It’s the start of week two, and Pisac is starting to feel more like home. We are starting to get a feel for how things work within the community. The last week and a half has been dedicated to training, learning and preparing to teach English at the STRIVE center. Today was the first day of lessons, and we were all eager to share what we prepared with the kids. After cutting a plethora of nametags and printing out endless coloring supplies and worksheets, we were finally ready to teach.
We anxiously awaited the children’s arrival with eager hearts. At 3 o’clock the students began strolling in and were placed in lesson groups based on their English ability. Some of the students were shy at first but quickly felt more comfortable as we worked with them individually. We learned that each student is different and might require specialized attention. For example, one student was reluctant to speak but after one of our interns took to him personally, he opened up. As a whole, the students were engaged and eager to learn which made it easier for us to demonstrate our enthusiasm to teach. Despite our small Spanish speaking ability, they were extremely patient with us as we figured out how to teach English effectively for the first time. It was obvious the students were there by choice and enjoyed the challenge of learning a new language. It was encouraging to teach students who were so interested in learning.
Tonight we met to discuss the things that went well and also the things that could be improved in our lessons. Bertolt Brecht says that “the world of knowledge takes a crazy turn when teachers are taught to learn.” Each intern faced a different set of obstacles. Some were challenged by shyness, others by too much excitement. After our discussion, we learned better approaches to handling each obstacle.
Although our lessons were far from perfect, we are confident that every student left today knowing more English than when they came. In return, we began to learn what we need to do in order to make the most of the student’s time. We realized that there so much more to teaching than mastering material. We are confident that the relationships that we build through the STRIVE center will transform our lives as much as it impacts theirs.
It sounds like a mutually beneficial experience. Little kids love learning from “big” kids. How wonderful that the center is set up so well for learning. Keep up the great work!
Love these blogs! Thanks for keeping all of us informed of what you are doing. It sounds like an amazing experience!