Kosí rozhovory tentokrát s Lucy Delgadillo

Tento díl Kosích rozhovorů je trochu jiný, než mohli být naši čtenáři doposud zvyklí. Naše pozvání totiž přijala dr. Lucy Delgadillo, vyučující z americké Utah State University, která je u nás v Olomouci v rámci Fullbrightova programu. S paní doktorkou se můžete potkávat například v rámci předmětu Finanční gramotnost. Rozhovor níže je v angličtině.

Can you briefly introduce yourself, please?  

My name is Lucy M. Delgadillo, Ph.D., CMC, CPC, CFSW. I am a Professor at the School of Applied Sciences, Technology and Education at Utah State University, Logan, Utah. USA.  I am an interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary scholar. I have four graduate degrees in different disciplines, including two bachelors' (one in Journalism and another in Broadcasting and Sociology), a master’s degree in political sciences, and a Ph.D. in Consumer Economics. I am originally from Costa Rica, but I have been living in the USA for 30 years. I am fluent in three languages:  Spanish, English and Portugues. I have two young adult children: Camila (master’s degree in mental health counseling) and Ben (majoring in biochemistry and film studies), and a little cute cat named, Krystal.

What career did you hope to pursue when you were a child?  

I wanted to be a war correspondent for AP or CNN. 

What was your favourite (or least favourite) subject in primary school or highshool? 

My favorite topics were math and chemistry. My least likely subject was history. 

Did you ever have a teacher who strongly influenced you? In what way? Yes, I can think of two teachers who really shaped my life — not just academically, but personally too.

The first was my second-grade teacher, Mrs. Nohemi Altamirano. I absolutely adored her. I was so impressed by her that when I turned eight, she actually came to my house for my birthday and gave me The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. I mean… who does that? That moment stuck with me forever. I think that was one of the first times I felt like a teacher truly saw me.

The second is Dr. William Furlong at USU. He has been an incredible mentor throughout my academic journey. After my father passed away, he kind of became my “honorary dad.” He guided me, supported me, and believed in me at times when I really needed it. That kind of mentorship goes way beyond academics.

What is the funniest or most unusual situation you have experienced in the classroom, either as a student or as a teacher? 

When I first started learning English – the very first English class of my entire life - we were tackling very serious, very advanced vocabulary. You know… the head. We were learning, “Nose, lips, hair, neck, forehead, etc.”

We were repeating everything proudly, pointing at our faces like very confused anatomy students. I felt confident. Powerful. Multilingual, almost. The next day, our teacher decided it was time for an oral quiz. One by one, he pointed at different parts of his head and students answered bravely: He pointed at his nose.“Nose!”; He touched his hair. “Hair!”

So far, so good. Then… it was my turn. He slowly raised his finger. He placed it right in the middle of his forehead. He looked at me.I looked at him. “How do you call this in English?” he asked. Now, I didn’t panic. I searched my memory. I scanned every English word I knew. I focused deeply on that part of his head. And what did I see? Lines. Very visible lines. So with complete confidence, zero hesitation, and the pride of a top student, I answered: “WRINKLES?”

Silence.The class froze.  My teacher did not move. He did not blink. He did not smile. That man was SO upset. In my defense… I wasn’t wrong. Technically. I just answered a little too accurately. And that was the day I learned two things:

1. The word is “forehead.”

2. Honesty in a foreign language can be dangerous.

If your former teacher attended your lecture today, what do you think they would think? 

They would think that I turned out to be an AWESOME teacher!

If you had the opportunity, what would you say to yourself as a student? I was definitely a little nerd growing up.

I’ll admit it, I sacrificed quite a bit of my social life to get good grades. At the time, it felt worth it. But looking back, I think I would have liked a bit more balance. Maybe enjoyed more of the social side of things, loosened up a little. You can be a good student and have a life — I just didn’t fully believe that back then.

What is the biggest myth about education or pedagogy that you would like to disprove once and for all? 

The biggest myth is that standardized entrance exams like the SAT, GRE, or MAT actually measure intelligence. Honestly, they mostly measure how good you are at taking that specific kind of test. That’s it. They reward strategy, access to prep resources, and familiarity with the format. And let’s be real, they’re also culturally biased. Students from less privileged backgrounds are often at a disadvantage before they even sit down to take the test. We act like those numbers are destiny, and they’re just not. They don’t capture resilience, creativity, emotional intelligence, work ethic, or lived experience — all the things that truly matter in education and in life.

What advice would you give to students who want to become teachers? 

Never forget what really matters. Love your students. Genuinely. Deeply. That’s the foundation of everything. If students feel seen, respected, and cared for, learning becomes possible. Without that, all the strategies and lesson plans in the world won’t make much difference. Also, focus on the learning process, not just the outcomes. It’s easy to get caught up in grades, test scores, and measurable results. But real education happens in the messy middle — in the questions, the mistakes, the growth, the small breakthroughs. If you center your teaching on how students learn rather than just what they produce, you’ll make a lasting impact. And honestly? Be patient. With them and with yourself. Teaching is as much a journey for the teacher as it is for the student.

In the second part, we gave the professor a choice between two options.

Oral exam or written test? 

Writen exam.

Morning classes or an evening seminar? 

Morning classes.

Silence in class or lively discussion?

Lively discussion.

Coffee break or a walk? 

Tough! I want both.

A surprise test for students or an unexpected inspection of your lesson by school management? 

An unexpected inspection… I rather take the stress myself than my students.

We would like to thank the professor very much for the interview and wish her that she continues to enjoy her time at Palacký University in Olomouc.

Spolek KOS