Friendships developed quickly as the visiting Uruguayan teachers made their way around Collegiate's campus.
One of Mary Tapia's fourth grade Spanish classes welcomed Ms. Rangoni and Ms. Farias to their classroom.
A colorful map in Mary Tapia's room showed South America, with Uruguay tucked in the southeastern portion below Brazil, and just above Argentina.
One of the coastal countries of South America, Uruguay has some beautiful coastline and beaches.
One of the teachers' first stops was a visit to one of Barbara Korpal's Upper School Spanish classes.
While Uruguay has many historic architectural masterpieces, they are also proud of some of the cutting edge modern architecture which is springing up there.
After a film, there was some general commentary, and then questions from the students.
Upper School Spanish teacher Barbara Korpal translated questions from students, and made sure the students understood the answers, as well as some of the nuances of the teachers' accents.
Barbara Korpal (far left), Mary Tapia (near left) and Rosann Bocciarelli (near right) are helping Cristina Rangoni and Laura Farias have an enjoyable and educational visit.
In the Lower School, students are anxious to learn about life in Uruguay.
The Urugayan teachers really enjoyed visiting with Mary Tapia's fourth graders.
The students were paying close attention...
Lower School Spanish teacher Mary Tapia is part of the team that is assisting with the visit. She is chaperoning them around campus, and helping to coordinate their schedule.
A good time was had by all as Uruguay was the topic of the day...
A class portrait, minus Senora Tapia. Now what was Senora Tapia telling them to say, to make them smile?!

1/17

Uruguayan Teachers Visit Collegiate Through Fulbright Program

2/17/2006

On Monday February 13 Collegiate's campus became a little more international with the arrival of two visiting teachers from Uruguay. The teachers, Christina Rangoni and Laura Farias, are visiting Collegiate for two weeks through the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program. While here, the teachers will be learning about our educational system, and will be spending time with all three Collegiate divisions. Rosann Bocciarelli, who heads up Collegiate's international studies programs, is very involved with their visit, as is Mary Tapia, Lower School Spanish teacher, who will be chaperoning and coordinating the schedule for our esteemed guests. As the teachers speak little English, both Bocciarelli and Tapia will be serving as translators, as will other Spanish language teachers around campus.

By the end of their first day, the teachers were happy but exhausted, having met lots of Collegiate people, and received some Collegiate gifts from Alex Smith, Vice President of Development. While it was agreed to not keep them on too much of a whirlwind pace, their second day was pretty packed as well. It started off at the Lower School, as Mary Tapia showed them around some more. By 10:30 they were back in the Upper School, visiting a Spanish class taught by Barbara Korpal. A video about Uruguay was screened, covering the history, geography, architecture, economy, and culture of this beautiful country in southeast South America, and then the teachers offered some commentary, and answered questions from students. Korpal served as translator, offering up the students' questions to the teachers, and then paraphrasing the teachers' responses -- in Spanish -- in such a manner that the students could fully understand the answers. Bocciarelli observed the whole class, and beamed from the sidelines at this vibrant cultural interchange. No doubt, the teachers were studying the students a bit as well.

In fairly short order it was back to the Lower School, for an appearance in one of Tapia's fourth grade Spanish classes. Many hands were raised by the enthusiastic and intrigued children, and much of the period was spent answering the diverse range of questions. The students asked about their daily lives, their schools and their families, and the teachers seemed to have a great time telling them about life in Uruguay.

Ms. Rangoni comes from Salto, a city in the northwest of Uruguay. She currently teachers 4th grade in a rural community, and taught at the high school level for 10 years before concentrating on the lower grades. She is being hosted by Bocciarelli and her family.

Ms. Farias comes from Montevideo, the capitol of Uruguay. She has been teaching grades 1-6 for the past seven years in a public school. The students in her school come from a lower income community. Dr. Chris Little, Upper School Spanish Teacher, and his family will be hosting Ms. Farias during her stay. Reflective of Collegiate's team approach in making this visit as enjoyable and productive as possible for the teachers, there are others involved as well. Deb Gray and Mimi Ryland are helping with off-campus visits, and Daniela Guzman and Chris Little are chaperoning them during their visits to the Middle School and Upper School. If you see them, say hello -- or better yet "hola!"

While they are here to learn from us and about our educational system, be assured we'll learn much from them, and consider them cherished friends by the time they return home.

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