Jennie K. Kolter Elementary School

Houston Area Foreign Language Coordinators Visit Kolter Elementary School

                                                                           
                             Sandy Harvey,                                                     Anna-Lilly, Tomas Tapia                              Alvaro Rodriguez,
                                       Alvaro Rodriguez,                                               and Evangeline Jordan                                Ana Lilly, Janet Smith             
                                       and Paula Kearney                                             in Kolter's Library                                         and Sandy Harvey
                                       in Kolter's Main Hall                                                                                                                in a Kolter classroom
                                                                                                                                                      

Houston area foreign language coordinators had a grand finale to the school year when they met with Alvaro Rodriguez, Houston ISD coordinator.  May 2, Alvaro arranged for the group to tour his new administration building, have lunch and then observe at Kolter Elementary School, where language instruction begins at kinder and continues through 5^th grade.  The group included Ana Lilly from Cy Fair, Lisa Anguiano, Spring, Tomas Tapia, Spring Branch and Sandy Harvey, Ft. Bend.

The Kolter campus is a fabulous example of connecting foreign languages with every other subject.  Throughout the building, everything is labeled in Spanish, French, Japanese and Chinese. The library has books in each language along with the regular collections.  Paula Kearney, Magnet Coordinator, and Evangeline Jordan showed how to integrate languages with other subjects, especially art, physical education and sciences.  School walls are covered with student projects reflecting culture and thematic lessons.  During PE time, students tend their beautiful flower gardens all around the campus or check on the progress of vegetables growing close to the Japanese fish pond they built. 

This informal group originated when Sandy Harvey from Ft. Bend ISD invited several area colleagues to talk about questions, problems and network with others since the TFLA and HATFL meetings were only once or twice a year.  Volunteers from the group arrange meetings every other month in their own district. 

by Janet Smith, Spring Branch ISD.