Our ELL GED class is up and running at the West Bend campus! In our ELL GED class, students are given the option of preparing for and taking the GED tests in English or in Spanish. All five GED tests are offered in both languages.

“I want to get my GED because I want a better job and it’s good for me personally,” said Apolinar, an ELL GED student on the West Bend campus.

Preparing For the GED Tests

As with our regular GED program, students choose an area of study to focus on first. The five GED tests consist of Civics, Social Studies, Science, Math, and Reading through Language Arts. Students choose a topic that they would like to study first. We work through the different units, focus on areas of need, work on test-taking skills, and take practice tests to prepare for the GED. There is a bilingual instructor on the West Bend Campus two nights a week to provide support for students in both English and Spanish. MPTC has study materials available in English and Spanish in the SSC at all three of our campuses. Books and study materials are able to be checked out from the Moraine Park Campus libraries as well. Many of our students choose to study on their own at home in addition to here on campus in order to move through the material more quickly. 

Benefits of Spanish Language Materials

Having the GED test and test prep available in Spanish is a helpful tool for our Spanish-speaking students. By having the content in one’s native language, students are able to show their knowledge base without having to face a language barrier. “I want to take the test in Spanish so I can understand everything. My first language is Spanish and I can understand [the material] better,” Marlene, an ELL GED student. Students are often able to read faster in their native language and with all of the GED tests having time constraints, offering the tests in one’s native language helps in this area as well. 

The SSC on all three campuses helps support our ELL GED students. Spanish language instruction is offered on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4-6 p.m. on the West Bend campus. If you or someone you know is interested in taking the GED in English or in Spanish, please have them contact our ELL Program Support Specialist Tony Rodriguez at 262-306-5302 or arodriquez@morainepark.edu.

Many students come to the Student Success Center at MPTC to get help with their course work, but sometimes our programs partner and instructors will go to the students. Two examples are found in the Medical Assistant and Auto programs. Past partnerships have included working with Culinary Arts, CNC, Welding, and CNA classes.

Bob Mengert has assisted in the Auto courses for several years, and is right in the classroom to help students understand the math and reading skills needed to succeed in those programs. Similarly, Jeani Slaymaker works with students in the Medical Assistant program.

Bob holds classes for any auto students who need skill-building, primarily in math and reading skills, and will tailor the lessons to specific needs for that program. He doesn’t just teach general math lessons, but math skills needed when working in the field of Auto Mechanics. Bob also assists in the labs, where instructors in the program make good use of and appreciate his help!

Jeani does similar work with students in the Medical Assistant program, teaching necessary reading and math skills needed for Pharmacology, Human Body, and other courses. She has created hands-on review materials to make the lessons come alive for students, including the “human game board” and Kahoots quizzes. She also meets virtually with students to review instructor lectures and help with students’ notes and comprehension.

Many students have benefited from Jeani’s help. According to MA instructors, Brianna Matheson and Erika Herriges, Jeani “…is an asset to the program.” She “… cares deeply for the students, utilizes creative study techniques.” Brianna adds, “Students who work with Jeani tend to achieve higher test scores and retain knowledge longer than students who don’t.”

The Student Success Center instructors strive to assist students in their college courses. Whether you come to us, or we come to you, our aim is the same – your success!

สวัสดี : “S̄wạs̄dī” means “hello” in Thailand!

Meet our English student Suchanat Buckman, known by many as “Kate”.  She is from Roi Et, Thailand and has been living in Wisconsin for a little over 2 years.  In Thailand, Kate worked in jewelry design and designed both her and her husband’s wedding bands.  She is a very talented seamstress as well.  During the pandemic, she has been designing, creating, and selling beautiful fabric masks.  What an entrepreneur!  

Kate recently started a job working at Goodwill Industries pricing clothing.  Her coworkers and managers love her friendly and positive attitude.  In April, she was awarded with Employee of The Month.  Way to go Kate!

Kate  is an ELL student here at Moraine Park.  She has been taking classes here since May of 2019.  Kate also participated in computer classes in our Student Success Center (SSC) with Shannon Huberty.  Using the skills and language learned from these classes, we were able to help Kate apply and interview for her job.  

If you are interested in classes, please reach out to Tony Rodriguez at 920-887-4496 or 262-306-5302 arodriquez@morainepark.edu (West Bend and Beaver Dam) or Becky Melo 920-924-6339 rmeloenriquez@morainepark.edu (Fond du Lac).

