School Week in Uruguay!

These will a hodgepodge of different things that happened during the school week.

Tuesday - Visit to Escuela Primaria Simon Bolivar

In the morning, we went to visit a local primary school which teaches grades 1 through 6. My host chose this school because it was the primary school of most of her students. We sat with the principal, and she told us some interesting things about the school. After, we got a tour.

The thing I will take away from her chat is the involvement of outside actors in the school. The most important group is the parents. It's kind of an interesting topic for any teacher in any part of the world to discuss. Parents run the spectrum of being too involved in school to not being involved enough. What it seemed to be here is that parents at the primary school level were very involved, but in a positive non-overbearing way. For example, while we were talking to her, a parent came in with some money that she had collected from the parents in the neighborhood. She does this on a weekly basis. The money can go to a variety of different things that are going on at the school. My host said she wished her parents were more involved at the secondary school level.

Although the school is secular, there was a minister that got involved in helping the school especially with maintenance and things of that nature. Also, Venezuela has also helped the school out because well it's name after Simon Bolivar, a Venezuelan military leader. Kinda of shocking that the country of Venezuela would take such an interest in a little primary school at the other end of the South American continent.

These three actors have allowed the school the chance to give the students a good education. The students in one math class, we saw were so cute and enthusiastic. I saw that this elementary school teacher is no different than any American teacher. You could tell she loved being there, and the students showed her the same love back in return. These kids were just so excited to learn which is sometimes is an energy not always found in teenagers.

I love this one!

Love the tunics!

Explaining angles and lines to 3rd graders

One thing that is different is the heating. Sadly, most of the schools in Uruguay do not have heating in the school. Most of the students (and teachers!!) in these pictures are wearing many layers to keep themselves warm. Before the trip, I was so concerned because I had been warned of that, and I am glad I listened to the advice and bought the boots. My Uggs came in handy! (Now, that I look at my suitcase, I wish I never brought nice shoes, I didn't need them!! I'd much rather have art or books or more alfajores to bring back than shoes I never wore which take up way too much space.) Again, I take my hats off to these teachers in Uruguay. They are very special people.

Presentations

I had worked hard to prepare the presentations I was to give to the students. I gave one about a day in the life of a typical teenager. After, my first one my host said, that it was probably a little too over the heads of kids in ciclo basico, and to rather spend more time on New England instead. I made one about the New England region on Prezi primarily using photos so then I could use it in either language. Plus, I think that the students have only a general concept of what the United States is like. We, Americans, know that there is a cultural different between Northeast, Southwest, Mid-West, South, and Northwest, but the students don't know that. It was much more interesting for them to learn about the US at a regional level. Later, they said they loved the part about the snow, how big the apples are that you pick at an orchard, and carving pumpkins for Halloween.

Click on this link to see pictures of me giving my presentations. http://liceo-de-shangrila.blogspot.com/search/label/U11%20-%20VISITA%20DE%20UNA%20DOCENTE%20DE%20LENGUAS%20DE%20ESTADOS%20UNIDOS%20-%20JULIO%202012

English classes

My host is an excellent English teacher. She speaks in the target language as much as she can to make the class communicative. We are very similar in our approach and thoughts on teaching languages. We enjoy working in themes, try to make all the activities connect to each other, and maintain a high expectation of the students. She also likes to use music and culture to motiva

Our big difference is technology. Although her students do have computers, unfortunately, the internet is not so stable and can not support so many computers at one time because of the bandwidth I'd assume. There are no language labs with recording software and Smartboards.

Also, she struggles with the textbook because it is very outdated. The pictures are from a long time ago and she has to use an audiocassette tape since there are no CDs. If there is nothing in the book that she can use, she has to make up a lot of it on her own which is difficult when she has over 230 students and long days.

 

What else I enjoyed was participating in her classes. I would walk around helping to answer students' questions or help correcting their work (or just correcting them in general. I can't help it I'm a teacher) After being in her class, I felt excited about returning to my classes in September and incorporating all that I have learned into my lessons. I'm glad I have a month before I see my students so I can really do justice to what I have experienced in this program.

