Guest Speaker: Nancy Teichmiller

 

Nancy Teichmiller faced a very different life while visiting Argentina this summer, as part of a teacher exchange program; she found herself learning the country's customs and way of life...while getting celebrity treatment from nearly everyone she encountered.

 

After Sycamore High School hosted an Argentinian teacher earlier this year, Teichmiller was chosen to reciprocate by visiting a host school in their country.  She says she had to get used to a very different atmosphere in these schools; students of all ages go to the same building (half-days, split by age groups), there are no clocks or school bells, teachers rather than students move from class to class, and students address teachers by their first names.

 

Teichmiller had to get used to different foods, and different meal times; Argentinians routinely have dinner at 9 p.m. or later, and events such as Rotary meetings often begin at 9:30 p.m. or later.  And while the locals were proud of their customary dishes, they were fascinated by her tastes...and many believe that all Americans eat huge meals, especially at breakfast time.

 

She says students there get more intensive instruction in English, and often take private lessons outside of school time.  And she visited several schools during her stay -- receiving VIP treatment at all times, and becoming a student and staff favorite at her home school.