Week 1
This week has taught me that I am more prepared to be a teacher than I previously thought. There are many times where I feel as though I may not be prepared or may have enough experience to teach quite yet, but my first week working with the teachers and being in the schools made me realize that I am more equipped than I thought. Since working with the teachers in Belize is learning experience for both us and them, I feel like I have learned that being a teacher is not always as easy as we may make it appear in the United States. Teachers in the US have difficulties within their classroom as well, but may not have the same types of challenges that teachers in Belize have. Standing back and watching the teachers in their classroom yesterday, I couldn't help but keep imagining strategies in my head that the teacher could be using to make their classroom easier to handle. It makes me excited that we are here to help them with some of those strategies and broaden their knowledge of new and inventive creative strategies to implement into their classroom.
When it comes to the people of Belize and their culture, I have learned that the community here seems very tight knit. The island is so small that everyone knows each other and everything going on. I'm learning that "Belize time" is a very real thing, as people tend to get to where they're going whenever they get there. There is not a constant rush to get to where you need to be as in the United States. Everyone is very go with the flow and doesn't stress about any changes that may be made in their schedule. Although the culture seems very laid back and easy going, but there is also a hard work ethic throughout the community. Almost everyone you see is working at SOMETHING, whether they are in school, working a family business, doing construction, or trying to sell local foods on the side of the road. Despite their hard work ethic, people in San Pedro have been nothing but kind and helpful since we have been here.
This week, I was surprised at the classrooms that we went and observed on Thursday. I was expecting to walk in and see walls that were bare and students who sat quietly the entire time while the teacher wrote on the board. Instead, I saw walls full of demonstrative materials and other materials students could use while they were working. Students were energetic and talkative throughout the lesson and participated while the teacher was teaching. What is interesting to me, however, is that many of the materials that are posted on the walls are never used, but they are placed their simply because they are required to. There were also no examples of students work, which means that most of the work they turn in probably looks the same and there is no creative difference between them. I almost feel like the teachers have the ingredients to make a successful classroom, but they are not using them in the correct way to get the outcome they want. The students are full of energy and life that could be used towards activities they allow them to explore, create, and expand their knowledge!
When it comes to the people of Belize and their culture, I have learned that the community here seems very tight knit. The island is so small that everyone knows each other and everything going on. I'm learning that "Belize time" is a very real thing, as people tend to get to where they're going whenever they get there. There is not a constant rush to get to where you need to be as in the United States. Everyone is very go with the flow and doesn't stress about any changes that may be made in their schedule. Although the culture seems very laid back and easy going, but there is also a hard work ethic throughout the community. Almost everyone you see is working at SOMETHING, whether they are in school, working a family business, doing construction, or trying to sell local foods on the side of the road. Despite their hard work ethic, people in San Pedro have been nothing but kind and helpful since we have been here.
This week, I was surprised at the classrooms that we went and observed on Thursday. I was expecting to walk in and see walls that were bare and students who sat quietly the entire time while the teacher wrote on the board. Instead, I saw walls full of demonstrative materials and other materials students could use while they were working. Students were energetic and talkative throughout the lesson and participated while the teacher was teaching. What is interesting to me, however, is that many of the materials that are posted on the walls are never used, but they are placed their simply because they are required to. There were also no examples of students work, which means that most of the work they turn in probably looks the same and there is no creative difference between them. I almost feel like the teachers have the ingredients to make a successful classroom, but they are not using them in the correct way to get the outcome they want. The students are full of energy and life that could be used towards activities they allow them to explore, create, and expand their knowledge!
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