At Chagrin Falls Middle School, the belief in a culture of collaboration, connection, and creativity was evident in the Spanish Club's recent field trip. Experiential activities were embraced as a means for students and staff to maximize their potential, growth, and achievement. This trip provided the opportunity for students to interact with new information, synthesize their learning, and extend their thinking.
The Spanish Club's itinerary took them to Elm Street Elementary and La Mexicana Market in Painesville, Ohio, and Barroco Colombian Restaurant in Willoughby, offering a diverse array of experiences that aligned with the World Language Standards. The goal was to make students college ready, career ready, and ready for the world.
The first stop was Elm Street Elementary, where students practiced their interpretive communication skills by reading bilingual books to kindergartners, many of whom were native Spanish speakers. This activity allowed them to derive meaning from texts using reading and listening strategies, as well as order in the target language.
At La Mexicana Market, the students gained knowledge and understanding of other cultures by examining and describing relationships among products, practices, and perspectives, comparing them across cultures. They experienced the target language and culture firsthand, sharing information and personal reactions with one another.
The final destination was Barroco Colombian Restaurant, where students interacted with native Spanish-speaking wait staff and experienced Colombian cuisine. This experience highlighted the fact that Spanish speakers do not share all the same diets, cultural norms, and perspectives, further emphasizing the importance of developing competent global citizens.
Throughout the field trip, the students encountered various careers that utilize bilingual employees, from volunteering in an English Language Learner immersion kindergarten classroom to engaging with staff at the market and restaurant. This exposure allowed them to see the practical applications of their language skills and the value of cultural competency in the workforce.
The Spanish Club's field trip exemplified Chagrin Falls Middle School's commitment to providing experiential activities that foster collaboration, connection, and creativity, ultimately enabling students to maximize their potential, growth, and achievement in the realm of World Languages.
