The Cardinal

Marcia Davis, OFLA Secondary Language Learning Chair & OFLA Diversity Committee Chair
Assistant Principal/Former Spanish Teacher, World Language Middle School

In the ever-evolving landscape of education, there is a question that echoes loudly: How can we ensure that African-American students have equal opportunities to pursue world language education in high school and beyond? There are strategies to engage, attract, and empower African-American students in language study while addressing the persistent lack of diversity in upper-level language classes.

World language education is more than just learning grammar and vocabulary; it’s a gateway to cultural understanding, global competency, and diverse perspectives. It enriches students’ lives, broadens their horizons, and equips them for success in an increasingly interconnected world.

Haylee Ziegler, OFLA Scholarship Chair
Spanish Teacher, Teays Valley High School

This school year, my district is implementing strategies that can help students with tier one and tier two interventions in the general education classroom. One focus area of support for students that I identified was self-motivation when it comes to studying class content in order to be prepared for class and assessments. 

(As the teacher) we know that the materials and resources we give our students are high-quality and will prepare them for success, but sometimes they fail to see that. Something I decided to implement this school year was a choice board of activities for learners to utilize if they finish a task early. My goal is that students will use the choices on this board to find ways to review materials or extend their learning outside of their assignments. Ultimately, this should result in higher academic success and increased language proficiency. 

Ann Radefeld, OFLA Technology Integration
French Teacher, Shaker Heights City School District

Google Slides is one of my go-to technology tools in my classroom.  Not only does it help me work efficiently, it allows for students to work creatively in my classroom.  Here are five tips to help you better use Google Slides in your classroom.

Abby Arace, OFLA Beginning Teachers
French Teacher, New Albany Middle School

Teaching is not for the faint of heart or the weak willed – though it is an honorable and rewarding profession, it is occasionally onerous and overwhelming, especially for your first few years on the job. Here is some humble advice for beginning teachers as I reflect on my first five years of this career – I hope if you are new to this field that this helps a bit on a hard day!

1. Set boundaries with work time. As a new teacher, your to-do list can seem never-ending. However, as an intervention specialist told me once, you don’t get a prize for being the last car in the parking lot every day. If everyone stayed at school until they were finished working on anything that could be worked on, no one would ever leave. At the end of the day, complete what you need for the next day – Slides, lesson plans, copies – and then go home. Try to keep work time and home time separate as best you can. Carve out specific time on weekends to grade or lesson plan if necessary, but the oft-cited work-life balance is oft-cited for a reason: it’s important to give yourself time and space to enjoy your life outside of school.

Heather Harper, College and Teacher Education and Licensure
The Ohio State University

To begin, I would like to express that I am very happy to be serving as the College and Teacher Education and Licensure Chair this year and look forward to meeting and collaborating with many of you! Two of my main goals for this year are to promote increased participation from world language educators at the college-level and establish a community of collaboration between colleagues across the state. 

This endeavor involves creating a committee to assist in advancing these goals along with crafting a directory of instructors that are interested in forming part of this community. The directory will be used to connect colleagues with common interests, send out announcements about relevant events, and as a way to share other important information or useful resources.