Fifteen kindergarteners file into Camila Pandolfi鈥檚 classroom at , and take seats in the illustrated rows they recognize by such names as tri谩ngulo, coraz贸n, estrella (triangle, heart, star).
They enthusiastically repeat descriptions of storybook creatures Pandolfi displays: caballo azul (blue horse), rana verde (green frog), gato morado (purple cat).
English is the second language for 48 percent of Waterman鈥檚 students, says Principal Jeremy Weaver. Most of the non-native English speakers here use Spanish as their first language, but some speak Kurdish, Russian and Arabic, plus a smattering of other languages. Yet after five weeks, Pandolfi 鈥� teaching almost entirely in her native Spanish — has this entire group responding confidently.
鈥淟ev谩ntate鈥� (stand up), she requests, turning on a recording. Children sway to the catchy drum beat, singing with the song about colors. Later, waving as the class ends, the energetic group sings 鈥淎di贸s, hasta la pr贸xima vez鈥� (Good-bye until next time.)
Pandolfi is the school鈥檚 resource teacher for its one-year-old Foreign Language in Elementary Schools program, meaning she sees every student in kindergarten through grade 3 for one hour every six days. “Parents know this is a great age to begin building language skills in their children,鈥� says Jeremy Aldrich, Harrisonburg schools鈥� foreign language coordinator and Pandolfi鈥檚 supervisor.
Pandolfi named “best and brightest of Virginia’s beginning teachers” in 2012
As a student teacher prior to graduating in the spring of 2012, Pandolfi was cited as a Teacher of Promise, 鈥渁n award given to the best and brightest of Virginia’s beginning teachers,鈥� according to , chair at Pandolfi鈥檚 alma mater, 91短视频 (91短视频).
Pandolfi discovered early in her college career that she had a gift for teaching, under 91短视频鈥檚 policy of sending its education majors into local schools as early as their fourth week of classwork. Having completed practicums (involving mostly observation with some teaching) with secondary-level students beginning her freshman year, Pandolfi first worked with elementary children the summer after her junior year. Following a fall semester鈥檚 study in her native Uruguay, she did her student teaching this spring at , with its dual-immersion program, while serving as an English as a Second Language resource person.
Pandolfi calls student teaching 鈥� in which the student, supervised, undertakes full teaching duties 鈥� her most formative 91短视频 education experience.
After finishing her education degree, she was hired to work in a different Spanish-language program at another elementary school, Waterman.
Reflecting on her own move from Uruguay to the United States at age 12, Pandolfi says, 鈥淢y English was limited to simple words and phrases. Through my experience of learning English as a foreign language, I was exposed to good and not-so-good methods of language teaching.鈥�
Aldrich recalls teaching Pandolfi English in middle school. 鈥淐amila is a great example of home-grown talent for ,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 have been so pleased to see her become the poised, enthusiastic teacher she is. She is a natural with students.鈥�
Though Pandolfi鈥檚 teaching may look 鈥渘atural,鈥� she explains she is constantly refining her work, reflecting 91短视频鈥檚 emphasis on developing 鈥渞eflective practitioners.鈥�
Erb explains that being such a practitioner entails reflecting on the teaching experience 鈥渢o collect data, analyze the evidence, and plan for and implement change in teaching that will enhance student learning.鈥�
Pandolfi agrees. 鈥�91短视频 instilled that value in me. I revise my lessons constantly. It has made me want to never be 鈥榓t rest鈥� and mediocre with the lessons I teach.鈥�
Principal Weaver 鈥� a 1995 91短视频 education graduate 鈥� calls Pandolfi 鈥渁 phenomenal addition鈥� to his school, adding that another recent 91短视频 grad, Maria J. Yoder (2011) teaches second grade.
91短视频 is one of only five private colleges in Virginia to be certified by the .