 

Welcome to Uruguay!/Bienvenida a Uruguay!

It was interesting to wake up in the morning, and not be really sure what to expect from the students or the school. What an adventure I was about to embark on!

The exchange was about to begin. My host and I had shared and compared a lot when she was with me, but there is no better way to understand her reality then to accompany her throughout her day.

Schedule

One big difference between the two of us is our schedules. To earn a good salary, she has to work in two different schools. This is how it works. In Uruguay, the schedule is divided into turnos - matutino, vespertino, and nocturno. In February, my host had to choose what school she wanted to work at and what classes she wanted to teach. All teachers are ranked based on their seniority and what score they received on an evaluation they are given by an national inspector. My host had a very high ranking so she had a better chance of securing the school and classes she wanted since she is at the top of the list for her age group. However, one issue here is that even teachers with low ranking still will get spots at schools because they are so desperate for English teachers. The only condition is that they will not be working at the schools of their choice or the classes they want.

My host has eight classes at one school and two at the private. Some days, she has to shuffle back and forth between schools. On Monday, she starts working at 8:30 am and doesn't finish until the afternoon. Then, since it's Monday, she needs to stay for a staff meeting which lasts until 8:00. We calculated how much actual hours she works with students versus how much I do. I barely make 4 hours in one day because the rest of the time is for planning, duties, or lunch. I will NEVER complain about my schedule again! I think my tolerance for complaining which is already pretty low will be even lower after this experience. These teachers here work, work, and work. It was very humbling to say the least.

Private Schools

We started our day at the private school which was a bilingual school. The level of the students English was very high. The cost of the tuition was about $500 per year. The level of the students is quite good, and students at level 1, 2, and 3 had no problem talking to me in English. 

The students made me this poster

Here is a picture of me talking to the girls of segundo ano.

It was lots of fun. Luckily, my host just received her license and got a car because we were able to drive between schools instead of taking buses like many of the other Americans. Very fortunate.

Liceo de Shangrila - My host school

I was greeted with open arms from my host school since my host has been there longer than she has been at the private school for only a year. They knew all about the scholarship and of my host's experience with me in my school. Here are some pictures from the welcome parties the students threw for me. It was so sweet. One student made this beautiful binder in Spanish all about her country. It truly brought me to tears. Another class made me a coffee mug with their picture. Another student had her mother make a cake for me. I felt so special even though I hadn't even done anything.

So cute!

So yummy!

So sweet!

Presentation of gifts to the school

We were given money to be able to buy supplies in the United States for our host schools. I got a wish list from my host, and I had a great time going to buy the stuff. I bought flashcards, educational materials, a picture dictionary, games in English, maps, and U.S. culture trivia. It felt great to bring all the stuff down for them. I wish I could have brought more down. I will promise to keep sending them stuff for them to use in their classes.

It was like Christmas!

First weekend in Uruguay - Colonia and Uruguayan asado

On Saturday morning, we all got up early to take a bus to Colonia del Sacramento, a historic town that has preserved some of the original houses from the 17th century.

Having fun at the back of the bus!

Heading to Colonia

One of my favorite pictures!

Calle de los Suspiros - Colonia del Sacramento

 

From Colonia, you can also take the ferry to Argentina. I just love saying "Buque Bus". It makes me laugh every time.

Buque Bus

Then, we had lunch together. Lots of yummy pizza.

Cheers to a great exchange!

After, we saw a Plaza de Toros which wasn't really ever used since they banned bullfighting shortly after. Now, it sits abandoned.

Former Plaza de Toros in Colonia

From there, we went to an artisan market where I got to buy some souvenirs to take home. At that point, we started to head back to Montevideo. I checked out of my hotel since I was going to be staying at my host's home on Saturday night.

