Six students and three faculty members from the University of New Mexico (UNM) are participating in a month-long immersive educational experience in Córdoba, Spain. The Abriendo Mundos/Opening Worlds (AMOW) Study Abroad Program is designed to provide future and current educators with practical experience in student-centered teaching strategies, specifically tailored for diverse and multilingual learners.
Supported by donor contributions, the AMOW program adopts an interdisciplinary approach that spans bilingual education, language arts, social studies, and special education. Participants will work in public school classrooms serving primarily Roma families, offering them real-world insights into multicultural and multilingual education environments.
The group includes both undergraduate and graduate students at various stages of their careers in education. The program is led by Mia Sosa-Provencio, an Associate Professor in the Department of Teacher Education, Educational Leadership and Policy within UNM’s College of Education and Human Sciences. She emphasized the importance of selecting a diverse and committed cohort for the program, noting that effective teaching for multilingual students is a necessary skill for all educators, regardless of their specific teaching focus.
Sosa-Provencio explained that AMOW aims to equip educators with tools such as visual aids, performance, play-based learning, and culturally grounded curricula. These methods are intended to ensure accessibility of educational content to students of all language backgrounds and learning abilities. The program partners with the University of Córdoba, whose educational philosophy aligns with AMOW’s focus on global democracy, student agency, and inclusive curriculum design.
According to Sosa-Provencio, fostering cultural exchange and immersion helps students better understand themselves and the world around them. She prioritized funding the fellows’ participation, recognizing that for many, this will be their first opportunity to travel internationally and engage in a fully immersive learning environment.
The director hopes to expand the AMOW program annually by selecting six new fellows each year. The application process, which begins in October, requires prospective participants to submit transcripts, letters of recommendation, and a letter of intent. The program seeks candidates from a wide range of backgrounds and life experiences, including non-traditional students.
Sosa-Provencio’s overarching goal is to nurture educators who are not only prepared to teach in multilingual classrooms but who also see themselves as global citizens capable of fostering inclusive learning environments.
The inaugural AMOW study abroad trip began on May 16. Updates on the participants’ experiences are available on the College of Education & Human Sciences website and its Instagram account.
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