Tia Sarah

This is a picture of La Amistad school.  The second story is still under construction, but there are two or three classes that meet up there.  Fun fact: the roof is built around the trunk of one of those palm trees.

The kids at La Amistad (The Friendship) school call me Tia Sarah, (‘tia’ translates to ‘aunt’ in English).  It’s the most adorable thing since puppies.  

As I’ve mentioned before, my work assignment here in Paraguay is to help out in a primary school.  I mostly lend a hand where I’m needed; cleaning, cooking, doing dishes, wiping kids’ noses, playing, and occasionally helping out in classes as a teacher’s aide.  The most intimidating thing that I’ve been asked to do, though, is teach English twice a week, to five classes of 20 children under the age of 6.

We sing lots of songs and do lots of repetition.  One teacher has asked me to come in every day and sing a few songs in English with the kids, so that they can sing them to their parents.  Thus far, the classes have learned colors and body parts in English, as well as a few songs. 

It’s been a lot of fun.  Here are some pictures, because it’s much easier to show than tell you all what happens inside the classroom. 

Enjoy!
Sarah

Miguel (in back) and Tobias (in front) are currently not at all listening to what I'm saying and are pestering Roxanne to take their picture in the back of the class.  I think I'd have better classroom management if they weren't adorable even when they're misbehaving.



We're learning body parts, and this is the stomach.  Kids more easily learn when they have actions to accompany words, and have more fun when the actions are silly and/or obnoxious.  So do I.

Here we're singing Head Shoulders Knees and Toes.  "Eyes and ears and mouth and nose."  Typically I consider it to be a success when over half of the class is paying attention (notice the two in the back wrestling).



This is what a classroom full of children reviewing colors in a foreign language looks like.  Notice how whatever in the front of the classroom (me, of course) has their rapt attention.