On Sunday, we slept in and had bizcochos for breakfast. We did a few errands before heading to my host's parents' house for an asado. They made me try everything. It's funny how the still have asado even in the winter. For us, BBQs are only really for summer (for at least us New Englanders). It was delicious especially the homemade chimichurri sauce. The dessert was great, too! It was a crust topped with dulce de leche and then coconut. Yum! Then, we sat by the fire and talked.

Grilling!

Asado Uruguayo

 Chimneys or wood stoves are common in Uruguay since they have no heating system built into the house. In most of the US, we would die because there are so many places that get artic cold with heavy amounts of snow. I haven't sat by a real fire in so long since my parents switched to a gas fireplace years ago. I miss the real thing so I sat as close as I could (until I started to sweat). Great way to unwind after a busy week and to prepare for the week ahead at school!

Sitting by the fireplace

Plan Ceibal and the Meeting of the Uruguayans and Americans

Plan Ceibal was an initiative sponsored by the Uruguayan government to make sure every child had a laptop no matter whether they lived in the campo or Montevideo. It started in 2008 with the campo since it was easier to start in the less populated areas. It sent a message that they cared about the people in the campo. For some children, it might be the only laptop for the entire family. This organization is not part of the government, but works long with it. Ceibal stands for "Conectividad Educativa de Informática Básica para el Aprendizaje en Línea". The symbol of Plan Ceibal is the ceibo, a typical Uruguayan tree. While there, we learned about its implementation, challenges, and future endeavours.

Playing around with the laptops

When we returned, our Uruguayan hosts were waiting for us at the hotel, and we had lunch together and caught each other up on what had been going on. It was so good to see my host. The last time we were together was in February in Boston when she was leaving to go back home to Uruguay. After lunch, we got together to share our experiences with the first half of the exchange and our hopes for this one. Then, it was time to bring the gifts I brought for my host's school. I bought all sorts of educational/cultural things like a picture dictionary, flashcards, educational games and more.

Felt like Santa Claus!

Here is a picture of the group before we headed out towards Montevideo.  

US-Uruguay Educator Exchange 2012

Here are a few more pictures from the rest of the night. We ate some dinner together, and then went out to the theater to see "Perdidos en yonkers". It was good because I understood most of it except when the little boy was yelling. It was nice to see theater. It has been ages since I've seen something in English or Spanish. A great way to start my weekend.



English Immersion Day Camp

After coming off my candombe experience, I had to work on my presentation for the English Immersion Day Camp. I was so happy to be put into the group that was in charge of a workshop on Language and Culture - my specialty! I decided to talk about the American Council on Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and the 5 C's - Communication, Culture, Comparison, Connections, and Communities.

Presenting about language and culture. Thanks ACTFL!

To show how I incorporate culture into the classroom, I gave two examples of some of my favorite lessons. Instead of separating culture and communicationas two different topics, I integrate them together all the time. In my honest opinion, there is really no excuse to not teach culture. Some might complain that there is no time, but if you combine the three together, you can do it. It just takes a little creativity. Instead of using generic Juan and Maria, look up something about an interesting topic which will also give more authenticity to the lesson. Use the Spanish Royal Family to discuss the family, the Aztecs legend of los Novios to teach the past, and gauchos and cafeteros to teach about daily routines.

I recommended that an English teacher could substitute a lumberjack or a cranberry farmer from Cape Cod, Massachusetts for the cafetero and gaucho. It would require the students to investigate and dig a little deeper in our American culture. It's the regional level where our "culture" becomes more our own because it's based on where we live. English students need to learn about the regions of the U.S. (which actually can make us very different even though we are from the same country). just like my students need to understand that the countries of Latin America are not all like Mexico.

We left early that morning and met up with some other English teachers who sat with us on the bus to practice their English and to share experiences as teachers. For a few, it was the first time they ever spoke with a native speaker of English. We got to the ranch that we were holding the Immersion Camp in and began with the ice breakers. They were a lot of fun, too.

Great to share experiences together



Teamwork!

