- By Bobby Barrera March,April, May:A Time for Renewal in Land and Schools
Spring brings a time to be thankful for the end of winter and the arrival of renewal. It’s a season to celebrate our student’s successes, such as becoming Kansas Scholars, passing the Kansas Biliteracy Test, and earning the Kansas Seal of Biliteracy to be noted on their high school transcripts. Witnessing a mother’s happiness as her child makes her proud is an unparalleled pleasure. This period also provides an opportunity to update our teaching materials, goals, and syllabus, and perhaps introduce additional levels of foreign language for the upcoming school year, preparing for new students in the fall.
Effective communication between middle school foreign language teachers, online language instructors, and high school teachers is essential for helping students transition smoothly from one level of foreign language to the next. The Kansas State World Language Association and the Kansas Department of Education are committed to ensuring student success in foreign language acquisition. Strengthening high school students’ proficiency in foreign languages is crucial for their educational and economic development, enhancing Kansas’s attractiveness to industries and international businesses, and creating job opportunities for graduates proficient in foreign languages.
Embracing Technology:
A Call to Action
Dr. Larisa Genin, Dean and Professor at the W. Frank Barton School of Business, Wichita State University, emphasized the need to embrace technology and its disruptive potential. She outlined several key points:
• Real-world skills
• Promoting creativity
• Focusing on developing talent
• Contributing to economic prosperity Technology provides a platform for corporate business, higher education, and technological advancement. It is vital for us to engage and cooperate to foster these skills.
The Heartland of Innovation: Tech Landscape and Acceleration The tech sector significantly impacts the economy, with companies whose primary product or service is technology contributing $10.4 billion. Kansas competes with neighboring states such as Nebraska, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, and Iowa. Kansas boasts 2,153 tech companies employing 43,784 people, with median tech wages at $78,880. However, Kansas lacks tech companies with over 500 employees, placing it behind Missouri and second in the regional area.
To prepare our students for a successful future in foreign languages, it is essential to integrate technology into every lesson and project.
Addressing the Impact of COVID-19 COVID-19 has significantly affected students, particularly in their reading and writing skills. The Kansas Department of Education now requires incorporating reading and writing across all subjects. During the Kansas State World Language Association 2023 conference, it was advised that students in lower levels of foreign language classes write essays in their first language to compare cultures. Additionally, students at lower levels should read Spanish books, while those at upper levels should engage with literary works such as “Las uvas de la ira” by John Steinbeck or “Los rebeldes” by S. E. Hinton. My experience team-teaching with ELA Modern Arts teacher Mrs. Barbara Montgomery has shown that answering essay questions in a foreign language benefits students in both languages.
A Message of Renewal and Hope
As educators, we are entrusted with the important task of shaping the minds of the next generation. Remember that renewal, much like the powerful forces that rejuvenate the earth, is a part of our responsibility. Wishing all a safe summer filled with travel and new adventures as we look forward to the next school year.
