Snelling Connection Newsletter of the Hancock/Hamline University Collaboration
Lessons Taught, Lessons Learned
College Begins in Kindergarten (CBiK) Getting Ready for College Early, brought to you by www.ed.gov, says, “A two- or four-year college degree is becoming more and more important for unlocking doors to economic and educational opportunity in America today. Examples of jobs college preparation:
Hamline Student Teacher at Hancock Shares Her Experience
requiring
Two-Year College (Associate Degree)
Computer Technician Registered Nurse Dental Hygienist Hotel/Restaurant Manager Automotive Mechanic
Four-Year College (Bachelor’s Degree)
Teacher Accountant FBI Agent Engineer Journalist Writer
“I
More Than Four Years (Various Graduate Degrees)
Lawyer Doctor Architect Scientist Veterinarian Geologist
In This Issue: Hamline Student Teacher
1
Farewell to Shannon McParland
2
Calendar
3
From the Desk of...
4
Mini-Grant Winners Speak Out!
5
Advice Column Carter Award Update
6
Volume 10, Issue 2
Hamline student Paula Cortez reads to Hancock first grade students, encouraging them to actively participate and to read along. programs, the students work to- new challenge. By Quinn Kiley gether to give future teachers, like Hamline University Student “With tutoring you help them Paula, classroom experiences. with one specific skill. With teachOn the way to becoming a teach- ing, you have to make sure that the used to play teacher when I was a kid,” says Paula er, students are required to fulfill students understand the material Cortez, a second year at a number of clinical hours. These that you are giving them,” Paula Hamline University. Now she is on hours give students an early taste said. her way to becoming one. of what it is really like to be a Adding to this challenge is the Growing up in Inver Grove teacher. Shannon McParland, the cultural diversity at Hancock. Heights, Paula admired her teach- curriculum specialist and liaison to McParland says that there are at ers’ ability to take information and Hamline University until Novem- least 20 different languages at make it easier for students to un- ber, says that clinical hours take the Hancock. The school has two proderstand. Now with the help of “practicality of a classroom and grams, English Language Learners Hamline University and Hancock/ make it a reality.” (ELL) and Language Academy, Hamline University Collaborative Paula spends her clinical hours that work with students who are Magnet School, Paula is ready to in Mrs.. Rickey’s first grade class- not native English speakers. This do the same. room. Mrs. Rickey says that the gives Hamline students like Paula The partnership between Ham- time spent in the classroom allows experience with helping students line and Hancock has been around students to ask themselves the learn a new language. Paula notes since the late 1800s, but it was not question, “Is this something that I that techniques such as switching until the spring of 1991, when a really want to do?” back and forth between a student’s grant was approved, that Hamline Paula is given a lot of time to try native language and English can be and Hancock became the first el- to figure out just that. She is at of great help when teaching them ementary-university collaboration Hancock six and a half hours every concepts, such as how to count. in the country. Among many other week, and with each day comes a “Lessons Taught” continued on page 6 Winter 2006