Beveridge Middle School Collaboration

9/23/2012

Hurrying to the yellow school bus parked in front of the Student Center on Thursday, 9/20, we all were greeted by our wonderful graduate assistant Sandra! Her arms were full with video equipment and cameras to be used for our interviews with the Global Studies 8th. graders at Beveridge Middle School. Sandra also brought with her delicious boxed lunches provided by Service Learning. The lunches and bus allowed us to spend a lot of time together and maximize our time at the school.
Geography, language, family, sports, values, important places....these were all topics of discussions we had with the energetic and welcoming 8th. grade students! Having already read letters the eight graders wrote us, we got to actually meet (in person) the students who had written these letters.
The students also showed us maps about their lives they had created using all kinds of themes, from baseball, to candy, to video games, to basketball. The students used these maps to tell us about their lives and what is important to them.
They also wanted to know so much about us!! What language do you speak? What is the weather like in your country? What sports do you play and what about people in your country? What do people wear? These students already knew a lot about the world and I think they know even more now having talked with us!
We had 2+ hours of non-stop, enthusiastic, one-on-one communication with native English speakers and everybody's language was definitely challenged and expanded! Oh, and now we are privileged to say we have true friends at the Beveridge Middle School!

16 Comments

Maythaa Alnofali

9/23/2012 11:59:34 am

Our trip to the Beveridge Middle school was really awesome. We had a lot of fun with the students. They were really friendly and kind. I met two girls and three boys. I was glad while I was talking with them. The girls were a little bit shy ,so they didn't ask me a lot of questions ,but I let them talk to me by asking them questions. The questions were about ,their self, school,life, what they like to do in their freetime,what kind of volunteering work that they did,and other questions. The boys were really outgoing. They weren't shy. They asked me a lot of smart questions. One of them asked me about my major. When I said to him my major is architectural engineering he said WoW it's a great major. Then, he said I like this major,and I'm thinking to choose this major when I'll enter university. I had a lot of fun and a great conversations. I want to visit this school again.

Kelli Westphal

9/23/2012 12:35:00 pm

Good news Maythaa...we're planning to do a service project with these students in October!

Maythaa AlNofali

9/28/2012 11:10:07 am

AWESOME
I,m glad to hear such as this news:)

Yurika

9/23/2012 12:38:12 pm

I agree with Maythaa. The students were very kind and friendly. Even if I couldn’t speak English very well, they tried to understand what I said. At that time, I spent wonderful time in the middle school. My major is education in my Japanese university, so I was very interested in American education. When I asked to students about their school life, they told me a lot of things. One girl I talked with her told me about her dream job, doctor. And also she likes to study here. Then I realized that they LOVE school. That was one of big astonishment for me because some of Japanese students don’t like their classes. Therefore I started to think about the differences between American education and Japanese one. Finally, I appreciate all the people who gave us this fantastic opportunity. I’d like to keep in touch with them and visit this school again. Thank you very much!

Alyaziya

9/24/2012 06:16:08 am

Our trip to that school was a great chance to see what the school looks like and the students are. Meeting them and answering there questions and ask them too about their school and how they volunteer and when was greet chance to practice my english. I meet three girls and one boy. They were super friendly there questions were good and it was all about living in anther country. Anther thing is that when we were don we went to see there school and it was awesome time. Thank you for this opportunity Miss :D.

Shoko

9/24/2012 11:46:42 am

Actually, I had heard from my host mother that Beveridge Middle school is the school her son graduated from, so I was really looking forward to visiting there. Anyway, I could enjoy talking with the students. I talked with 3 girls. They were all kind to me even if I could not speak English well. Especially, I was very surprised to hear that one of them desires strongly to live in Japan in the future. She likes Japanese cartoons ,and she is also interested in Japanese. I was really glad and I wanted to talk about Japan more if I had a time. Her eyes when she was talking about Japan looked very brilliant,so I want to inspire her dream to visit Japan! Having dreams are very important because they try to strive to study or experience many things for their future. I had really good time there, and I would like to visit the school again! Thank you.

