Eye-opening, immersive, engaging, adventurous, fun, educational, and thrilling! These are just a few of the words Illinois State education students used to describe their study abroad experiences this summer.
Three trips led by faculty from the School of Teaching and Learning offer pre-service teachers the opportunity to spend four weeks in England, Spain, or Taiwan. Students stay with local host families or in housing sites while taking courses alongside clinical experiences observing, shadowing, and co-teaching. As the students interviewed emphasized, their trips also included plenty of time outside of the classroom, exploring and learning about each country’s culture.
Ella Thompson, an elementary education major from Utica, IL, chose the program in Brighton, England. “It had the perfect mix of scenery and sights to see along with meeting new students in a new place,” she said. Meanwhile, the advice of a former teacher influenced Autumn Chase, an elementary education major from Crystal Lake, IL, to go to Alcalá de Henares, Spain: “She explained to me that her study abroad to Spain was life-changing and therefore she inspired me to follow in her footsteps.” For Jessica Miller, a mathematics education major from New Milford, IL, it was “the opportunity to grow and learn more about worldviews outside of my own” that convinced her to travel to Taipei, Taiwan.
Whether along the seaside in England, beside the river in Spain, or amidst the mountains in Taiwan, each program helped students cultivate their teaching practice through an international perspective.
Kate Laurx, a special education learning and behavior major from Aurora, IL, explained, “Visiting the different schools has taught me that in my future career I plan to have the teaching style of traditional learning like, math, science, English, and history mixed with nontraditional learning like music, theater, art, and learning in nature. I think having a mix of traditional and nontraditional learning is beneficial for all students no matter their age or ability.”
Not only did the clinical students gain teaching skills, but they also developed life skills as well.
Ella reflected, “I can proudly say I am not the same person I was before this trip. I learned so much about teaching and myself.” For Maddie and Jessica, it was a newfound sense of independence, while Kate explained how traveling alone helped her find confidence and trust. Autumn also gained a new awareness of cultural diversity internationally.
One of Autumn’s favorite days in Spain was attending an Atlético de Madrid game with her host family: “I felt like not only was this a really big bonding day for us all, but my first experience with Spain’s version of soccer. Being a part of a community rooting for the win of their home team made me feel a part of Spain’s culture.”
Maddie Wolff, an elementary education major from Lake Geneva, WI, appreciated learning new customs in Taiwan, such as “using slippers in my classroom,” as well as witnessing different expectations, like “having more responsibility and standards for the students to reach.” Jessica echoed that studying Taiwan’s curriculum “proved to me that my students deserve high expectations, as they are much more capable than we expect.”
Both Maddie and Jessica cited a trip to a petting zoo and the opportunity to feed capybaras as one of their most memorable experiences in Taiwan.
In England, Ella crossed many sightseeing adventures off her bucket list, including Big Ben, the Crown Jewels, and the Tower Bridge.
While each student had an experience unique to their country and classroom, they all encouraged other students to consider study abroad. Kate summarized, “Even though the idea of studying in a different country can be scary and nerve-wracking, it can also be the experience of a lifetime that can help you gain confidence in yourself and other skills while making new friends along the way.”
Not just traveling but also teaching and learning abroad helped these future educators develop confidence and cultural responsiveness.
Information about the summer 2025 faculty-led study abroad programs in Spain, Taiwan, and Northern Ireland, as well as scholarship information, can be found on the College of Education website.