ODE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE INTRUCTOR WINS USDLA AWARD

St Louis, MO April 28, 2009 -- Frances vandenHeuvel, ODE Department of Foreign Languages French instructor, is the only Arkansas recipient of an International Distance Learning Award from the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) at this year’s 2009 National Conference.  As the world’s premier distance learning association (since 1987) USDLA honors outstanding individuals and organizations for excellence in the field of distance education and training.  Miss vandenHeuvel received a Bronze Award for the USDLA Best Practices for Excellence in Distance Learning Teaching.

Miss vandenHeuvel, a Hot Springs native, received a Bachelor of Arts in French and Masters of Art in Teaching at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.  After receiving her Master’s degree, she began teaching for ODE in 2006.  According to her administrators, since that time, the French program has more than doubled.  ODE Department Chair, David Slaymaker expressed “a significant part of the growth is due to her extraordinary teaching ability.  Schools that have her as an instructor want her again.” 
Miss vandenHeuvel’s passion for French began when she was a junior high student at Lakeside Junior High and since that time, her first love of “culture and language” in addition to the lessons she learned traveling has had significant impact on her career choice.  In response to the growth of ODE’s French program, Miss vandenHeuvel says she is “overjoyed” and believes that “students enjoy learning what their teachers care about” and she “simply loves what (she) gets to teach everyday.”

Miss vandenHeuvel’s work with Northern Potter High School in Pennsylvania during the 2007-2008 school year has led to numerous collaborations across the country in only a year’s time.  She has collaborated with other schools in Pennsylvania as well as Ohio, Tennessee, and the World Languages Academy located in Lafayette, Louisiana.  She is constantly looking to improve her classes.  “Frances is a dynamic instructor who sets high expectations for her students and works hard to help them succeed.  She is a superior linguist who genuinely cares about her students, and (they) react positively to that combination,” said ODE Director, Chris Robbins.  
 
Both, Mr. Robbins and Mr. Slaymaker, are exceptionally proud of the work that Miss VandenHeuvel has done and the award she has won.  “It’s quite a rare accomplishment for one who has been in the classroom for a relatively short period of time” says Mr. Robbins.  Mr. Slaymaker concurs saying, “Her hard work and skill as a distance education instructor made her an excellent candidate for a USDLA award.  I am very happy that she was recognized for the ability as a French instructor that I have seen demonstrated in her classes.”

For Miss vandenHeuvel, the award is an honor that both surprised and excited her.  “I appreciated the notion that my supervisors felt that I was deserving of such a great honor.”  She also felt honored to represent Arkansas among the numerous award winners from around the world.  She is motivated to continue teaching, collaborating with other professionals, and learning from the experiences which challenge her.  Miss vandenHeuvel believes in what she and other distance education teachers do and looks forward to continuing and helping to improve this aspect of the educational system in Arkansas and across the entire country.