Westminster "Speaking Hispanic" Class Tutors Campbell High School Students

Students of the Westminster College "Speaking Hispanic" cluster course spent each Wednesday tutoring Puerto Rican/American students at Campbell (Ohio) Memorial High School.

"Service-learning played an integral role in this cluster," said Dr. David Swerdlow, Westminster professor of English. "Speaking Hispanic' paired an intermediate Spanish course with an English course in Hispanic American literature and culture."

Cluster courses are taken during the sophomore or junior years and consist of two linked courses taught by at least two faculty members from different disciplines to the same group of students. Clusters offer opportunities for students to integrate knowledge and to develop into a community of learners. All Westminster students are required to take at least one cluster course.

Each Westminster student was paired with a Campbell High School student and spent each Wednesday with the same student every week for the spring semester.

"It was clear that many of the Westminster students developed a close relationship with the students they tutored at Campbell," said Milagros Swerdlow, Westminster Spanish lecturer. "One Campbell student, who has worked through significant difficulties with the English language in order to be eligible to graduate this spring, invited the Westminster group to her graduation. The Westminster students know that their language skills and their increased cultural understanding have a definite and important use not only abroad, but just down the road."

Dr. David Swerdlow, who has been with Westminster College since 1990, earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland and master's and Ph.D. from Ohio University. Contact him at (724) 946-7345 or e-mail dswerdlw@westminster.edu for more information.

Milagros Swerdlow, who has been with Westminster College since 1997, earned her undergraduate degree from Westminster College and master's from the University of Southern Mississippi. Contact her at (724) 946-7264 or e-mail swerdlm@westminster.edu for more information.

From L-R: Rachel Hudson, Skye Lyons, Gina Guyer, Joseph Morales, Rebecca Carman, Miranda Gruber, Mandy Myer, Tracy Harmon, Andy Borts, Elena Antonucci, Charlie Bigelow, Heather Pate, Lauren Lytwak, and Milagros Swerdlow.