Veronica Wilson, senior mass communication and Spanish major serves as a Spanish teacher to three and four-year-olds at the FMU Gail and Terry Richardson Center for the Child.
Wilson, who began teaching at the center in September of 2012, teaches the children elementary concepts such as colors, shapes and numbers. Many of her lessons are based around themes such as the circus.
Wilson also engages her student in activities such as song and finger puppets. This semester Wilson plans to teach lessons on the months, seasons and climates.
Wilson explained that her greatest satisfaction in teaching comes from seeing her students comprehend the language.
“I really enjoy working with kids,” Wilson said. “I love to see their faces when they finally get Spanish.”
According to John Hester, professor of psychology and director of the Center for the Child, Wendy Caldwell, associate professor of Spanish, played a pivotal role in launching the program.
“With Dr. Wendy Caldwell’s encouragement and assistance, the Center, a couple of years ago, established instruction for our three and four-year-old children, “Hester said.
Caldwell provided remarks on the commencement of the program, as well as Wilson’s involvement.
“The Spanish program’s relationship with the RCC originated from a service-learning course a couple of years ago,” Caldwell said. “I provided Veronica with a few templates from that course, and she ran with it!”
Melissa Ward, Child Care Director for the Center, commented on Wilson’s performance.
“Veronica does an outstanding job, and we are thrilled to have this as a part of our curriculum,” Ward said.
According to Caldwell, it is Wilson’s personality that contributes to her teaching success.
“Veronica possesses many of the innate traits that help make an effective teacher: she conscientious, creative, organized, friendly and dynamic,” Caldwell said.
The Gail and Terry Richardson Center opened in 2008. According to its website, part of the center’s mission is to “improve the condition and educational and economic potential of the children of our state.”