An educator from the US has joined Foundation University to strengthen its administration and faculty, and help equip the academic pool of trainors in meeting the demands of the global industry, and challenges of having thousands of foreign students who come to Dumaguete mainly to learn English.

Prof. Katie Johnson from Berkeley, California, will be at the FU campus for the next seven months as director of the FU English as a Second Language program.

“Establishing a strong ESL program here at FU will take the collaborative interest and effort of the whole faculty.” she said. “I look forward to working with them and the students; together, we can make a positive difference.”

At Berkeley, Katie was a teacher in public schools, and was a staff for Education at the University of California Botanical Gardens, and the Lawrence Hall of Science.

She recalled that when the opportunity came to visit the Philippines, Katie said she leapt at the chance. “I had always wanted to visit the Philippines. When [President] Mira [Sinco] invited me to come, I said ‘yes!’ without hesitation. I’ve been here a little over a week now, and I know I made the right decision. What a wonderful opportunity to get to learn about another culture, make friends, be with my friend Mira and her family, and give something back!”

At California, Katie was a teacher in public schools, supervised student teachers on Lesson Study, a Japanese form of teacher/staff development, was a Mentor in her District, and conducted workshops for teachers through curriculum projects.

She was a staff for Education at the University of California Botanical Gardens, and at the Lawrence Hall of Science, a teaching museum of UC.

She collaborated with five other staff members author Math in the Garden, published by the American Gardening Association in February this year, and funded by the National Science Foundation.

She had moved to California from Michigan, choosing to teach in inner city public schools in Oakland and Berkeley “where the racial and socio-economic mix of students was greatest”.

Katie graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Arts, and an M.A. in Education. Her father, Walter F. Johnson, was a professor in Higher Education Administration at MSU, and happened to be the thesis adviser of Mira Dragon Sinco, then taking her Masters there, and now FU President.

Katie said she recalls her parents visiting Foundation University in the 1960s while on vacation from being Fullbright Visiting Professor in Thailand.

Katie has two grown children currently living in California.

26 Oct 2006 by OSLEA