Editor’s note: Dr. Amanda Quesenberry, who has more than 20 years’ experience working in early childhood special education, spent the spring semester teaching at Harlaxton College in the United Kingdom. In her own words, she shares how she prepared for a semester abroad, what a typical day was like, how she navigated new experiences, and what she brought back for her teaching here.
How did you select Harlaxton for your sabbatical? What is your connection/history to the school/institution?
My initial plan for my sabbatical was to redesign a few courses and focus on a research project I have been a part of at ISU. I also planned to begin a study abroad program in Northern Ireland and collect data about student participation in study abroad programs.
After my initial proposal was approved and I told people I was going to be on sabbatical in the spring of 2024, the first question people always asked was, “Where are you going on your sabbatical?” That got me thinking about how much I would love to teach at Harlaxton College near Grantham in the United Kingdom. I attended Harlaxton College in the spring of 1996 when I was an undergraduate student at the University of Evansville and always dreamed of going back as a faculty member.
I had attended a few meetings to learn about teaching summer courses at Harlaxton College, so I knew who to reach out to. Once I contacted the executive director and dean of Harlaxton College everything happened very fast! Within a week I committed to teaching three courses.
What were you most excited about with this experience?
I was thrilled to be going back to a place that had such a profound impact on my life and to be able to share this experience with my 13-year-old daughter, Amelia. Returning to Harlaxton College after 28 years was a dream come true.
The college is in an almost 200-year-old manor house in the English countryside about an hour north of London. There is so much rich history associated with the manor and surrounding area; it was built by Gregory Gregory, a wealthy Englishman with questionable lineage in the 1830s. In the 1930s, it was home to Violet Van der Elst, an entrepreneur who invented brushless shaving cream and was lobbied to abolish the death penalty in England.
During World War II, the manor was billeted by the First Airbourne (Pegasus) division Royal Airforce that went on to fight and suffer tragic losses in the battle of Arnhem. During the 1950s and 60s, the manor was used to house and train novices as a part of the Society of Jesus (i.e., Jesuits).
In the late 1960s, Stanford University purchased the manor and briefly ran a study abroad program before the manor was obtained by the University of Evansville in 1971. Since then, students from across the United States have traveled to England to attend Harlaxton College. It is really a magical place with so much interesting history. Beyond life at the manor, I was excited to be able to travel in the United Kingdom and Europe, and, of course, to teach.
What did you do to prepare for a semester in England versus a semester in Normal?
Aside from pausing my life in Illinois, leaving my home, pets, loved ones, work, etc., I also had to design and prep three courses I had never taught before, learn a new learning management system, plan travel, enroll my daughter in a school in another country, and go through the visa application process. It was all very daunting.
What courses did you teach?
I teach courses in early childhood and special education. I was disappointed to learn that education courses are not typically offered at Harlaxton College. As a result, I taught courses that were a bit out of my wheelhouse, but still a lot of fun to develop. At ISU, I often teach TCH 110: Cross-Cultural Teaching and Learning as a summer course. At Harlaxton, I taught a similar course in Multicultural Education.
Another course I taught was Intercultural Citizenship. This course was the most challenging for me to develop and ended up being my favorite to teach. Somehow, I ended up with only one student, so he ended up doing an independent study, in which we met regularly to discuss global issues in the past, present, and likely in the future. Part of what I loved so much about this course was that it was unlike any course I had taught before, and I learned so much as a result.
The last class was Child and Adolescent Literature. Having never taught children’s literature, I was starting from scratch. I called on many of my literacy faculty colleagues to share ideas and suggestions. We did really fun things like discussing British children’s literature authors and exploring local libraries and bookstores to compare and contrast with those in the U.S.
What was a typical day like for you?
I am a morning person, so I would usually respond to email, grade, and catch up on work responsibilities at home between 5 and 7:30 a.m. Between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m., I would make sure my daughter got on the shuttle that took her to school. After that I usually took a walk up and down the mile-long drive between the manor and the main road.
Before lunch, I often met with students, worked on grading, etc. Because we all (students included) lived in the same place where we had classes, ate meals, etc., I often volunteered to help out at lunchtime in the refectory.
Afternoons were wild! All of my classes were between 2 and 6 p.m. I had to teach, and rush to the school to pick my daughter up between classes. This was also the time when people back home were starting their day (there is a six-hour time difference), so I would be bombarded with emails while trying to juggle teaching and being a single parent in another country.
What were the highs and what were some unexpected challenges to navigate?
I knew it would be challenging to be away from home and my life at ISU while working full-time in another country, but I underestimated how much time I would spend coordinating travel, planning for courses, etc. I naively thought that I could continue my work as a faculty lead for the Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) program at ISU and my service obligations. I often felt overwhelmed. That said, the relationships I developed with other visiting faculty and the students I taught were definite highlights of the experience.
What did you gain from this experience?
Getting to know students and faculty from other places was a highlight. Meeting new people in a totally different context was stimulating. In one of the courses I taught, we partnered with a local primary school to design and complete service-learning projects. Learning about the educational system and partnering with a local school was very rewarding.
What will you bring back to your students, classes, and work here in TCH?
This experience helped me to get a more in-depth understanding of how the world sees the United States and education within the U.S. and how education is perceived in a global context. I feel that we tend to be very U.S.-centric in our teaching and learning. I would like to embed more diverse global perspectives into my teaching in the future with the goal of engaging ISU teacher candidates in discussions regarding more inclusive practices for all students.
What would you like others to know about living and working in another country?
It’s a lot! It’s amazing, but it’s a lot! Before deciding to live and work in another country, take the time to think through all the ripple effects that your absence will create at work, home, etc. With proper planning and preparation, the experience can be amazing!
As a side note, the day after I finished teaching at Harlaxton College, I was invited to become a member of the Harlaxton Society Board of Directors. I am excited to be able to stay connected with Harlaxton College in another capacity.
