Half Way
Trip Start
Jan 04, 2008
1
29
59
Trip End
Jul 16, 2008
Cofradia,
Honduras
Monday, March 10, 2008
Monday and Tuesday I was forced to give my kindergarteners exams. At first I thought that was a little crazy, but I liked it in the end because it is good to know where each child is really at. I did a five part test and they took it individually with me outside of the classroom.
· Numbers- "How Many?", counting and number identification
· Colors- identifcation using Care Bear flashcards
· Shapes- identification using Pooh flashcards
· Letters- A, B, C identification- asked to circle all of the A´s, etc.
· English- "This is my..." nose, eyes, ears, mouth, etc.
I was extremely pleased with the way the exams turned out. Most of them really knew the material. Others, unfortunately, were as clueless as I thought. I do not know how they will ever catch up and keep up with the other kids.
Luckily, during all of the time-consuming tests, I had help from a crew of Canadian volunteers. A group of about 10 high school students from a private boys´school in Toronto, come down every March to help out. Two of their teachers accompany them and before the trip they raise a ton of money to help fix up the school. Last semster one of the boys came back to volunteer for six months. My two guys were very mature 12th graders. They helped out so much and really had a natural knack for working with the kids. One of the guys even taught some lessons. I let them do as much as they felt comfortable doing because that is what they are here for- experience! It is a win-win. They also came equiped with some fun new games for us and the kids loved them. Aggy, one of the teachers, brought me heaps of supplies because she chapored last year and saw how limited we were. I also received a package of supplies from the Pyatt´s this week- very cool! I really appreciate all of the donations that have been given to help out with our school. The kids get so excited!
Today, Friday, was the big Easter egg hunt at school. I planned the entire event so I have a great sense of relief right now... Throughout the week grades 2-9 decorated the eggs. We did it the "Honduran style", even though they do not actually decorate eggs in Honduras (go figure). The Honduran style is to blow out all of the yolk and paint the empty shell. It is too hot to use hard-boiled eggs here. I have never done it this way but it worked incredibly well and the end product is very nice. The students loved painting the eggs. There was also an egg decorating contest in which the kids could bring in an egg that they decorated at home. So today is when it all came together. Two Canadian volunteers and I went around to collect and judge the eggs. While we did that, the colegio kids hid all of the eggs and candy around the school. I put 100 lempiras worth of small bills in the eggs and the golden egg had a 100 lempira bill inside. At 10:30 we released kindergarten, prepa, and 1st to hunt eggs. They loved it! Afterwards, we had a small assembly to pass out prizes and certificates for the best egg decoarting in each grade.
Whew...
Australia Day
time to relax. I think I will go lay on a beach in Belize. I am half way done teaching already. "Semana Santa" is a big deal here; it is the week leading up to Easter so we get the week off school. My visa is about to expire so I have to go to Belize to renew it. While I am out I figure I might as well bum around Guatamala too. ¡Feliz Semana Santa! and Happy Easter!
