When the entire culture is new to you, and you don't understand what people are saying or what you're supposed to be doing, it is overwhelming. This helped me know what our students are going through. With language barriers making the school's traditional curriculum ineffective for a growing number of students, connecting with kids and their families has taken on new importance at Manson over the past few years. Inspired by her trip, Koenig, who is also the school's Title VII grant coordinator for bilingual education, came up with an idea for a program where other teachers could study Spanish and travel to Mexico. The district and school board agreed to set aside money from the budget, and Manson's Spanish for Educators program was born.
Staff can participate in the program in two ways.
During the summer, the district pays for an intense, 40-hour week of Spanish instruction for interested staff. Koenig looks for established study-abroad programs that offer college credit. In addition to Cuernavaca, teachers have visited Morelia, Mexico, through a program at Central Washington University. Many Manson families have come from both regions. It has to be many things, at many times, for many people.