Having trouble with APA citations? Solving algebraic equations? Completing that graphic organizer?  The staff at the Student Success Center (SCC) is here to help!  At the Student Success Center, students can get help with course work from various classes for FREE! 

Many students come to the SSC for assistance in researching, organizing, and editing papers.  Staff can also help with APA formatting, which is new to many MPTC students.  Students can also get help with math course work.   If you are unsure whether we can help, please come in and ask.  Many students like to come to the SSC for a quiet place to work, where help is available if needed!

Jasmine Garcia, a pre-core nursing student, utilized the SSC weekly this past fall for help on her Chemistry and Intro to Psychology course work.  “I like the nice quiet environment and how there are not too many distractions. I also really like the instructors who work in the SSC. They are very friendly and happy to help. When I was struggling with chemistry, I was a little nervous to come to the SSC to ask for help at first, but I am really glad that I made myself go,” Garcia stated.

“The SSC helped me be successful in many ways. I recently graduated from high school this past May, and throughout my high school career, I always needed a lot of extra help from my teachers with math. I knew that in college my instructors would probably not be available as much as my teachers in high school were. The SSC has a great availability of schedule for you to come in and work on things. I usually like to get started on homework right away in the morning, and the SSC was always available for me to go and get things done right away. Overall, it is a nice resource to go to work on homework or study for any class. I am really glad that the SSC is available for students because without it, I would be struggling in a lot of my classes,” said Garcia.

For more information, visit the morainepark.edu/student-success-center or visit any of the campus locations!

Beaver Dam K-316  920-887-4436

Fond du Lac A-216 920-929-2108

West Bend W-137 262-335-5775

Have you ever sealed a deal with a pinky promise?

Meet Betty Zimdars and Sandy Pfund. They met each other in a GED orientation class in July 2017. Betty was sitting all alone at a table, not wanting to talk to anyone else and full of nervous energy. This situation was not to be a permanent one, as Sandy entered the scene. Sandy got to the orientation a little late and quickly sought out Betty. They soon became lifelong friends. Sandy very recently completed all the activities and tests to earn her HSED certificate. Betty is not far behind. And it all started with a pinky promise that the two women would meet this goal together.

I asked them a few questions for this blog:

What made you become good friends?

“We made a pinky promise to each other.  We were in this together.  We would get our HSEDs together.”  There was accountability between the two friends.  The pinky promise was the bond that propelled the friendship.  Both women felt that neither would GED test without the other.

What was your favorite part of the GED process?

Sandy answered right away that working with the Student Success Center staff was her favorite aspect of the GED process.  She felt the staff was so kind and very motivating to the students.

Betty agreed that the staff was super supportive.  And that the staff was helpful in responding to deadlines.

What was your least favorite part of the GED process?

Sandy answered that it was the time commitment, due to a hectic home schedule and a tight deadline.  She was at the Student Success Center day and night.  She was not able to see her kids as much as she wanted to and ,additionally, her husband travelled, making it all very challenging.

Betty didn’t hesitate to give me her answer – —  the math!  However, she then said to me, “Why couldn’t you have been my teacher in high school?”  Awwwwwwww!

Will you maintain your friendship after Betty finishes her HSED?

“Absolutely,” both women said.

What did you learn about life besides learning about reading, writing, and math?

According to Sandy, it was not until recently that she learned how important education was.  “This is a good lesson for my teen-aged son,” she added.  Sandy’s son has told her, “Now you’re smarter than me, Mom!”  How’s that for making a mother’s day!

Betty piped in, “You’re never too old to go for your dreams!”

What would be your advice to others as they pursue their GED/HSED?

Sandy answered that students should not get discouraged.  “The biggest step is coming through the door of the Student Success Center.  The wonderful staff help you take it from there.”

Betty nodded and added that a little sacrifice is worth it.  “It all pays off in the end.”

And it all started with a pinky promise to each other.

For more information on Moraine Park, visit morainepark.edu.

Blog written by Nancy Pusch, student success center instructor.

There are 7.442 billion people in this world, 6,500 languages, and 4,200 different religions. Our world is full of diversity, yet most will experience very little of it in their lifetime.

Continue reading

Do you hate math? Does math scare you? Have you ever wanted to try something but found out math was involved and decided you’d try something else? Are you afraid to try a college program because you think your math skills aren’t good enough to get you through? Continue reading