Post #2

Colegio Menor is very impressive. It is a huge campus with many buildings that serve children from pre-school to high school. The buildings are beautiful and clean. There are lots of open passageways and courtyards, as well as several playgrounds for various ages. The school wants for nothing in terms of resources. There are two infirmaries with a full-time doctor at one of them, and there is a huge cafeteria that serves students at several different kiosk-type service areas, each consisting of a different variety of options. There are also several spaces throughout the school to put on student performances, including the Rotunda, and my favorite, the Oven, named for it's remarkable ability to retain heat. My cooperating teacher and her class were putting on student performances there everyday this week, so I became well acquainted with the Oven at the beginning of the week. Another important note about the school in general is that it is a private school attended by the students of the wealthiest families in Quito and Cumbayá where it is located. It is an immersion school, and all classes are taught in English except Spanish class. Students don't begin taking Spanish class until 1st grade.

As to my classes, I was placed in a 2nd grade Spanish class. In this class, they learn reading and writing skills, and they study the history and culture of Ecuador. The second graders are divided into 5 classes, each named after a famous artist. My cooperating teacher, Alex, and her assistant, Che, see each group three times a week. The scheduling is very odd. each class stays with their group, but goes to different teachers throughout the day. Two of the three times that they have Spanish class, they are there for two hours. the third time, they are only there for an hour. On some days, the teachers have huge blocks of free time for planning, and on other days, they may get an hour outside of scheduled breaks, and are run ragged.

The 2nd grade classes have been work on a PBL project that has taken them 8 weeks to complete, and culminates this week with a presentation for their parents. each class presents on a different day so that there are 5 presentations throughout the week. Due to the on-going project, and also the overall school culture, which is rather laid-back, the students seem a little out of control. There is a sense that organization and classroom management procedures do exist, but have been worn through with time. I have to wonder if changing teachers throughout out the day affects student's behavior at this age. However, it does somewhat depend on the teacher as well. On my first day, I was able to observe a math teacher, and she seemed to maintain classroom order pretty well, even with a very energetic group of students who had just finished presenting their projects to their parents.

On Wednesday, I was placed with the 1st grade Spanish teacher because the 2nd grade teacher already had a student teacher that she was working with. 1st grade seems so much different from 2nd grade! the students seem to be a bit better behave (though it depends on the class), and there seems to be more structure in the learning. In this class, they are also doing a PBL, but it is much simpler than the one in 2nd grade, which included models, posters, and a video presenting the research done by each teach on their chosen subject. In the 1st grade, the students are basing their PBL projects on the study of pets. for the presentation to their parents, each student writes a synopsis of their project, either giving information, giving tips, or telling about their pets, and then draw or bring in a photograph to show the parents.

In terms of the community, everyone is very nice and helpful, and eager to make sure all of your needs are met. I have had a cold since the beginning of the week, and when I told my cooperating teachers this, they insisted that I go to the infirmary, even though I felt as if it would take care of itself. The teachers are very helpful and kind, they never seems to get too upset, even when I can tell that they are tired or at their whit's end, they still maintain their calm, call their students by endearing names, and and maintain this calm even after the students have gone. I have not seen them discipline the students too much, even when they might have need some firmness to address their behavior, but what they lack in discipline they make up in tenderness. Students call the teachers by their first name, and often greet them with a hug, even in the hallways if they see them.

In sum, the school and the environment is a lot different than I expected, but I am gradually adjusting.