Teaching at Larcacuna

I'm beginning my fourth week in Ecuador and it's about time I posted more information about where I'm working...

I've been teaching a group of third graders in a community called Larcacunga. I have 7 boys and 1 girl ranging in age from 7 to 11 years old. Of the eight, three are brothers (Juan, Luis and Mario), and Bryan and Nayeli are siblings as well. All the family relationships make for interesting dynamics in the class :)

The kids all speak Kitchwa as their first language and their Spanish skills vary based on their ages. In addition to teaching basic literacy, I teach math, social science and natural science. Most lessons combine vocabulary and language skills along with the other subjects, since the kids are still just learning Spanish. Sciences are fairly basic, such as health/hygiene or domestic vs. wild animals. In math we're focusing on 3-digit addition/subtraction, and single-digit multiplication. I especially enjoy teaching math. Do you remember first learning how to borrow 10 for subtraction? Or discovering multiplication tables? It's really fun to watch the kids figure out these basic concepts. And I can teach math without needing elaborate language skills, which is nice.

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When we're not in the classroom, we're out on the playing field with the kids. You'll most often see me playing with the younger kids. they love to be tossed over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes and we run around the yard making noises like an airplane with our arms out to our sides. The bigger kids will often get a horseback ride instead (I can't quite get them up over a shoulder.)

A few weeks ago the volunteers were invited to Dia de Banderos (Flag Day). This is a special day where the 7th graders all gather in one school (in Tangali) to receive honors, and to pledge their allegiance to the nation. It was adorable. At Larcacunga we have 5 seventh graders. The highest-ranking student at each school gets to march with their school's flag, and the 2nd and 3rd ranking students flank the flag at left and right. The other 7th graders march in formation behind. After several speeches by school and community officials, each student from each school marches individually to their flag, kneels and kisses the flag and makes their vow of citizenship. Near as I could interpret from the speeches, these kids are now considered full and responsible members of the community at this point. It was a long ceremony, but the kids and their families seemed to take it all VERY seriously. I was glad to have been invited.

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In another week or two I will be joined by a new volunteer who will take over the classroom after I leave. I'll be disappointed to move on just after getting settled in, but that's the nature of this sort of volunteer program. I enjoy seeing all the different countries (that was one major motivation for taking this program) but if one were really focused on the teaching aspect I would recommend at least 3 months in one place in order to "get in the groove".