Meet the SJSU Team
Top row, left
to right: Janet Hagemann, Linda C. Mitchell, Fabio Coelho, Rosemary
Henze
Bottom row: Mayra S.
Cerda
Janet Hagemann
Jan has been a lecturer in the Justice Studies Department since 1982 and Faculty-in-Residence at the SJSU Writing Center since it opened in February 2007. At the Writing Center she works with students in disciplines, which has further reinforced her belief that regardless of one's background, success grows from an educational foundation. The values and goals of Fabretto are very much in keeping with her own personal values and goals. She looks forward to working with Fabretto and supporting their efforts to prepare their students with the communication skills they will need to succeed. She has learned that the children in Nicaragua are thriving in the Fabretto schools. These schools provide an educational foundation
for students' future success while reinforcing the strong Nicaraguan values of respect for
family and community through their SAT (Sistema de Aprendizaje Tutorial) program.
Linda C. Mitchell
Linda is Director of the SJSU Writing Center. She teaches courses in modern
English grammar, world literature, composition, early modern literature, history
of the English language, and history of rhetoric. In March 2009 she visited
Nicaragua and saw firsthand how Fabretto schools are helping families provide
better opportunities for their children. With the help of Fabretto, children in
remote areas get a good education, medical attention, and nutritious meals. In
some cases, adults are coming back to school to finish their education and get
vocational training.
Rosemary Henze
Rosemary is a professor in the Linguistics and Language Development
Department, where she prepares future EFL and ESL teachers. She also conducts
workshops and presentations for K-12 teachers and administrators on leadership,
community building in ethnically diverse schools, race as a biological fallacy and social reality, and critical language awareness. She joined this project because the Fabretto Children's Center has a vision that is in alignment with hers—promoting community sustainability, critical thinking, healthy interdependence, and communication skills for global citizenship. In this synergistic environment, she feels it is not only possible
to make a positive difference in students' lives in Nicaragua, but
also to learn important lessons that we can apply here in the US.
Mayra S. Cerda
Mayra has a degree in International Business and is
currently a graduate student in applied anthropology. Her goal is to work on projects that will make a difference in the lives of others, and the Fabretto/SJSU Partnership provides those opportunities. A native of Nicaragua, she understands the difficulties her country has always faced. She has witnessed personally how education for many Nicaraguan children is limited. She stresses that education for many Nicaraguan children is limited. She believes that much can be done if we join efforts to help others. Mayra states, "I am grateful and honored to have met the SJSU team who are
committed in helping Fabretto and the Nicaraguan children. There are no words that can describe
my experience with my teammates during our recent trip to visit
the Fabretto schools in Nicaragua. MUCHAS GRACIAS to Fabretto and the SJSU team!"
Fabio Coelho
Fabio is a graduate student in Linguistics and Bilingual
Education. He is interested in issues of language and education affecting
bilingual and/or multilingual communities in the United States and Latin
America. He joined the team because he is interested in working with schools in
areas of extreme poverty. He supports Fabretto because the organization is
helping children in poor circumstances get a good education in Nicaragua. By
assisting Fabretto the SJSU Team is helping Fabretto promote social change, and
in return Fabretto is teaching the team a model that has been sustainable and
effective in the places where they operate. A recent trip to Nicaragua taught
Fabio that the team's support is welcome because of a real need rooted in the
rural and semi-rural communities that Fabretto serves. The trip also opened his
eyes to the potential of the Sistema de Aprendizaje Tutorial (SAT) curriculum
used in Fabretto high schools.
|
