A group of Brock Teacher Education students recently expanded their global educational horizons during a teaching field experience in Verona, Italy.
Faculty of Education (FOE) teacher candidates, accompanied by Professor Darlene Ciuffetelli Parker and Assistant Professor Dane Di Cesare, travelled to the famous setting of Romeo and Juliet to teach at local schools and experience the city’s culture and history.
Madeline Boucinha (BA ’24, BEd ’24) said the international teaching experience helped her to develop cultural competency, language skills, adaptability and innovative teaching practices. The trip also influenced her philosophy on mental health and well-being, lessons Boucinha says she will take with her in her future career as an educator.
“I grew not only as a teacher candidate, but as a person. I gained a sense of independence, resilience and self-awareness living and working in a new country,” she said.
Beyond the rich planning and teaching experiences in ten diverse schools throughout the city, Ciuffetelli Parker said the students were immersed in everyday culture as a way of living and learning, from exploring history, literature and local Italian cuisine to working alongside mentor teachers and giving back to the Veronese community.
Students visited Club Giulietta (Juliet’s Club), a community initiative where letters about love and loss are received from people all over the world.
“Activities included a special volunteer session at Club Giulietta, or Juliet’s Club, where real letters about love and loss written to Juliet by people from all over the world were responded to by our group and mailed back to the senders, providing an emotionally engaging and authentic literacy experience,” she said.
The Verona practicum course was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Patrisha Shiga (BA ’24, BEd ’24).
“I had the privilege to enter numerous classrooms in three different schools, working with students of a variety of different age groups. I experienced an entirely different school system and learned how teachers in Italy foster their learning environments to improve learning,” she said.
Shiga designed and facilitated lessons to develop her skills in teaching multi-language learners, adjusting content and finding new and creative ways to explain concepts.
Di Cesare said the international teaching placement deepened students’ understanding of diverse educational practices enrichening their approach to teaching.
“Hearing the candidates reflect on their experiences, for me, highlighted the value of such immersive experiences in shaping adaptable and culturally responsible educators,” he said.
The group also explored their lived experiences as pre-graduation teacher candidates by engaging in a narrative inquiry research study that deepened their understanding of educator growth from a global perspective.
Ciuffetelli Parker and Di Cesare will be leading a second Verona teaching experience in May. All interested students are invited to attend an online information session on Wednesday, Oct. 30 from 12 to 1:15 p.m. on Teams. The Verona field course experience is open to final-year teacher education students who have completed their practicum.