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The student news site of Clayton High School.

The Globe

The student news site of Clayton High School.

The Globe

Anne Etling returns to CHS after two-year hiatus

Etling taught International Baccalaureate courses at the American School of Milan in Milan, Italy. She taught three levels of mathematics to juniors and seniors at the school.

After two years abroad in Italy, teacher Anne Etling will finally return to resume her role in the CHS math department. This year Etling will teach sophomore Informal Integrated Math, junior Honors Precalculus and Math Learning Center.

Math teacher Anne Etling smashes grapes during an annual bonding trip to an Italian farm with her students. Etling enjoyed learning about Italian culture during her stay. (photo courtesy Anne Etling)
Math teacher Anne Etling smashes grapes during an annual bonding trip to an Italian farm with her students. Etling enjoyed learning about Italian culture during her stay. (photo courtesy Anne Etling)

Etling will also take over the time consuming role as Assistant Cross Country Coach. Etling is excited to return to the faculty and students at CHS.
“I really enjoyed working for the School District of Clayton,” Etling said. “It has a lot to offer its teachers and students.  I feel supported by the district and I am very thankful that they gave me a two-year leave of absence.”
Seniors who had Etling as freshmen recall her warmth and energy that she always brought into the classroom. Senior Erica Blustein had Etling as a freshman in Honors Geometry.
“I’m so glad that Ms. Etling is back at CHS,” Blustein said. “She always understands our questions. When we had trouble in class, she always made sure we understood the material and did well in the class.”
CHS history teacher Kurtis Werner is looking forward to working with Etling in the fall as she rejoins the cross country team.
“I was able to talk to Coach Anne Etling about coming back to the program,” Werner said. “Coach Etling has head coaching experience for the Greyhounds with the last being in 2006.”
For the past two years Etling taught at the American School of Milan, where she used the International Baccalaureate curriculum.
“There are three levels – Mathematical Studies, Standard Level, and Higher Level,” Etling said.  “The International Baccalaureate curriculum is a program for juniors and seniors.  Since the American School of Milan is a small school I taught all three levels of math to the juniors and seniors. At the end of their senior year, students sit for exams that assess two years of learning.  They also have an internal assessment component in which they complete two challenging mathematical tasks, one modeling problem and one investigation.”
While CHS aims to limit the paper trail by providing some online materials for courses like Honors Algebra and Trigonometry, the American School of Milan has a majority of their textbooks, class notes and homework assignments available online. The differences between International Baccalaureate and CHS students are also represented through extracurricular and class requirements.
“International Baccalaureate diploma students are enrolled in six courses, three standard level and three higher level,” Etling said. “They also complete an extended essay and a Theory of Knowledge paper.  All students in the program must complete community, action and service hours in order to earn their diploma.”
Etling will miss working with students from all over the world and the activities at the school in Milan. She has numerous memorable experiences of the math workshops and class field trips.
“Each year teachers and students went on a field trip to another country,” Etling said. “Both years I went to Berlin for a psychology and history trip.”
She also has fond memories of the annual class bonding trips at the beginning of each school year.
“Both years I went with the juniors to an agriturismo [a farm],” Etling said. “In addition to doing typical bonding activities, we went horseback riding and learned about the process of making wine. We picked grapes and smashed them with our feet.  We also enjoyed a wonderful lunch – eating foods and drinking wines that were produced on the farm.”
Etling appreciates this experience and would recommend teaching abroad to others interested in exploring other curriculums. Although, teaching abroad is a powerful experience, it comes with numerous challenges.
“There is a lot to adjust to, especially at the beginning,” Etling said. “In addition to learning about the culture of a new school and a new curriculum, you are trying to navigate a new city, a new language, and a new culture.  You learn and adjust quickly, especially after going the wrong way on public transportation or walking the wrong way home or falling out of a tram with all of your groceries.”
Although Etling will miss the opportunities available at the school in Milan, she chose to return to CHS. Despite the benefits of living abroad, she is excited to return to the CHS community after two years in Italy.

To view a slideshow of Etling’s trip, click here.

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Anne Etling returns to CHS after two-year hiatus