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A Jay County High School graduate was awarded for her achievements in teaching a foreign language.
Julie Sours was presented with the K-8 Overall Teacher of the Year award from the Indiana Foreign Language Teachers’ Association on Nov. 7 at its annual conference in Indianapolis.
The honor came five months after she was awarded the K-8 German Teacher of the Year award from the American Association of Teachers of German. Her high school instructor Anni McClung, foreign language department head at JCHS, nominated her for the first of those two honors.
“I was proud to have won among other language teachers,” said Sours, “and I was really proud to have McClung there. I always looked up to her and it was neat to be seen by her as an equal.”
Sours, 28, currently teaches middle and high school German for Goshen Community Schools.
In 2012, McClung and Sours ran into each other in Chicago. Both teachers had taken their students on a field trip to a German market, Christkindlmarket.
They exchanged email addresses and kept in touch. McClung then decided Sours would be a good candidate for the 2015 German teacher of the year award.
But to get the overall state award, Sours was required to create and submit a portfolio about herself and her teaching philosophy, while incorporating letters of recommendation and examples of her students’ work.
As part of her philosophy, Sours tries to make sure everyone feels comfortable learning a new the language and integrates several forms of teaching.
“I used all modes of learning and communication: reading, writing, speaking and listening,” she said. “I use technology to help engage the student and try to have one or two goals at the start of class. If a student is not trying, we revisit that goal and try to reach it.”
When she won the overall teaching award she said she was surprised, but happy and excited. Compared to the other nominated teachers, Sours didn’t think she had a chance because they had more years of experience compared to her six years in the classroom.
Sours always knew she wanted to teach. After graduating from JCHS in 2005, she went to Indiana University in Bloomington to become a math instructor. She eventually switched her concentration to German, thinking it would be easier for her to travel.
After graduating from IU in 2009, she worked as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant for a year in Aachen, Germany. She then started teaching German for the Goshen school corporation at Northridge High School in Middlebury.
It was through the JCHS language program that Sours became interested in German. A friend of hers was a German foreign exchange student and she wanted to know how to speak in the language to communicate with her. Eventually she took McClung’s German class for four semesters before taking the course for Advanced Placement.
Sours described McClung, who teaches, German, French and Latin, as a great teacher.
McClung said Sours is an excellent professional, and she feels proud that one of her former students is following in her footsteps to teach German. She also described her as exact; she like students to learn the language correctly.
“She was one of those students who excelled at the details because she wanted to get it right,” said McClung. “I’m very proud of Julie to have (had) her as a student.”
Sours said winning the award isn’t just an accomplishment for her, but also for JCHS and the county.
“Any student whether they come from a small town like Portland or a big city like Indianapolis, with a drive can succeed,” she said. “I had great teachers at Jay County High School and I hope to do the same for my students.”