“University of Georgia (UGA) and Modena Schools” returns to Modena and celebrates its fifteenth birthday, the project that brings American students from the University of Georgia (UGA) to the city’s schools. The project is promoted by the Victoria Language and Culture Cultural Association of Modena and foresees that, for four weeks, future American teachers will be placed in the schools of our city and hosted by families from Modena.
The Villaggio Giardino, Edison, Simonazzi and Anderlini nursery schools are participating in the project; the Giovanni XXIII school of the Comprehensive Institute 1; the San Geminiano, Galilei and Calvino schools of Comprensivo 2; the Leopardi and Don Milani schools of Comprehensive 7 and the Paoli lower secondary school of Istituto Comprensivo 8.
The 24 students, 22 girls and two boys, from the US University’s Faculty of Education will remain in the city from May 11th to June 5th. On Monday 13 May, accompanied by Professor Leslie Rech Penn, who took the place of Professor Beth Tolley, the historical coordinator of the project from 2009 to 2022, they were welcomed, as per tradition, in the Town Hall by representatives of the local administration.
In the schools of Modena, future American teachers will actively participate in class life, observing, interacting with students and teachers from Modena and preparing readings, games, songs and activities in English planned with the teachers themselves for their classes.
During their stay, the group of Americans will also visit the Momo educational center and the Forghieri nursery school, as well as the Spallanzani Institute in Castelfranco Emilia. The interaction between American students and Italian students and teachers encourages the comparison of different cultural paths, as well as exchange and knowledge between two very different realities. A fundamental part of the experience is the welcome that American university students receive from Modena families; furthermore, the program promotes knowledge of the area and what it offers to families, through visits to the city, the main museums and service and meeting centres. Trips and moments of celebration are also planned for the families and schools involved in the experience such as the closing party scheduled for June 3rd at Villa Cesi with the families of Modena, the teachers of the schools involved, representatives of the administration and school directors .