Spring

9/24/2012 01:09:14 pm

I spent fantastic times at middle school with students. Actually, in Korea, I have been taught for 5years. So, these days I really miss my students as teacher, I was excited. Although I cannot speak English very well, they really want to understand my questions.

I was so surprised while they asked to me about North Korea and South Korea. Actually I worried about that they do not know about Korea before I went to there. As you know, Korea was divided after World War II, and we still and small country.
Surprisingly, they searched about Korea such as Korean, traditional food, and famous area. It was so impressed.
Sorry to say if I had some traditional souvenirs, I would give them. I think we can meet them again, isn't it?

Abdullah

9/25/2012 01:44:04 am

It was a great experience that I earned when we visited Beveridge Magent School. I have learned a lot of thing about american educational system. I also learned about the subjects that they are studying there. There was something interesting that I realized that most of the students liked the international studies class. I am agree with them because their teacher was really nice. She was working with her class very well and has her own style of teaching. Another thing that I liked that they have a theater and they present three major drama productions each year. In the end, the students were nice with us and enthusiasm. I really would like to visit this school again.

Mio

9/25/2012 02:43:59 am

I had a good time in this middle school. I was so nervous before we arrived there, because I didn’t think students understand my English. I almost talk with adults when I speak English actually. But they are so kind and tried to listen to me carefully, so I could enjoy talking with them. I have had a experience in practicing teaching at elementary school and middle school, so I was so interested in American school. When one girl introduced their school, I thought American students are so creative and individual, and they know a lot about their school. This experience will be so helpful for my future. I’d like to go this middle school again :)

Chan

9/26/2012 04:41:36 pm

Oh,! my face is um,,,,,, XD
spring also,,,
whatever, I was fun that time!!! They were curious anout other countries and cultures. They also were interested in us maybe,,,
Actually, it was first time to go American school that has young people as middle or high school. I tried to talk to them well, so i sometimes talked something interesting that makes to be funny like slang, gangnam style ^ㅠ^, and their interests. One of students was very friendly for me. We talked many things. Although he was just 13 years old, I had a very good conversation. I hope to go there again,~~!

Katsuhiko

9/26/2012 04:52:56 pm

We went to Beveridge Middle School. It was good experience for me because my major is Education and I want to be a teacher. I could know an aspect of American middle school. And the students are interest in foreign countries. Some students asked me about Japan. I hope their thought of foreign countries spread more by this exchange.

Zak

9/27/2012 12:24:34 am

I have never had any conversation with american kids before, so going to the Beveridge School was a great idea because i have known lots of new things which american kids have like their thoughts, ambition, goals, and the way they see the life. I hope we would go to other Schools soon.

Suyeon Jeong

10/2/2012 12:35:48 pm

Before going to beveridge middle school, i was little bit worried,because my english skill is not good. however, students were very kind and nice to me. they has made my feel comfortable. i was so happy. this experience is my first time, and it is very special to me. when i talked about beveridge student, communication with them was fine. if i have chance, i really want to go again and i would like to introduce my country more very well. Anyway, I cannot forget them and i like to them.

Aisha Alhashmi

10/3/2012 02:44:25 pm

Beviredge school!!
You guys are AMAZING such a brilliant students!!
thanx for having us to know you very closely :) From my experience over there I meat first with a girl which we have a same things we talk a little bit about them , she like 'The Wonted 'just like me <3
another 2 boys one of them have made his own map with cookies it was a creative idea I like it so much. Another 2 girls was telling me more information about there classes and I enjoy it :)
they have grate chance to learn about many countries around the wold, so I'm sure that they will ganna be more than what we expect them to be ... good chance to let them involved to all different cultures and life styles ,... just we all proud of u guys so keep it up

almuhannad altawqi

10/4/2012 03:09:46 am

the student in Beveridge were rally amazing especially the student i have met. they were very friendly. i wasn't expect so much, they were talking to us as old friends do. so i hope meet them soon. while talking to them i knew that they are smart because they have good thought and continuo the conversation with easy question so i can answer them. i rally like to visit them again.

Meisam

10/8/2012 03:01:29 pm

the only statement i can say for describe the beveridge school student is "they were really the most hospitable kids i had ever see". Tnx all guys..

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Beveridge Middle School Collaboration

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