Then, each group began to present on such topics as technology in the classroom, backward design, language and culture, and interactive/engaging lessons. At lunch time, the Ambassador of the US to Uruguay to come visit us and congratulate us for all our hard work.  

It felt great to be able to share our experiences and to bond with teachers from another country. Being a teacher is something only few can understand. It doesn't matter where we are from or what circumstances we teach in, we are all united together in our desire to teach the next generation and to opening their eyes to how beautiful the world really is. We are also bonded by the difficulties present in our job which is why we need to learn from each other so we can make our piece of the world that much better.

July 18th/El 18 de julio

El 18 de julio was the day that Uruguay signed the Constitution that confirmed that they were independent from Argentina. However, they really don't do anything as a country to celebrate other than to take the day off of work/school. There were many people on the Rambla that day enjoying the nice weather. My Uruguayan host told me that the only time they are truly patriotic is when the national team (or el Celeste) is playing in the Copa America or the World Cup. She noticed that Americans are much more patriotic.

Since everything was closed we took a tour around Montevideo. Here are some of the pictures.

View of Montevideo in the back

Nice little park with a great view

The work of Joaquin Torres Garcia, founder of Constructive Universalism

The door of the old fortress that protected the city

Beautiful church

Teatro Solis

After, we went to a vineyard owned by the Bouza family. We had a great lunch and bought bottles of wine as souveniors.

Got some great Tannat, one of the most prominent grapes in Uruguay

We got back in the afternoon, and I went to relax a bit. After, I decided to go out since it was turning out to be such a nice day. I decided not to take my camera since I already had taken pictures of la Rambla. While I was running, I all of a sudden hear music. I realized it was candombe, the Afro-Uruguayan music that is featured during their 40-day Carnaval season. I ran up the street to where the people were. It was just like in I had seen in videos about Uruguay. There was a group of men (and only one woman) playing different size drums while the women (and one man) were dancing in front of them. You can watch all the videos you want, but there is nothing like seeing it in person. The music was so strong that I could feel the vibrations of the drums. It was hard to stay still. It was if the music was inviting me to dance. I smiled when I looked up to see children on a balcony playing drums and dancing. I did not expect to see candombe that might, and I was so happy to have gotten to see it with my own eyes. I didn't have a camera to capture the moment or to prove I saw it, but I have my memory and that's enough. I was very lucky to have seen it since the groups don't really play in the winter. Candombe check. {insert smiley face}

Day 2 - Orientation and Mercado del Puerto, and Tango

After a good night's sleep, I was ready for the first true day of orientation. It began with an introduction to Uruguay with some facts and information about the country. My favorite part was the comic strip of Cristian Dzwonik. It's a cat like Garfield, but from Argentina instead. I've always wanted to use tiras comicas. I remember one of my Spanish teachers put them at the bottom of the tests. Clearly, it affected me. Click here to find more Gaturro. I like these ones, and I think these are totally appropriate for level 1 or 2.

Here is another one called Brutish English. It would be fun for the kids to look up the words in Spanish that Gaturro guesses wrong. Here is a sample.

Then, we had a guest come into give us a lecture about the Uruguay Education System. I think that is one that needs it's own post to go through similarities, differences, challenges, and reforms.



Chimichurri

We went from there to the Mercado del Puerto where we had some lunch. Here is a video of the actual place. There the famous Uruguayan medio medio drink was made famous - which is a mix of champagne and white wine. We had that with some typical Uruguayn fare.



Meat and Provolone Cheese

Flan with Dulce de Leche

Here is a video of the market.

After we went to the Embassy, but no pictures, and nothing really to report there. It was nice to check off another Embassy I have visited.

Finally, we ended our day at the director's home for some refreshments and light snacks. It was a beautiful apartment. To top it off, she invited tango dancers to her apartment for us. It was so nice. Although I have always thought of tango as strictly Argentinean, Uruguay does share it in common with their neighbor since they have the Rio de la Plata in common. Even Carlos Gardel, the King of Tango, is believed by Uruguayans to have been born in their country laying claim to one of the most influential figures in the history of tango.