Saturday, June 4, 2011

Coral Falso Classroom- Finally! Antioch Hits the Classrooms...



Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Maya

I spent my morning today in a wonderful school located in the picturesque mountain village of Coral Falso.  Here the teacher, Beatrice, works with students ranging from 1st grade up through 6th grade, all in one classroom.  We (Alicia, Jennifer and me) arrived via pickup truck and walked up to the little pink school nestled into the hillside.  The view and breeze alone were worth the trip up the mountain!  Beatrice greeted us with a big smile and hugs; we had bonded earlier in the week at our workshop in San PedroJ As we walked up the hillside, faces poked out of windows and through doorways, glowing with excitement for our visit.

Beatrice escorted us into the classroom and set out chairs for us directly in front of all the students.  The students sat in pairs at desks, making three long rows in the classroom.  Each of the rows consisted of different grade levels, which I later learned is how Beatrice structures teaching a multiage classroom.  I sat closest to the 1st graders, who would stare at me with wide eyes and shy away from questions.  Although most of the students were very shy at first, they gradually warmed up to us and gave us handshakes and hugs at the end of the school day.  Throughout the morning, we sang songs, read stories, participated in activities and played games.  During their midmorning break, we seized the opportunity to play some hand-clapping games and “Sharks and Minnows.”  I even got out on the soccer field to kick around the palota (ball).   Break may be my favorite time at the schools because then I really get a chance to interact and connect with the students through play, a common language for any child.

We also had the wonderful opportunity to observe Beatrice teaching.  She, like most teachers in Honduras, follows a very specific government mandated curriculum.  With a class of ~40 students in grades 1-6, it’s hard to imagine how she does it all.  A common technique I’ve seen here (and in Beatrice’s classroom) is teaching one grade while the other grades do independent work.  After teaching a lesson and assigning work, the teacher then moves onto another grade for a lesson.  This is repeated for all the grade levels.  When we asked how she can even manage to keep up with the curriculum, Beatrice talked about having to balance quantity and quality, as well as holding class until 2:00 pm, rather than just until 12:00pm.  I cannot even begin to imagine being in her shoes, with limited resources, multiple grade levels and a significant amount of students.  I have so much respect for Beatrice and others like her, a feeling and an awareness that I will take with me when I teach in my own classroom in the U.S. next year.








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