Students find connection, confidence through global student teaching

Students find connection, confidence through global student teaching

Growth often begins where comfort ends.

For UW-La Crosse students Alaena Wolf and Zachary Zoromski, the decision to student teach abroad in France began from opposite ends of the comfort spectrum.

Wolf describes herself as a "homebody," someone who envisioned staying close to home as she embarked on her teaching career. Zoromski, on the other hand, had been searching for a way to travel abroad since his first year at UWL.

Despite their different starting points, both math education majors found themselves teaching in Aix-en-Provence in southern France through the Educators Abroad program - an experience that ultimately reshaped their perspectives in similar ways.

"I have always been a 'homebody,'" says Wolf, who will receive her diploma in May. "I thought this might be my 'one and only chance' to try something different and broaden my horizons." That leap paid off. "The experience changed my life completely and it was like my eyes opened up to the world."

Zoromski, '25, had long hoped for that kind of experience.

"From my first year at UWL, I had expressed interest in studying abroad, but I was never able to find a program that fit my college path," he says. "Then I was introduced to the opportunity to student teach abroad, and it wouldn't set my program back."

Teaching at the International Bilingual School of Provence, he says, "The program lived up to all of my expectations."

Both students participated in Educators Abroad, also known as Global Student Teaching (GST), which places UWL teacher candidates in classrooms around the world. According to Cindy Duley, UWL's field experience coordinator and partnership specialist in the School of Education, the program has provided international teaching opportunities for nearly two decades, with up to seven participants each semester.

Wolf and Zoromski's different motivations reflect what Duley sees across many participants, noting that the program attracts both seasoned travelers and those stepping outside their comfort zones for the first time.

"They return with an enhanced perspective on education and learning, and frequently describe their experiences as impactful, life-changing and transformative," Duley says.

That growth was evident for both Wolf and Zoromski.

Each credit UWL's School of Education with preparing them for the transition into an international classroom. Zoromski highlights courses like Multicultural Education for equipping him with strategies to support diverse learners, while Wolf emphasizes the mindset she developed.

"Every professor I had at UWL was passionate about guiding us to be thoughtful and considerate teachers," Wolf says. "Entering a classroom abroad ready to learn from students is a mindset instilled in me from UWL, and for that I am so thankful."

In France, both quickly discovered how universal some aspects of student behavior can be.

"Even though all the students in the classes were from different countries, you still heard the same expressions, memes and jokes from a school in the States," Zoromski says.

At the same time, the diversity of the classroom left a lasting impression.

"The students were so curious," Wolf says. "It was the most beautiful example of how people's differences complement each other as they worked together."

For both future educators, the experience reinforced the importance of cultural awareness and connection in the classroom.

"Learning about all the students' different cultures allows me as a teacher to understand more about my students," Zoromski says.

Wolf adds, "We're not just in the classroom to learn about mathematics. We're also there to learn about each other and share our stories."

Despite starting from very different places, their advice to fellow students considering student teaching abroad is the same.

"Absolutely do it," Zoromski says.

Wolf agrees: "It's nerve-wracking and scary, but it's the best decision I think anyone can make."

For more information about studying abroad and the Educators Abroad program, visit the UWL International Education & Engagement (IEE) website and attend an Ed ucation Abroad 101 session .