Dante Caseldo, Alma Guevarra, Annabelle Sison, Alona Galgo, and Romel Gatila

This month's feature teachers are Dante, Alma, Annabelle, Alona, and Romel from New Town, North Dakota!

"As a group, the most memorable cultural experience that we have had so far is when we participated in the school’s cultural night. Together with other Filipino teachers, we showcased some of the traditions of the Filipinos to the local community. From the attire that we wore to the food and booth that we prepared; we were able to educate and inform our local audience about some Filipino practices. We got to understand the culture of Native Americans through film showing, book studies, field trips in various museums and parks, and attending powwows. We have visited tourist attractions like Horseshoe Bend, Grand Canyon, and Crazy Horse Memorial to name a few that really allowed us to enjoy our stay here. And of course, the snow experience is one for the books! The cultural differences and orientations have become apparent in relation to language and communication and discipline. If there is one thing that we have learned and possibly share to exhort other J-1 teachers, it is to always thirst for learning. There must be a conscious effort to learn and actively participate and immerse oneself to be more adept of the US educational system and make changes in our teaching practices to become more responsive and more effective in our classrooms. We believe that finding a good support system is deemed to be beneficial and a lifesaver. This support group can provide motivation and strength when everything might be daunting."

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