The Costa Rican Education system is flawed as are all school systems. Granted, Costa Rica boasts a literacy rate higher than that of the United States and has a great system to keep even the poorest kids in the country in school, (free breakfast and lunch every day). I’m glad to have had the opportunity to teach, but working with kids who barely speak their native language while trying to teach them a second is just unreasonable. Every time my kindergarten or first grade class gets cancelled my heart leaps.
Today was one such occasion. All of my classes except for my 30 minute session with Kindergarten were cancelled today. This meant I got to skip out on my normal 80 minute session with my 10 madding 6 year olds. I was able to take advantage of the morning by heading into town and making a couple of important phone calls and sending some emails. It’s not productivity by American standards, but it works down here. I finally found a place in Palmar to buy popsicle sticks, which was a major victory considering that I have been looking unsuccessfully since my return to Costa Rica.
I have learned a lot about Costa Rican Education this year, like the fact that students only have 4 main subjects: Spanish, Science, Civics and Math. (English is new to the agenda and Brunka the native arts and language class is technically an elective. They don’t have PE, but recess generally serves as such and can last for over an hour. Furthermore, kids don’t learn to read by learning the alphabet here. They learn by phonics, which is fine except for the fact that lots of them can’t spell and most of them have never read a book for leisure. The English that we are allowed to teach is limited to vocabulary, which would be fine if the students could read and write. As it stands however, we are generally forced to rely on my elementary skills as an artist for pictures of everything. You haven’t lived until you’ve “written” an exam without using any words in English or Spanish.
Even so, I grow to love my school more and more every day. My Director and I have been brainstorming different ways to build a new classroom for the English Teachers in the future. The other schools with Volunteers in my area have really nicer classrooms than I do and one of them is getting a new room before the end of the year. This inspired my host mom/Director and myself to spring into action. (Expect monetary solicitations in your inboxes soon. You have been warned.)
I have been working on arrangements to visit the OSA Peninsula this weekend. Despite the fact that I have been here for 8 months, I have yet to venture South. I am ready for the most biologically dense place on earth: or as ready as you can be for Jumanji.
I have no class Monday or Friday of next week due to an In-Service meeting, so I will once again be teaching a 3 day week, I would be excited except for the fact that I keep missing the classes that I actually enjoy. I have taken great strides with my second graders as of late. I’m not sure if it’s the material or if we are actually bonding, but they are excited for class and well behaved when they need to be. It’s like I’m a real teacher instead of just “la ticher” for a change.
I received my first package in the mail on Friday, which was wonderful and have been surviving on a diet of PB&J’s for the last 3 days. All in all, Life is good. That’s about all from this end. Sorry nothing exciting has happened. T-minus 3 months and 29 days.
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