Professor Sharpens Skills

This summer Panola College Spanish Professor Kathy Watlington attended Total Immersion for Spanish Teachers, an institute provided by the National Capital Language Resource Center.  In cooperation with Georgetown University as well as George Washington University, the program is hosted by the Spanish Embassy in Washington, DC with staff from the Consejería de Educación y Ciencia.  Developed for fluent Spanish teachers whose desire for interaction in Spanish language and culture must yield to the realities of the classroom, these teachers enjoyed hands-on, interactive presentations, discussions and cultural experiences.

Mrs. Watlington was excited by the opportunity and inspired by the program.  “I spoke nothing but Spanish, and the people I was talking to were just as excited to be speaking Spanish back to me.  Since I am a non-native Spanish speaker living in an English-speaking household and community, my chances to continuously speak Spanish are rare.  The whole week was wonderful.  I sure appreciate the opportunity to participate in the program and would love to do it again sometime.”

In addition to the pedagogical and linguistic discussions, the Spanish teachers were treated to a cooking lesson in the home of a professor from Spain, a salsa dancing lesson, and a tour of the National Gallery of Art located on the National Mall.