• Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Mail
  • e-Catalog
  • Volunteer Portal
  • Register Now
  • Contact Us
Call Us: 800-487-1074
Global Volunteers
  • Support
    • Donation Opportunities
      • Donate Now
      • Changemakers Club – Monthly
      • Gift Catalog
      • More Ways to Give
    • Foundation Opportunities
      • Funding Opportunities for Philanthropic Partners
  • Volunteer
      • Individuals
      • Families
    • Groups
      • Employer/Employee
      • University
      • High School
      • Faith Based
  • Countries
    • International Partnerships
      • China
      • Cook Islands
      • Cuba
      • Ecuador
      • Greece
      • Italy (Sicily)
      • Nepal
      • Peru
      • Poland
      • Portugal
      • St Lucia
      • Tanzania
      • Vietnam
    • USA Programs
      • Aguadilla – Puerto Rico
      • Blackfeet Reservation – Montana
      • Española – New Mexico
      • Rio Grande Valley – Texas
  • Projects
    • Community Work Projects
      • Delivering Essential Services
      • Teaching Conversational English
      • Supporting Community Development
      • Supplementing School-Based Curricula
      • View All Community Work Projects
  • Dates & Fees
    • Seasonal
      • Spring
      • Summer
      • Fall
      • Winter
    • Monthly
      • January
      • February
      • March
      • April
      • May
      • June
      • July
      • August
      • September
      • October
      • November
      • December
      • All Service Program Dates
  • Impact
  • News
  • Request Information
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
Volunteer Voices Portugal

Settling Into a Teaching Routine

During breakfast, Barbara read her Monday entry in the journal, followed by the team’s impressions about their 2nd day on the job. We reported back a variety of experiences, as our students range from very young pupils struggling to learn a few simple words, to older teens very able to discuss sophisticated subjects in perfect English, to senior adults.

From Ruth & Ann: Their “great day” included participating in discussions with students on a university track topics ranging from corporate slavery to child labor laws to the impact of the media on children.

John and Lynn once again worked with 4 classes of 6th to 9th graders and were of special assistance to one teacher who was still incapacitated due to recent dental work.

Barbara and Judy experienced a “double-period” with a group of students in a “vocational track” and found that a lively game of Hangman got an enthusiastic response. Their three other classes of 6th and 8th graders seemed to be typical junior high kids whom they met for the first time on Tuesday. Talk in English ranged from soccer to American TV and the Golden Gate Bridge to winters in Michigan.

Noreen and David reported that their day in the schools was quite good. They experienced the greatest age range of students in our group, from 11th graders studying genetic modification in perfect English down to exhausted little 6-year- olds whose English class comes at the end of a very long school day.

We then set out on a cool, damp, foggy morning for another day of volunteering in the Beja English instruction program. Several of us faced the immediate challenge of finding our schools without the guidance of our fearless leader, achieving various degrees of success in mastering the cobblestone streets that led to our destinations.

After our work day, everyone in classroom situations reported having observed a great variety of teaching styles and classroom control, and our contributions are not immediately evident.  Karen added a totally different perspective to the mix. She had the opportunity to work one-on-one with senior adults throughout the day, which went late into the afternoon, and also tutored Joaquin, who is improving his English skills by reading from a book about the Kennedy assassination.volunteer in Portugal

We had our second Portuguese lesson from Joaquin Mosca. Fortunately our young students are much more proficient in English than we will ever be in Portuguese. Joaquin also entertained us with threeFado -Portuguesenational songs of “destiny.”

The group left the evening meeting tired from a day with both challenges and rewards but not too exhausted to enjoy another hearty dinner at a nearby restaurant, complete with typical local fare and great camaraderie.

“He or she who serves almost always benefits more than he or she who is served.” ― Gordon B. Hinckley, 15th President of the Mormon Church until his death in 2008.

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Pocket
February 18, 2014/by Michele Gran
https://globalvolunteers.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2014-GlobalVolunteersLogo-Web.png 0 0 Michele Gran https://globalvolunteers.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2014-GlobalVolunteersLogo-Web.png Michele Gran2014-02-18 16:49:032016-09-22 13:47:29Settling Into a Teaching Routine
0 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Partner Communities

  • China (62)
  • Cook Islands (44)
  • Cuba (115)
  • Ecuador (90)
  • Greece (70)
  • Italy (53)
  • Montana (52)
  • Nepal (20)
  • New Mexico (2)
  • Peru (113)
  • Poland (97)
  • Portugal (44)
  • Puerto Rico (3)
  • South Dakota (8)
  • St Lucia (57)
  • Tanzania (237)
  • Texas (7)
  • Vietnam (33)

Categories

  • Classroom Assistance (8)
  • Conversational English (96)
  • Cultures and Traditions (136)
  • Development Impact (127)
  • Family Volunteering (61)
  • Free Time Options (79)
  • Group Volunteering (19)
  • News and Updates (150)
  • Partners' Stories (16)
  • Projects for Professionals (23)
  • Reaching Children's Potential (245)
  • Ripple Effect (6)
  • Service-Learning (51)
  • Staff Worldwide (26)
  • Volunteer Voices (685)
  • Why I Give (18)

Tags

American Indian culture Care for children Caribbean island College groups Conversational English Cuba people-to-people development impact Earthbox gardens Essential Services food insecurity Funding your fee gender equality Health and nutrition High school groups Labor projects retiree volunteers Spring break student volunteer summer volunteer program support children Support women teaching children teaching english team leader things to do peru top places to visit peru tourism cook islands tours peru travel peru volunteer benefits Volunteer impact volunteer time off work on reservations Work with youth youth volunteering

Get Global Volunteers News Here!

Enter your email address to receive fresh new posts in your inbox.

  • About Us
  • Boards of Directors and Advisors
  • US and International Staff
  • Our Beginnings
  • Our Vision
  • Community Partners
  • Collaborators
  • Compare Us
  • Volunteer Vacations FAQs
  • Accountability and Agreements
  • Travel Risks
  • Impact and Outcomes of Service
  • Donate to Global Volunteers
  • Donate to a Volunteer
  • Money Matters – Explaining Your Service Program Contribution
  • Discounts & