are outstanding examples of IU’s engagement beyond the borders of our campus.”
The American Indian Reservation Project, begun by School of Education Professor Jim Mahan, formed the original experience for pre-service teachers. Within a few years, the Overseas Project began sending students to English-speaking nations. Since 1996, the list of placement countries has grown to 15, with China, Ecuador, India, Kenya, Russia, Turkey, and Spain among the additions. In 2008, the Urban Project began a partnership with Chicago Public Schools, sending students to live and work in inner-city neighborhoods. After a year of preparation specific to the cultural sites in which they will be placed, student teachers spend a full semester on the Navajo Reservation and in Chicago and at least eight weeks overseas. Around 150 student teachers participate annually.
The University Design Consortium noted the unique nature of the Cultural Immersion Projects in the letter notifying project director Laura Stachowski the program had won the award. “Your impressive teacher education program attracted the attention of our judges due to its creativity in addressing different cultures within and across countries as a major facet for the placement,” wrote Kathryn Mohrman, the director of the University Design Consortium.
“Through this program, students gain a degree of intercultural competency unmatched in teacher preparation anywhere else,” said Gerardo Gonzalez, dean of the IU School of Education. “Our classroom teachers are working with a more diverse student population than ever before. Participants tell us that the global awareness, confidence and skills they learn are invaluable to their careers and the students they teach.”
Stachowski said she hears weekly from alumni who speak highly of their experiences. “I hear from them again and again that it has changed their perspectives on the world, that it has opened up opportunities and possibilities that they wouldn’t have dreamed of if they hadn’t participated in this program,” she said. “Even if they return to their hometown to teach, it’s with a new mindset about the world and what they can bring into their classrooms to broaden the scope for their elementary and secondary kids.”
