Each year the language department at Cotter hosts International Week, which, as it sounds, shares traditions from different cultures around the world, many based on the nations of the resident students’ home countries.

One of the leaders of this event is German and ESL teacher Mrs. Uli Schorn-Hoffert I had the chance to ask Mrs. S-H some questions about the event:
What is this year’s theme?  How was it chosen?

The theme is always chosen by a national organization (see this website for more information and for this year’s theme :http://www.lacitycollege.edu/academic/honor/amg/nflw.html
At the beginning of this project we called this week National Foreign Language Week with focus on creating more awareness for language learning in the U.S., but we renamed it later to International Week based on the many countries and cultures represented at Cotter.

Who works on the planning for this event? –  It is usually myself together with other members of the World Language Department (this year: Anne Conway and Cindy Scudiero). Recently we have also included other school departments  and student groups to assist with planning the prayer service and  a talent show.  The Cotter Resident Center usually plans the international dinner.

How many years have you been involved? –  Our department started to plan for and hold National Foreign Language week about 16 or 17 years ago!  We have done it each year since then.

What events are scheduled? There are many events planned, including the following: a poster contest around the theme of the week, an international dinner planned and prepared by students at the dorm, culture and language mini-sessions led by guest speakers., a day of international dancing, a foreign film festival, journals kept by students in the form of “passports”, a prayer service , a talent show, and students visiting from Okinawa will also participate in some sessions.

What are the goals?
Mostly to draw attention to and to celebrate our students who come from so many different cultures and backgrounds, but also to teach and share the knowledge and insights they bring to Cotter.  We want to highlight all the benefits that come with learning a new language and culture and we want our students to enjoy learning opportunities in different groups throughout the week.

How can students and teachers get involved? All English Language Learners along with German and Spanish students will participate in all activities during their regular language classes that week.  Others in the school community are involved in the prayer service and the talent show.