So, unbelievably, I only have a year left in Nicaragua. Time here is going by so fast. I can’t believe I’m halfway done. The school year will be done by the end of the month. I will be ending all my classes this year with some fun games and activities.
I hope that I have made a difference with some of my teachers this year. I’m aware of some of the mistakes I’ve made and some things that I need to do better next year. Part of me is excited for the next school year (which starts in February) because I think it will go a lot better than this first year. However, I am still constantly frustrated by the school system here. I accept that they have a different mindset about school. But I still can’t help but get frustrated at times. I had a class this week where I gave them a little quiz at the end of class to see if they had actually learned what I was teaching. It was a little true and false quiz that they were supposed to do on their own, but many of them were talking with their neighbors about the quiz and one kid would shake his head yes if the question was true and no if it was false to help out the other kids. I kept telling them to stop talking and making motions but they paid no attention and their teacher didn’t do anything. I find this really frustrating because many kids here only barely pass from year to year and they do so by cheating and not actually learning. And it makes it hard for me to assess if I am doing a good job if I don’t actually know how many kids understand the material.
But one of my goals for next year is to give a class to the teachers at the beginning of the school year to help with classroom management and go over different participatory education techniques. Hopefully this will help a little, especially with the teachers I am going to work with.
Below are a few photos from some of my recent classes.
I hope that I have made a difference with some of my teachers this year. I’m aware of some of the mistakes I’ve made and some things that I need to do better next year. Part of me is excited for the next school year (which starts in February) because I think it will go a lot better than this first year. However, I am still constantly frustrated by the school system here. I accept that they have a different mindset about school. But I still can’t help but get frustrated at times. I had a class this week where I gave them a little quiz at the end of class to see if they had actually learned what I was teaching. It was a little true and false quiz that they were supposed to do on their own, but many of them were talking with their neighbors about the quiz and one kid would shake his head yes if the question was true and no if it was false to help out the other kids. I kept telling them to stop talking and making motions but they paid no attention and their teacher didn’t do anything. I find this really frustrating because many kids here only barely pass from year to year and they do so by cheating and not actually learning. And it makes it hard for me to assess if I am doing a good job if I don’t actually know how many kids understand the material.
But one of my goals for next year is to give a class to the teachers at the beginning of the school year to help with classroom management and go over different participatory education techniques. Hopefully this will help a little, especially with the teachers I am going to work with.
Below are a few photos from some of my recent classes.
Dina and Yescarleth thinking about how they are going to decorate their cards that they made by recycling paper.
He's making a Christmas tree out of leaves on his card.
He is also making a Christmas tree out of leaves.
She still hasn't decided.
One of my new favorite pictures. I don't think he liked the flash. :o)
These are the kids in one of my third grade classes showing off the cards they made using the recycled paper that they made.
One of the kids from my 3rd-4th multi-grade class making a volcano.
Group 1 with their volcano.
Group 2 with their volcano.
Group 3 with their volcano.
Unfortunately the eruptions were very undramatic. I think that the vinagre they have here is really weak and didn't react well with the baking soda.
Me and my 3rd-4th multi-grade class.
1 comment:
Hi Lara,
Congrats on one year down! I was excited to see your chemical volcanoes...and despite the disappointment with the weak eruptions, I'm sure the kids had fun. When I did this project, I had them inject the vinegar or water (I forget) with a fat syringe - to make the eruptions more exciting. But it took some extra work...
Enjoy your vacation from school!
Essa
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