In the summer of 2018, Bridgeport High School senior, Alden Smith, added world-traveler to her long list of accomplishments as she visited several European countries.  She found that she was quite at home amid the new faces, new traditions, and the cultural experiences.  Upon her return, she longed for a way to inspire younger students to travel abroad and become more culturally literate.

 

“Traveling to Europe allowed me to see the world with a much larger lens than before,” said Smith. “The experience helped me decide to add International Business to my collegiate endeavors and to develop a curriculum that teaches elementary students all about some of the countries I visited.”

 

Smith, who is in the BHS Spanish Honorary and has completed coursework through Spanish V, decided to focus her efforts on teaching Spanish after school to Johnson Elementary students each. Wednesday.  The initial response from families has been overwhelmingly positive and Smith intends to teach a total of nine classes by the end of the semester.  

 

“I truly enjoy working with kids but I am also passionate about teaching global literacy and fully believe that all students should have the opportunity to explore international interests and be prepared for entering foreign language classes in middle school,” she said.

 

Working with volunteers such as Savannah Pudder, Smith is creating her own curriculum for the students using a variety of resources.  She plans to cover basic Spanish words and phrases, including introductions, colors, greetings, numbers, days of the week, animals and general conversations one might encounter when traveling.  She also intends to introduce students to Spanish-speaking countries, culture and traditions.

 

“Learning a foreign language at an early age provides incredible benefits regarding cognitive development,” said Smith.  “It improves problem-solving skills and increases communication skills, creating a solid base on which further foreign language development can be built.”