The ESL program at Spring Hill College is working with the Department of Education to get their student volunteers real-world ready with experience.
ESL classes are free English classes taught by students at Spring Hill every Monday and Wednesday evening from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. They teach non-English speaking students along with people from the community. The Foley Center, which sponsored ESL classes in the past, has joined with the Department of Education to bring more students to work towards community service and social justice.
Dr. Lori Price who is in charge of coordinating the ESL classes has made it her goal to promote these classes around the Hill to bring in more student teachers no matter what they are majoring in. “All of the students who work with ESL this year have worked with us in the past, they are all juniors and seniors so we need to recruit some freshmen and sophomores to take the reins when these students graduate,” said Price. Price also takes the time to train the student teachers, known as “Badger teachers”, to become more confident, better communicators, and build themselves as individuals.
Senior Myia Lewis, majoring in Psychology with a minor in Sociology, works in the ESL office keeping records and watching children of ESL students. Lewis plans on leaning into a career in social work. Lewis stated, “I have built so many different connections with the students within this program, they have me looking forward to the program every year. The ESL program is like a family. Our students let us know every chance they get how thankful they are for us taking time out to help them. With more students volunteering in ESL, they will be able to meet some nice people who will eventually become like family as time goes on while also helping out with the language barrier within the community.”
Division of Education Director Paige Raney works along with Price to help promote the importance of finding teachers who want real-world experience and have a passion for teaching. Rainey stated, “We have some trained students working the ESL classes who are education majors and community volunteers who do ESL as community service through their own organizations for community hours.”
Raney also mentioned some of the contributions the Department of Education has made for its students majoring in education. “Starting in the freshman year every student each semester goes out to a school so they can get the experience they need with working with kids,” said Raney. They go to both public and private schools all across Mobile. Hoping to create a difference for each child they teach.
For more information about the ESL program or if you are interested in helping out please email [email protected] and email Dr. Lori Price at [email protected] . For any additional questions about the Department of Education email Dr. Paige Raney at [email protected].
