Following their Heart

Well, it’s just about graduation time, and that means
seniors will be going their respective ways. There will probably be
law school for the political science students, assistant teaching
for the education students and medical school for the majority of
south campus.

World Arts and Cultures students, however, either turn to
professional dance companies or try their luck in the vast world of
entertainment. At least, that’s what everyone thinks they
pursue.

“We WAC majors always get the short end of the
stick,” Derek Jandu, a second-year WAC student, said.
“No matter how talented we are in our field, everyone just
thinks WAC majors are “˜wack.'”

These stereotypical situations may hold true for some students
of every field, but not so for one WAC student, fourth-year Stella
Adelman.

Instead of jumping into the world of dance or entertainment,
Adelman will be taking her skills to New York to teach elementary
school students everything from traditional math to various forms
of art.

Through the Teach for America program, Adelman found a way to
become an educator and at the same time incorporate the art she has
learned at UCLA toward a good cause.

“Teach for America is great because they make it so easy
for you to get into teaching,” said Adelman. “Otherwise
there probably wouldn’t be very many schools that would be
willing to hire me because I am a WAC major.”

Adelman will be leaving for New York after graduation to go
through Teach for America’s mandatory summer training before
beginning her actual teaching.

In her lessons, Adelman will break the traditional paths of
teaching as she incorporates dance and art into the more
conventional subjects of math and English.

“When you incorporate acting and more overt techniques you
see kids visually change,” said Adelman. “Their self
confidence grows and they have stage presence. These are things you
carry with you throughout your life.”

Not only does artistic instruction help self-esteem, as Adelman
argues, but it opens up new avenues of communication that may have
been closed off to students before.

“It gives the kids a chance to communicate through tongues
that are often muted. For example, instead of writing an essay they
can do a dance to act out what they learned, therefore bringing
that consciousness of art into whatever they do,” said
Adelman.

This is only the beginning of many adventures for Adelman.
During her two-year stint for Teach for America, she plans to earn
her master’s in education at the same time. In doing so, she
will gain credentials that will make her more desirable for future
teaching positions. Adelman also hopes to teach English in a
foreign country at some point in the future.

Adelman credits her mom, also a teacher, for the support and
encouragement which helped broaden her interest in the world of
theater and dance.

“My mom wasn’t really involved in theater, but she
found out about it and said, “˜Oh, you should check it out,
Stella,'” said Adelman. “But she didn’t
push me at all.”

Although Adelman chose to sway from the customary path and
become a teacher, she feels that ultimately she will go back to her
true love of dancing and performing.

“I definitely feel like I will go back to dancing
eventually; that’s where my passion lies,” said
Adelman. “But first I want to go out and explore the world
and have many adventures in my life.”