Seminario de Verano
In January and February, a 4-week session is held for the new teachers recruited by Enseno por Argentina.
After the first two weeks of classes, the pre-service teachers are paired with 1-2 other student teachers as well as a mentor teacher, and they then teach a 2-week summer school, using their brand-new skills!
The school is open to 5th- to 8th-grade students in the community, who register voluntarily. The program runs for 3.5 hours (three 1-hour classes plus two 15-minute breaks) in the afternoons. The teacher candidates teach one-hour classes each day in language, math or English. When they are not teaching, they continue to attend sessions, such as the ESL workshops I presented today.
Classroom Set-up
As I do for every session I teach, children to adults, I took some time to prepare the learning space as best I could with the limited materials on hand...
In January and February, a 4-week session is held for the new teachers recruited by Enseno por Argentina.
After the first two weeks of classes, the pre-service teachers are paired with 1-2 other student teachers as well as a mentor teacher, and they then teach a 2-week summer school, using their brand-new skills!
The school is open to 5th- to 8th-grade students in the community, who register voluntarily. The program runs for 3.5 hours (three 1-hour classes plus two 15-minute breaks) in the afternoons. The teacher candidates teach one-hour classes each day in language, math or English. When they are not teaching, they continue to attend sessions, such as the ESL workshops I presented today.
Classroom Set-up
As I do for every session I teach, children to adults, I took some time to prepare the learning space as best I could with the limited materials on hand...
Elizabeth Coelho had been kind enough to donate two copies of her book, "Adding English", which I shared in my workshop, and gave away as prizes afterwards! The NGO also had some magazines and other supplies available, and I eagerly set these up in the classroom, so that we could prepare some picture cards for various ESL activities.
The limited (i.e. no) technology in the classroom ensured that my session would be practical and hands-on; I prepared an image from the National Museum ahead of time for a PWIM activity and a field trip pep talk!
Lunch
After setting up, it was time for lunch. I followed an EPA staff member through the grounds to the other side of the school, where lunch was being served. This gave me the opportunity to see some more of the school -- I was particularly intrigued by what appeared to be a small swimming pool in the courtyard of the Kindergarten class. (Sure beats the tiny water tables in our Canadian kindergarten classes, lol!)
After setting up, it was time for lunch. I followed an EPA staff member through the grounds to the other side of the school, where lunch was being served. This gave me the opportunity to see some more of the school -- I was particularly intrigued by what appeared to be a small swimming pool in the courtyard of the Kindergarten class. (Sure beats the tiny water tables in our Canadian kindergarten classes, lol!)
I ate lunch with a former civil engineer from Shell, a former accountant and a someone who had done international relations work. All were excited by the prospect of teaching, but--just like the preservice program I used to teach with in Toronto--they were already blown away with the breakneck pace of the teaching profession, into which they had only just been immersed for a few weeks.
There were exasperated sighs and signs of frustrated exhaustion at the lunch table. But these were balanced with healthy doses of optimism and determination, and the student teachers spoke enthusiastically about their experiences to date, and asked me relevant and meaningful questions about my own classroom experience, too.
After lunch, the children began to arrive, and many of the teacher candidates left to prepare for the classes they were teaching, or to help with registering the students.
There were exasperated sighs and signs of frustrated exhaustion at the lunch table. But these were balanced with healthy doses of optimism and determination, and the student teachers spoke enthusiastically about their experiences to date, and asked me relevant and meaningful questions about my own classroom experience, too.
After lunch, the children began to arrive, and many of the teacher candidates left to prepare for the classes they were teaching, or to help with registering the students.
School Begins
The afternoon began with all the students and teachers gathering in the courtyard for some opening exercises, including a cross-grade warm-up activity (not unlike the Tribes sort of thing we might do at home). Then it was time for raising the flag.
The afternoon began with all the students and teachers gathering in the courtyard for some opening exercises, including a cross-grade warm-up activity (not unlike the Tribes sort of thing we might do at home). Then it was time for raising the flag.
I was amazed at how -- after participating so boisterously in the warm-up activity -- the 100 or so students stood perfectly still at the raising of the Argentinean flag!
They seem to posess a keen sense of national pride. Even the stray dog that trotted to and fro throughout the afternoon did not seem to distract the students during this important time!
"Engaging English Language Learners"
Now it was time for my two sessions on engaging English language learners. The practical and transferable strategies in both sessions were well received, as were the "Canada" pencils I had brought along as workshop swag!
They seem to posess a keen sense of national pride. Even the stray dog that trotted to and fro throughout the afternoon did not seem to distract the students during this important time!
"Engaging English Language Learners"
Now it was time for my two sessions on engaging English language learners. The practical and transferable strategies in both sessions were well received, as were the "Canada" pencils I had brought along as workshop swag!
Reflection Time
Later in the day, after the children had left, the student teachers participated in a closing reflection activity designed and run by a group of four of them.
Later in the day, after the children had left, the student teachers participated in a closing reflection activity designed and run by a group of four of them.
The activity involved three teams, each with a blindfolded leader, being led in a path around and between various obstacles (chairs with large signs on them--financial hardship, lack of motivation, etc.) when each team had reached the goal (the flagpole), everyone cheered.
The School Bus
Finally, it was time to head home on the bus; a schoolbus travels to four central locales, dropping people off thoughout the city. (Many of the teachers then take additional buses or trains out to the suburbs. The suburbs, as I learned, are generally built around a big park with a primary school, church and govt office building, surrounded by smaller parks, and smaller parks still. Houses line streets that run on a diagonal out from the big, central park. )
The School Bus
Finally, it was time to head home on the bus; a schoolbus travels to four central locales, dropping people off thoughout the city. (Many of the teachers then take additional buses or trains out to the suburbs. The suburbs, as I learned, are generally built around a big park with a primary school, church and govt office building, surrounded by smaller parks, and smaller parks still. Houses line streets that run on a diagonal out from the big, central park. )
Our transport was supposed to arrive at 6 pm... By 6:43 pm, we were finally seated on said transport, and were on our way!
While waiting for and riding the bus, I was able to chat and learn from several more teacher candidates, making for an interesting close to an already fascinating day. The generous and hospitable spirits of the people involved with this project filled me once again with hope and optimism. I feel very fortunate to have been invited to participate in this incredible opportunity.
While waiting for and riding the bus, I was able to chat and learn from several more teacher candidates, making for an interesting close to an already fascinating day. The generous and hospitable spirits of the people involved with this project filled me once again with hope and optimism. I feel very fortunate to have been invited to participate in this incredible opportunity.