An update from sophomore math education major and French minor Jordan Dulowski.
When I was beginning high school I knew that it was important to take a language. The hard decision was deciding if I wanted to take Spanish or French. I decided to choose French because I have always admired France itself and have always dreamed of visiting Paris. As a future teacher and just a member of society, I also felt that I would be able to connect with more people if I knew another language. In today’s society this is essential because America is such a diverse country.
My life as an Illinois State language student is pretty busy for the most part. Each semester we must attend at least one French movie and I do my best to attend them all because I believe that it is very beneficial in learning the French language. I also go to a few conversation groups; I wish I was able to attend more but due to all my math work I tend to get very busy.
Having a minor in French is pretty awesome because the classes are all really small and the professors are great. A small teacher-to-student ratio creates a more personalized learning experience and helps the students get to know the teachers a lot better and vice versa. As you move on in the French minor sequence, you tend to have the same classmates in all your classes which creates a more comfortable environment. This is probably my favorite part, because not only have I gotten to know all my classmates well, but I have also made some of my best friends.
I have not studied abroad, but I am planning on it for the summer of 2018. In my future, I plan on being a math teacher. I aspire to change the mindset many people have that math is terrible, but it is not as bad as it may seem. Since I will also have a minor in French, I think it would be amazing to be able to teach a math class in France. In a perfect world, I would move to Paris and become a math teacher but this a little bit of a stretch.
