Week 3 at Colegio Menor

This past weekend I traveled to Banos, Ecuador; which is almost four hours away from Quito. I went with other WKU students and we took a bus early Saturday morning. We had a very adventurous weekend swinging, zip lining, and enjoying delicious food and coffee! We stayed overnight in Banos before heading back to Cumbaya Sunday evening. Here in Ecuador we had a four-day weekend, so we had plenty of time to rest and venture out in Cumbaya and Quito!

Casa del Arbol
(Swing at the End of the World!)

My time in Ecuador has flown by and I have enjoyed learning and living the culture that is found here. One thing that I have still not gotten used to is greeting everyone with a hug and kiss on the cheek. When this first occurred, I was caught off guard and I was not prepared for it. Students at school also love to touch you and they also greet you with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Although this does not happen in schools in the US, it is accepted here and parents want you to do the same in return to their children because it is part of the culture in Ecuador. When parents’ drop-off/pick-up their children from school they also greet teachers with a hug and kiss on the cheek. This has been one of the biggest cultural aspects that has been difficult to adapt to because I am not use to this practice in the US.

Another cultural aspect that has played a role during my time in Ecuador is the language that is spoken. Spanish is the main language that is spoken here in Cumbaya, so I have relied heavily on a translator app when speaking to others outside of the school. Colegio Menor is a bilingual school, so students are learning both English and Spanish. Students are being taught new English words daily/weekly. Students still mix their Spanish with their English especially when it comes to writing. Sometimes I struggle with understanding what the students have written or are trying to communicate. Since I am in a first-grade classroom their English is still at the developing level.

Students enjoying a video read aloud of Pete the Cat!

It is crazy that I only have five more school days at Colegio Menor! My time spent in Ecuador has completely flown by! The experiences that I have had thus far has taught me so much that I will be able to put to use in my future classroom. I look forward to wrapping my time up in Cumbaya and returning back home soon!

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Overall Reflection

My last day of International Student Teaching! It is hard to believe that my time spent in Ecuador has finally come to an end. I will be flying out tonight and will be back home early tomorrow morning. I have faced many challenges while here, but I have enjoyed every second of my trip and it has only allowed me to grow as an individual! I will forever cherish the memories made while at Colegio Menor and while in Ecuador. Before coming I knew that the language barrier would be difficult for me. Although there were still many times that I was unaware what was being spoken or what I agreed or disagreed with, I still managed to keep an open mind and never shut down. I relied heavily on my translator app, which was very helpful! The first-grade students helped me learn important words that they thought I should know one including ice cream! As I was helping students learn, I was in return learning just as much. Throughout my experience in Ecuador I have learned that it is alwa

Week 1 in Cumbaya!

I have almost successfully survived my first week in Ecuador! I arrived late on Saturday night and spent Sunday exploring around Quito and Cumbaya with my host family. My host home is actually located in Cumbaya, so that is where I spend most of my time! She speaks very little English, so I have relied heavily on a translating app to communicate with her. I am still getting used to the food, but I have been trying new foods when possible! I ride a bus each morning to school with my roommate who is from Massachusetts also here student teaching. A bus is provided for teachers that need transportation, so the bus is filled with other teachers and student teachers. I am completing student teaching in a first-grade classroom at Colegio Menor, which is a private school located near the center of Cumbaya. Students are bilingual speaking both Spanish and English, but they speak only English while in my class. The school days begins at 8:00am and ends at 2:45pm for students and 3:45 for tea

Week 2 at Colegio Menor

I cannot believe that I have already been in Ecuador for two weeks, the time has flown by! This past weekend I spent time traveling! On Saturday, I went to Termas Papallacta with two other WKU students and relaxed in pools filled with water from natural hot springs! Sunday, we went to Ciudad Mitad del Mundo (the Middle of the World)! Since our trip to Ecuador is short, we make sure to spend the weekend traveling as much as possible! This coming weekend is a Holiday weekend, so I will be traveling to Banos, Ecuador for a few days! Sunday at Ciudad Mitad Del Mundo monument! College Menor is a great school and I am so thankful that I have had the opportunity to spend the remainder of my student teaching here. As far as my involvement goes in the classroom, I mainly help with individual students. I make sure to circulate throughout the classroom and help students whenever needed. I have not had the opportunity to lead whole class instruction because students have

Traveling. Teaching. Learning.

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