Knightly News

Raise your hand if you’ve run with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain? Middle School Spanish teacher Chantal Castille experienced this larger-than-life adventure as part of summer professional development. The experience, along with the course she took, will inform how she teaches Episcopal Spanish learners this school year, and she can’t wait to share everything with her students. “I’ve taught this lesson for more than 10 years, and now I can share my own experience about what running with the bulls is really like,” she says with tremendous enthusiasm.

Two minutes she’ll never forget

Each year, Castille teaches eager Episcopal seventh graders the story of the San Fermin Festival and how this celebration became connected with the annual running of the bulls. She says this is the longest unit of the year because the students truly love it. In Spain for a Spanish Embassy-sponsored course on Spanish language and culture, Castille took the opportunity to extend her professional development to two minutes she’ll never forget in northern Spain.

Initially, Castille only planned to watch the running from a safe balcony overlooking the bull enclosure. However, during the first day’s run, she watched closely as the bulls were released and made their way down an 800-meter path to the city plaza. Seeing the race firsthand, she didn’t think the bulls actually moved that quickly, so she strategized. The next day, Castille donned the local bull running dress and joined the crowd on the street. She was careful about where she stood and how quickly she moved out of the way, and the two-minute experience was thrilling.

Castille documented the entire experience for her students, interviewing locals and taking numerous photos and videos. She hopes they realize that the experience is accessible and that they might add it to their own bucket list for future adventures. She also hopes to equip students with the Spanish skills they need to truly appreciate such an experience.

A lesson in the culture of language

Castille’s professional development adventure began when she was awarded a scholarship from the Spanish Embassy to participate in a course on Spanish language and culture. She was among 12 teachers from around the world, including Episcopal’s Hendrina Itriago, for a week-long immersive experience. Castille says the highlight of the classroom portion was collaborating with others and observing a different side of language teaching. “At Episcopal, we want to maximize the hours that we have with students so that they become proficient and build the skills to have a conversation in Spanish,” she says. “This validated my philosophy.”

The course also inspired Castille to incorporate more cultures in her Spanish lessons. She says the course covered how other cultures have influenced the language and the historical connections that can be made to make learning new vocabulary easier. For example, she points out the Moorish influence on Spain as travelers moved from northern Africa into the country.

Beyond academics, Castille and her classmates enjoyed cultural activities that will inform future Episcopal lessons. The teachers visited a local Spanish restaurant and sampled every item on the menu. They watched a live flamenco show, which Castille says can never be fully captured on video. The group also observed Spanish architecture, discussed the Roman influence on it, and took a Mediterranean boat tour to view the Spanish coast and its proximity to Africa.

Intentional professional development supports student learning

Episcopal professional development experiences are intentional, and these learning opportunities are so much more than a meal, a class or even a bull. The school’s strategic plan includes a focus on Excellence in Teaching & Learning to attract, retain and support high-performing faculty and staff. School administrators are confident that when teachers live the lessons they teach, they return inspired and ready to share everything with their students. No doubt, lessons are more powerful when a teacher speaks from firsthand knowledge, and hopefully, that enthusiasm is contagious. This year’s seventh graders can certainly look forward to a memorable lesson on a student favorite thanks to Mrs. Castille’s summer learning.

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