"Why Are You Studying Abroad? You're an Education Major."

Recently, I have been questions on my motives to study abroad. I've gotten many valid questions such as:

"Who are you going with?"

"Is it for credit?"

"Will you miss school?"

"How can you be graded on that?"

and most alarmingly..."Why Are You Studying Abroad? You're an Education Major."

This question actually chokes me up a bit when people bring it up, and I get all tongue tied when I try to explain it on the fly. So I will try to lay out my points here in a more logical and understandable way. There is a common assumption that teachers do not NEED to go abroad in order to be able to teach, in my case, to the Massachusetts Common Core Curriculum values. I can see how people can be likely to think like this, given the modern focus on standardized testing: MCAS, PSAT, SAT, College Placement Exams, and MTELs, which in my case, I have taken within the last 5 years alone. Adults want teachers who can help their students pass these exams to have a promising future, the pressure is on them from the day their child is born to start saving for college, which is a short 18 years away. I understand. However, maybe I'm a dreamer, but I seem to remember learning a lot more from my Good Teachers than just what was in the books, and I hope to teach in a way that can expand young minds and create a love of learning. My trip to London is just the beginning of this.

As a teacher, I will be expected to have an understanding of and be accepting of all multicultural situations, and teach these "outside of the classroom" lessons to my students. Without putting myself in multicultural situations to understand them in the first place, I will be at a severe disadvantage in my own classroom. London, though a nationally English speaking country, over 300 languages are spoken in London schools alone. In an effort to put myself in cultural situations that I have yet to experience, I will open the doors to the multicultural acceptance in the classroom that is expected of me in the classroom outside of the classroom and I will be able to apply the skill once I get there.

As a student, reader, and literature lover, this trip fosters an environment for me to expand what I learned in the classroom this past semester in Children's Literature. I will be able to see first hand the ragged school museum (http://www.raggedschoolmuseum.org.uk/), Windsor Castle (http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/visit/windsorcastle), Warner Bros Studios "The Making of Harry Potter" (http://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk/), The Story Museum at Oxford (http://www.storymuseum.org.uk/), The Bodleian Library (http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/bodley), and the Victoria and Albert Museum (http://www.vam.ac.uk/). These are all specifically connected to my course work, as designed and lead by my professor on the trip. Understandably, what an eye opening experience to see the ins and outs of Harry Potter, makings of children's stories, and an international library. Not to mention, I am not denied experiencing the course connections to "The 19th Century British Novel" and others, which can prepare me for future courses and deepen the knowledge I have of writers I have previously studied. There is so much opportunity for learning abroad, and I believe the best teachers are those who desire to learn their whole lives, even the not required material, as I plan on taking on during my trip! So what if I didn't study Dickens for a whole semester, it can't hurt to learn more about the guy (plus we did read a cool picture/comic book that was a Dickens treasury and I kind of loved it)! So yes, I am going to London to learn, and yes, I will be graded on my participation in my learning, and yes, I will bring it back to the classroom, to show my students they make up this tiny part of the world. While there are children who are just like them all the way across the atlantic ocean who love Harry Potter, there is also so much to be learned about the differences in the stories they love, for one example, fairytales. I learned this semester that fairytales in the U.S. and England are VASTLY different and I can't wait to explore it more at the story museum.

As a person who has travelled abroad previously, I know how much travel can aid your heart, happiness, and soul. As soon as the London trip was announced, I knew I could not pass it up, because I know how much I have grown since visiting St. Maarten and Italy. It is true, that it takes significant distance from home for someone to realize their true place and significance in this huge world. This is the first time I will be traveling a significant distance for a significant time where I barely know a single person I am with. I have the amazing once in a lifetime opportunity to put myself out there, meet people, make friends, all while experiencing the crazy things I previously described that will make me a better teacher and student.

Study abroad is important for Education majors too. We do much more than teach standards that are covered on tests. I will be able to learn my course material in a foreign setting that will give me new perspective. I will experience one of the most language dense places in the world. I will have fun touring Warner Bros Studios and (hopefully) seeing Matilda the Musical. I will become more confident in myself as a person, student and teacher as I grasp new cultures and information. Teachers create safe inclusive environments, and we are able to show and not tell the kids about the larger amazing things in this world, and my experience abroad will only improve me as a teacher and help my students through my teaching. I have purpose in going abroad...and I can't wait for Monday!