Reflections

It's been a tough few days saying goodbye to students and fellow teachers. My experience at The Colegio San Bartolome has been amazing.  They describe themselves as a family, and their school as their home. I felt this from day one - which has made it all the more difficult to leave.

So what have I learnt?

 - Firstly that even basic resources like printing were a challenge, so I got used to having a Plan B, or writing activities out and photocopying them!

 - That it takes a constant effort to encourage students to talk in full sentences and to talk in English when doing activities in pairs / groups.

 - Having quiet confidence and a calm approach help with classroom management. 

 - Emile suggested that planning a lesson shouldn't take more than 30 minutes. This was my biggest worry  - I remember talking to Fran about how this was possible on the journey here! So learning how to do that has been one of my biggest wins.

 - Having a flexible plan has been really useful, as there were lots of last minute changes by my tutor nearly every day!

 - That even students who you think are disengaged will speak enthusiastically if you ask them the right questions!

 

Well I could carry on for a lot longer, but in a nutshell I gained more confidence delivering the content of my lessons  - including the passive voice - which was the one I was most nervous about.

I also really enjoyed getting to know my students and adapting my lessons accordingly. 

I feel like my connection with the school and teachers will extend way beyond the four week programme,  and that the experiences I have had there will last a lifetime.  

This letter and all the heartfelt goodbyes made me really glad to have been here 😍