Village Field Trip Introduced Students to a World of Spanish Language and Culture

For most , May 10 was a typical Tuesday morning. But for a group of sixth-graders, it was the start of a cultural and educational adventure. 

Instead of carrying book bags to school, the 28 girls and 15 boys brought backpacks, duffle bags and sleeping bags. When the bell rang for school to begin, the students didn’t head to class. Instead, they stood chatting excitedly.

Soon, they boarded a bus with their teacher, Chris O’Neill, and three parent chaperones headed for a Village Field Trip at The Forest, one of Concordia College’s Language Villages. Located near Marine on St. Croix, The Forest is less than two hours from Northfield. Yet, once the kids arrived they felt like they were a world away from home.

From the moment the students stepped off the bus, camp counselors spoke in Spanish and encouraged the kids to do the same. Students picked a Spanish name for themselves and got settled into their cabins. Then, counselors led them in fun camp activities like crafts, music, dancing and games. The kids ate ethnic meals in the dining hall, learned actions to songs and acted out skits. And all the while they learned about the foods, the games and the crafts of other countries, they practiced their Spanish language skills in a setting far different from the middle school.

“The easiest way to learn a language is to hear it,” said Ruth Nelson, “and we heard it, a lot.” 

Yet, even though the students have a good command of Spanish from years spent in the Compañeros partial Spanish immersion program, “there was a lot of gesturing” said parent chaperone Cindy Baumgartner.

This made it seem as though the students had actually traveled to another country and were trying to communicate with native speakers.

“I think the main benefit for the students was to see that learning Spanish can be a lot of fun, and that it isn't always about learning the grammar, but about communication and understanding,” said O’Neill.

Parent Ellen Iverson said, “I was impressed with the organization of the program, the ability of the camp staff to engage all of the students, and how much fluency our students can demonstrate.”

Some students said the experience helped increase their understanding of Spanish language and culture, but most of their comments were focused on fun.

“My favorite part of our two-day trip was all the singing and dancing to fun and cultural music,” said Chloe Schwietz.

“It was a lot more fun learning about the culture of countries through activities that accompanied it than learning grammar in school or using a text book,” said Emma Iverson.