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Spanish Group Visits Schools

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By RONNIE BLAIR

rblair@tampatrib.com

Published: October 10, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - Fatima Casablanca had a proposition Thursday for students in a Spanish class at Rushe Middle School.

Casablanca, who teaches at a private school in Spain, asked whether the students would like to exchange e-mail and hold video chats with her students, who are learning English.

The response was immediate and enthusiastic.

"Si," the Rushe students said.

Casablanca, one of a contingent of educators from Spain visiting the area this week, said she is excited about the possibilities for the correspondence with the Americans. Her students don't often get a chance to practice their English vocabulary, she said.

Casablanca and about a dozen other Spanish educators peeked in on Rushe classrooms, visited the media center, listened to the band play the national anthem and learned about the educational philosophy in Pasco County.

The group also has toured Oakstead Elementary and other schools.

They are hoping to take ideas back to Spain. Fernando Semprun, who owns a private school south of Madrid, said there are differences between American schools and Spanish schools, so not everything that works here would work there.

The educators, though, can take back the ideas they feel will fit into their schools and disregard the rest, he said.
Semprun said he already noticed one significant difference between American and Spanish schools.

Students in Spain already know how to read and write by age 5 and "that maybe is not the case here," he said.

A few of the Spanish educators took turns serving as interpreters for members of their group who don't speak English. Occasionally, they ran into communication roadblocks.

Assistant Principal Ron Michalak, for example, stumped the Spanish visitors when he referred to a "pep rally."

He mimicked a few cheerleading moves as he tried to explain.
Semprun said he was happy to find that the schools they had visited emphasized the need to be open to the world beyond the U.S. borders.

"If there is one thing in Spain it is perceived Americans lack, it is awareness of the rest of the world," Semprun said.

Superintendent Heather Fiorentino, who grew up in a military family and lived in Japan and Korea, welcomed the group to Pasco. She said she realizes the importance of making sure students are educated about the world.

"We are a global economy and our students need to understand that," she said.
Semprun drew a laugh from Fiorentino when he told her American schools are less regulated than Spanish schools.

"That's hard to believe," she said.

Reporter Ronnie Blair can be reached at (813) 948-4218.

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