Johnston Directs Alternative Learning Program

St. Joseph, Minn.- Kaarin S. Johnston, theater professor at the College of Saint Benedict, is the project director for Deutsches Allerlei, an alternative learning experience for middle school students at Rocori Middle School in Cold Spring, Minn.

On Mon., April 12, Rocori Middle School will be transformed into a series of alternative learning environments all focused on teaching young students about Germany. Over 48 different students, faculty and retired faculty from CSB/SJU have volunteered to create this one-of-a-kind educational experience. The regular faculty and staff at Rocori Middle School will be away that day attending workshops of their own, so Rocori will, in essence, be an extension of the CSB/SJU campuses for the entire school day.

Seventh and eighth grade students will be attending classes in subjects ranging from German songs to a math class on metric olympics. Not every student will attend the same classes as there is a wide variety of thirteen different experiences and only six class periods in which to learn during the day's schedule. Highlights of the day's activities include a special German lunch menu researched and created by the Rocori Middle School staff, a Volkswagen exhibit furnished by Eich Motor Company of St. Cloud, Minn., and a Deutsches Fest where the students will dance the polka to the music of a live band. Just when the students need a little something special they will be treated to some good old-fashioned pretzels.

Johnston has been working with several CSB/SJU departments to make this day a successful example of service learning for the CSB/SJU students. The college and university volunteers come from departments as diverse as peace studies, elementary education, music, communication, social science, German, Spanish, English, theater and natural science. Some volunteers are teaching classes that reflect their majors, while others have learned an entirely new skill to pass on to their young students. The class on creative writing inspired by German music is such an example.

The College of Saint Benedict for women and Saint John's University for men are partners in liberal arts education, providing students the opportunity to benefit from the distinctions of not one, but two nationally recognized Catholic, Benedictine, residential undergraduate colleges. Together the colleges challenge students to live balanced lives of learning, work, leadership and service in a coeducational environment.