Matt, myself, and 4 other volunteers were placed at Elba Zamora (lucky for us, the same school with the same kids) with 2 ayudantes and given free range to come up with math, Spanish, English and art lessons for 2 groups of kids (1st-3rd and 4th-6th). Matt got stuck working with the youngins, which proved a good deal more of a challenge, but started to get into a decent rhythm just in time for Christmas break. Between kids who just wanted to play, lessons that needed to be scaffolded for multi levels, ayudantes that sometimes helped, and some volunteers that might have been happy just playing as well.... it became evident that there was dire need for a positive behavior system to be in place and in depth plans done in advance.
I decided to switch over to the older kids which fit like a worn glove after having more experience with 4th and 5th graders. I think I decided that is the age range I enjoy most, as you can do so much more with students once they have some background knowledge and a basic skill set under their belts. Teaching the basic skill set is much harder! So the joy was stepping into the actual teaching shoes again, working with a group of 9-12 kids, having 2 other volunteer helpers, and having a group of kids that mostly were pysched to be participating. Sounds like the ideal classroom variables.
The fun part was having as many art projects as we wanted and going to the campo for some serious soccer, frisbee, and tackle the adults games played by all!
So after 3 weeks, Christmas break came which was kicked off with an awesome end of the year party for all the kids of 3 different schools out in a rural barrio called San Ignacio. It included, soccer games, tackle the adults, spin the kids, face painting, pinatas, food..... and..... dancing!
The dancing was the best part as the volunteers had to perform traditional Nicaraguan dances (folklorico) and the kids shook their hips to some reggaeton! Matt and I were dubbed Viejita (little old woman) and Viejito (little old man) as we danced in costume, roles reversed and 12 cup sizes bigger, and made everybody laugh their socks off! The funniest moment occured when Matt's nalgas (balloon butt) fell out, and then later when his bloomers dropped and tripped him up. Check the link below for a brief trailer!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jODcEruvAA
Other Christmas festivities included the not to be mentioned new additions to our abode .... also known as gallo and pinto. Our roomie rescued them from the street and we are nuturing them up to be big bad mice killers, that we will unfortunately and undoubtedly have to find other homes for. There is a quiet joy to kittens, as they eat, sleep, play, and repeat all day and night long, being so little that there pouncing around doesn't even make a sound.
And Nicaragua didn't let us down with trickytrackas and bombas ringing above our heads and in our ears for the first 1/2 hour of the birth of the nino de dios (12 am), and then providing us with a nice, hot Christmas day. Look out snow, you're overrated anyways! New words to the song: I'm dreaming of a hot Christmas, just like the ones I currently know....
And well, we were at church first thing in the morning watching the communions of 4 of our favorite kids, which was followed by a party at their house - music, food, and I'll let you fill in the blank. Starts with a Pin and ends with a Yata! Aka, the new Nicaraguan currency as at the end of every week we seem to be paid in them.
And well, we were at church first thing in the morning watching the communions of 4 of our favorite kids, which was followed by a party at their house - music, food, and I'll let you fill in the blank. Starts with a Pin and ends with a Yata! Aka, the new Nicaraguan currency as at the end of every week we seem to be paid in them.
volunteer xmas dinner
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