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Name:
Email address:
***(please provide email only if it is ok for other volunteers to email you about project)
Partner organisation: Escuela de Niños, Conocoto (Amable Arauz)
Start date: enero
End date: febrero
- What were the main tasks you undertook at the project? Did you have any prior experience or knowledge that helped you with these?
I basically assisted the English teacher in teaching. Which is a full job. The kids are very loud, hyperactive and have big difficulties listening. Sometimes, to give the teacher a break, I would teach a class. That was the most fun actually.
I had no prior experience, and that’s also totally unnecessary, you just have to like to do it.
- Was the explanation and support you received from the organisation adequate to ensure you could carry out your work successfully? If not please explain why.
That was all good! I found it strange though that the English teacher didn’t know I was coming, but I guess that’s the principles job, she knew…
- Would you recommend working with this organisation to other volunteers? What are the main areas of skills and interests that volunteers need for this work? Please give reasons.
I would soooo do that!!! This woman (the English teacher of the school) is a saint! She does like 24 classes, 980 students… all week long, she runs from one (very undisciplined –for Europeans at least) class to another… She could really need some help.
The good thing is, you don’t need experience, you just have to know how to handle kids… that’s for sure. You also have to have tons of patience, because most of the time, you’re explaining something for half an hour, and afterwards, they can ask something, something very basic, which you’ve been working on for half an hour… made me mad sometimes, because they just don’t listen, it’s not that they don’t understand, most of them are so smart… but very lazy too.
I big recommendation; watch out for combining volunteer work in the morning and classes of Spanish in the afternoon. My days were days from 6in the morning till after six when I came home, and it was really very tiring. I wouldn’t recommend that to anyone.
- Was the communication and support you received from Yanapuma, before and during your time volunteering adequate? Please comment on the initial orientation session, showing you to your site and communication throughout. If not, please specify why and how it could be improved.
It was sufficient. I guess, you can never fully explain if you haven’t done it for a few weeks, but future students commentary can always help to improve that.
- How would rate your overall experience at this project?
7/10
- If you would like, please write a short paragraph summing up your project and experience volunteering, as well as if and why you might recommend this volunteer site to others in the future. We will put this information on our Volunteer Ecuador website, as a direct quote from you to help others learn about your experience.
Muchas gracias!!!
Volunteer Ecuador Evaluation
Name:
Email address:
Partner organisation (Volunteer Site): Abelardo Flores Escuela Fiscal
Start date: Jan. 13, 2009
End date: March 2009
- What were the main tasks you undertook at the project? Did you have any prior experience or knowledge that helped you with these?
My main responsibilities were teaching and supervising in the English classroom. I had previously taught at a Colegio in Ecuador and an elementary school in the U.S., and both experiences helped me to be more prepared at Abelardo Flores.
- Was the explanation and support you received from the organisation adequate to ensure you could carry out your work successfully? If not please explain why.
The support and initial orientation I received from Yanapuma was more than adequate. However seeing that the school functions independently of Yanapuma I therefore communicated more with the staff at the school than with Yanapuma staff.
- Would you recommend working with this organisation to other volunteers? What are the main areas of skills and interests that volunteers need for this work? Please give reasons.
Yes I would recommend working with Yanapuma and working at Abelardo Flores because I think the program is well organized, efficient and flexible. Interests in children and development are a must as well as a volunteer with lots of patience and love! Sometimes the classroom can seem a little out of control or you might be frustrated when you are asked the same question by 40 different 6 year olds, but the girls are absolutely precious and I loved spending the mornings with them.
- Was the communication and support you received from Yanapuma, before and during your time volunteering adequate? Please comment specifically on the powerpoint orientation session, being taken and introduced to your site, and all contact throughout. If no please specify why and how it could be improved.
The communication I had with Yanapuma throughout volunteering was adequate, although I don´t think much support was necessary. I never had any problems, but Shanti did check in with me a couple times over the 3 months I was at Abelardo Flores. No comments on improvements that could be made.
- How would rate your overall experience at this project?
I really enjoyed my experience with Yanapuma and at Abelardo Flores School. I will definitely recommend both!
It is hard to find organizations in Ecuador that are as efficient and helpful as Yanapuma.
I think I´ve said it all J
Muchas gracias!!!
Volunteer Ecuador Evaluation
Name:
Email address:
***(please provide email only if it is ok for other volunteers to email you about project)
Partner organisation: Escuela Fiscal Abelardo Flores
Start date: 06/01/2010
End date: 29/01/2010
- What were the main tasks you undertook at the project? Did you have any prior experience or knowledge that helped you with these?
I helped the English teacher with classroom activities, graded homework, led class at times, helped the children who needed it, and developed and executed my own classroom activities and games. Yes I had prior experience from other teaching internships; however I have never worked with children before.
- Was the explanation and support you received from the organisation adequate to ensure you could carry out your work successfully? If not please explain why.
Yes, it was. I never felt alone or overwhelmed. I am satisfied with the support I received.
- Would you recommend working with this organisation to other volunteers? What are the main areas of skills and interests that volunteers need for this work? Please give reasons.
Yes, absolutely! I really like Yanapuma’s values and variety. The school was a nice experience because you can sense right away that there is such a need for help in the English classrooms. The girls are so sweet as well! I say that the volunteers would need to desire to make progressive, positive change in Ecuador as well as an open mind, patience, and a positive attitude.
- Was the communication and support you received from Yanapuma, before and during your time volunteering adequate? Please comment on the initial orientation session, showing you to your site and communication throughout. If not, please specify why and how it could be improved.
Yes, Shanti is amazing! The orientation session was nice, but honestly maybe not entirely helpful; just interesting. I really appreciate that Yanapuma personally took us to our site and explained how to get there. Shanti has been a total life saver during my experience in Quito.
- How would rate your overall experience at this project?
I would rate it an 8/10. The school Abelardo Flores is rather far away and I am sure that there are underfunded schools right here in Quito. Otherwise perhaps a homestay in Conocoto would be an option?
Nope...
- If you would like, please write a short paragraph summing up your project and experience volunteering, as well as if and why you might recommend this volunteer site to others in the future. We will put this information on our Volunteer Ecuador website, as a direct quote from you to help others learn about your experience.
Muchas gracias!!!
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