From Colorado to Costa Rica: A Sabbatical Full of Learning

What happens when a teacher educator steps away from the university classroom and returns to first grade?

For Christine Kyser, Associate Professor in the University of Northern Colorado’s School of Teacher Education, the answer was unexpected inspiration, plenty of hands-on learning and a renewed passion for literacy education.

Kyser spent her sabbatical in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, where she taught first-grade literacy and supported teachers at La Paz Community School Cabo Velas, a dual-language immersion school built around experiential learning.

After a decade of teaching current and future educators at UNC—and years before that as an elementary teacher—Kyser found it both exciting and humbling to be back in the elementary classroom.

“It’s been so fun and rewarding,” she said. “I’m finding so many connections between my research and the ‘real world’ of first grade.”

And the classroom looked a little different from what she was used to at UNC. At La Paz, students helped manage a garden, cared for beehives and chickens, and learned through their surroundings. Kyser embraced that approach, drawing on the students’ own knowledge of Costa Rica and giving them opportunities to be the experts.

Putting Teaching Into Practice

Her sabbatical also became a chance to put her own teaching into practice. She used children’s literature from the ELED 290 syllabus with her first graders, experimented with new approaches to literacy instruction and even incorporated phonics practice into the students’ weekly swim classes.

“Testing my own curriculum in real-time has brought a wealth of fresh insights that I cannot wait to share with my UNC students upon my return,” Kyser said.

Bringing Costa Rica Back to UNC

The experience also sparked ideas for the future. Kyser hopes to create opportunities for UNC students to complete student teaching at the Costa Rican school, giving future educators a chance to experience a different approach to teaching and learning.

Her family joined her for the adventure, with her children attending La Paz Community School and enjoying the experience right alongside her.

For Kyser, the sabbatical was more than a change of scenery. It was a reminder of why she became an educator in the first place—and a chance to return to UNC with new ideas, fresh perspective and an even deeper enthusiasm for helping future teachers find their own passion for the classroom.

“This sabbatical has truly rejuvenated my passion for literacy education,” she said.