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Amy Igel is Fulbright Scholar; will visit Japan
(by Kathryn A. Burger - May 13, 2008)
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Staff Photo By Kathryn A. Burger
Amy Igel, a reading teacher at Woodcliff Middle School, right, has been named a Fulbright Scholar and will visit Japan this fall for three weeks, along with more than 150 other educators from across the country. The group will visit schools, meet with teachers and share information and experiences in this cultural and educational trip. Pictured with her is Lauren Barbalet, principal of
Woodcliff
Middle School
, who encouraged her to apply for the prestigious award.
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Life is a circle, or so the saying goes. Sometimes, people wind up where they started from – years older and richer in experience – but back to where they started, nevertheless. That’s been Amy Igel’s experience. And although she’s been “back” for nearly four years, that doesn’t mean she won’t take three weeks this fall to visit as a Fulbright Scholar.
Now in her fourth year as a reading teacher at
Woodcliff
Middle School
, she grew up in
Woodcliff
Lake
and attended the school where she now teaches. She graduated from Pascack Hills in 1997 and earned a degree in elementary education at
Boston
University
. She earned her master’s degree in teaching literacy from
Adelphi
University
.
She taught in
Yonkers, N.Y.
, but two days after her wedding, she learned that the district was cutting back on staff, and as one of the newest hires, she was given her notice. “So I went on my honeymoon, knowing I had no job to go back to. We had a wonderful time, but I knew I had to find a job when I got back.”
Then, as luck – or fate – would have it, she saw that
Woodcliff
Lake
had an opening for a sixth-grade reading teacher. “I knew that I would love it. I love to read and sixth grade is my favorite grade to teach.”
Her interview with Lauren Barbalet, the principal of Woodcliff, went very well and she was offered the job. She earned tenure last year.
Igel first heard about the Fulbright Scholar Program from the instructor of a course she took last summer. He had been a Fulbright Scholar and talked about what an exciting opportunity it was. “At the time, I didn’t know if I wanted to go for something like this. A few months later, I saw an article in a the New Jersey Education Association journal about the program.”
That got her thinking about it again. “I went to
Woodcliff
Middle School
, and now I was teaching there and I felt a little sheltered there,” so the idea of traveling halfway around the world was daunting. But then, she thought about things other than her comfort level. “There is such a need for students to gain a larger cultural perspective.” She knew this would be an opportunity to expand that perspective for her students and colleagues. She also saw the opportunity for personal and professional growth. “I think part of being a teacher is to keep learning. What a great way for me to extend my learning and be among other educators who have the same goals.”
Once she had decided she wanted to apply, she consulted with her principal. “I brought the idea to Lauren. She was so excited that I wanted to apply. She said it would benefit the school so much and would be a benefit to me professionally.” Next, they asked Peter Lisi, the superintendent, who also offered his support. “He is trying to move the district toward international learning,” Igel said. The possibility of a faculty member gaining valuable knowledge and experience was in line with that goal.
So, with the full support of the administration, Igel sent in her application last December. Then, all she could do was wait. In March, she learned she had been chosen to participate in the three-week Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program.
Barbalet said, “She called to tell me she had been accepted and I was so happy and excited for her. It’s a prestigious program and to be chosen is quite an accomplishment.” In fact, there were more than 1,700 applicants for two, three-week trips to . One group of 160 teachers will visit in June; Igel’s group in October.
The honor was worthy of a celebration and that’s exactly what Barbalet and the staff arranged. Igel said, “A faculty meeting was called and I wanted to be on time. I was talking to Lauren in the office and I was afraid I was going to be late.” Little did she know that she was being delayed intentionally. “I walked in and everyone had these little Japanese flags and signs that said, ‘Congratulations, Amy!’ in English and Japanese! It was amazing.” So the “meeting” was really a celebration – for her and for the school.
Igel is already preparing for her trip. She’s learning words and phrases in Japanese, and the Fulbright program has sent her a 40-page packet of information including a general itinerary. The program participants come from school districts across the country. They will convene in San Francisco for a day of orientation before traveling to
Tokyo
together. They will participate in seminars for a week. “Then,” Igel said, “we’ll be divided into groups of 16. They haven’t let us know what cities we’ll be going to but we will visit schools of every grade level and stay with local families. Then we will all reconvene in
Tokyo
to share our experiences.”
She is looking forward to sharing her newly acquired knowledge with her school community. “I want to be able to show the students what is the same and what is different about our cultures and educational systems,” in hopes of broadening their understanding of the world.
The program, she said, is intended as an educational and cultural exchange and she is going to make the most of every minute. “I don’t know if I would have gotten this opportunity in a district that didn’t welcome this type of experience for faculty members. I’ve learned so much here – the atmosphere is so supportive. I’m so excited to take on something I’ve never taken on before. I feel as though it’s going to be a life-changing experience that will never end. I’m going to gain all this knowledge and pass it on.”
Kathryn A. Burger's e-mail address is burger@northjersey.com.
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