Teaching in La Hoya

Teaching in La Hoya

I’ve only just begun teaching this week but I’m already enjoying it. It’s hard work but the kids here are so enthusiastic and so happy to be learning English that I can’t help but be enthused as well.

My first lesson was what could probably be termed a nearly-avoided disaster. I had my first English class with the very large and very rowdy Seventh grade class, who became excited to the point of distraction when I tried to get them to play a simple name game with me. The game quickly descended into chaos, and I was forced to draw the game (and the class) to an early close. Some quick editing to my lessons plans and my second class, with Fifth grade, went significantly better, as I now understood how to control the class.  Class with the fourth graders is probably the most interesting, since Fourth grade is the first year of English tuition. They’re very excited to be learning English but really struggle with every word.

I think I probably enjoyed teaching the fifth graders the most. They know enough English to manage the material but it’s still new enough that they’re enthused and excited.

I’m really jealous of my partner Becky, who teaches art. Art is taught to all the grades here in La Hoya, so Becky has the first and second graders, who are so small and adorable.  I did have the chance to substitute for one of the pre-school teachers on Friday. Daisy, the main pre-school teacher, and myself, worked with the pre-school together and I was forced to confiscate a dead lizard from a student. Teachers I know back home are busy confiscating phones and video games, while I find myself confiscating dead lizards from pre-schoolers!

At the close of my first week of teaching, I’m really looking forward to the rest of the year. Discipline is difficult to enforce but kids here are incredibly enthusiastic and really desperate to learn. I have high hopes for the forthcoming year and hope to be able to regale you with some success stories as time passes!