Teaching Experience at Santa Elena Primary

Last week our group had the privilege of observing and teaching at Santa Elena Primary School. We visited on Tuesday and Thursday and once again, working inside of the school was my favorite portion of the week.

On Tuesday, May 28^th, our group was given an initial tour of Santa Elena Primary. This tour included a hike to their “outdoor classroom” along a path that the schoolchildren maintain.  After the hike we saw the garden of vegetables used for cafeteria food and then a quick peek into the school’s Special Education classroom.  After the tour we observed a portion of a 6^th grade science class.  As our time at Santa Elena Primary School ended, I left feeling unsatisfied and slightly discouraged.  I had expected to give my planned lesson, work one-on-one with students, and leave the school feeling like I had made a small but positive impact on a student.  Instead, I felt frustrated and like our time at the school had been wasted. 

Below is the school's outdoor classroom and garden used for growing cafeteria food.

It took some “down time” and time to process my day that I realized that no time spent in a school is wasted.  Especially having the privilege to visit a school abroad! Any time observing in a foreign school or even in a different type of American school is valuable.  Through observing, I am able to witness an assortment of teaching styles, different classroom set ups, and varied student work samples.  I began to understand just how lucky I was to step foot into a Costa Rican school and sit in on an actual class.  Wow!  I had also taken for granted the time we had to converse with the school’s assistant principal.  Our group was able to ask questions to Santa Elena Primary’s assistant principle and begin data collection for our action research projects.  I learned some interesting facts like their school day was split in half, they had a morning group of students from 7-10am and then a second group beginning at 10:30 until 2:30pm.  I also learned that all of their schools lunches are free, their curriculum is enforced nation-wide, and if a child misses one day of school, teachers are mandated to call their family and inquire about the absence immediately.

I returned to Santa Elena Primary on Friday, May 31^st feeling refreshed and looking forward to soaking up new information and experiences.  After observing a fourth grade English class, we were able to teach pairs of first grade students parts of the body using English words. I had the pleasure of working with two very lively first grade girls, Katerin and Joselyn.  Their enthusiasm and eagerness to learn English words was infectious and I mentally noted that I should try and replicate their attitudes and apply it to my Spanish class later that afternoon.  Together, we learned many parts of the body (partes de cuerpo) using the “demonstration, not translation” method.  The students drew the body parts independently and even labeled them in English!  I think I was just as proud as they were as they showed their teacher their completed pictures and mastery of new information.  We wrapped up our time together by reading several books and pointing out different animals and colors within the stories (in English of course). 

Joselyn and Katerin

Hard at work labeling parts of the body in English!

Reading "I Love You Because" to my students.

I value the time I had at Santa Elena Primary.  My experience there transformed from a slightly negative and uncertain mindset to a positive and meaningful time for teaching practice.