College’s Wasielewski Receives French Teaching Award
Campus News

Franklin College’s Kristin Wasielewski, Ph.D., assistant professor of modern languages, received the Indiana French Teacher of the Year – Collegiate Level – Award by the American Association of Teachers of French (A.A.T.F.) at the Indiana Foreign Language Teachers Association (I.F.L.T.A.) conference in November.

Wasielewski joined the Franklin College faculty in 2003. The award is a tribute to the dedication and knowledge she provides to her students. She teaches all levels of French, from Elementary French I, all the way up to advanced level French courses, such as Advanced Grammar and Composition, French History and Civilization, and Francophone African, Canadian and Caribbean Culture. Her expertise centers on using the communicative method with her students, helping them to gain confidence in using the language and to quickly acquire proficiency.

“I love teaching French, so I am very honored to receive this award,” said Wasielewski. “I hope that it helps to increase the visibility of our Modern Language Program as well as that of the entire College.”

Wasielewski earned her bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She also gained experience by studying abroad for a year as an undergraduate in Aix-en-Provence, France. While at Franklin College, she has served as Coordinator for the Immersive Term travel course in Montpellier, France, and co-leads the trip abroad every other year. She also serves as the faculty coordinator and French advisor of the Modern Language House on campus, which houses three to four students from each language – French and Spanish – who live in the house and agree to speak only French or Spanish while in common rooms of the house. In addition, she supervises the students in planning modern language events for the campus community to enjoy. Wasielewski is a resident of Franklin.

“It is with great pride that we acknowledge and congratulate Dr. Kristin Wasielewski for earning the A.A.T.F. Indiana French Teacher of the Year Award at the Collegiate Level,” said Sara Colburn-Alsop, Ph.D., chair, Modern Language Department. “Her positive attitude, her fun personality, and her joy of sharing French culture is something that all Dr. Wasielewski’s students and the campus community love. She’s a true inspiration as an educator and we are so fortunate to be able to call her friend, colleague, mentor, and professor. I can think of no one else more deserving of this award.”

About the AATF:

The American Association of Teachers of French was founded in the state of New York in 1927, and was incorporated in 1936. The mission of the AATF is to promote throughout North America the teaching and learning of the French language and French-speaking cultures and civilizations. The professional organization welcomes and supports educators of French at all academic levels as they seek to broaden their own and their students’ linguistic and cultural horizons to foster and strengthen cross-cultural understanding. The organization encourages reciprocal communication between all levels of the teaching of French in North America. The AATF publishes the French Review, which reflects the interests of all members of the Association. The AATF currently has 70 active chapters across the U.S., divided into 9 regions. For more information, visit: https://frenchteachers.org/.

For more information, contact the Franklin College Office of Communications at (317) 738-8185.

POSTED Nov 14, 2022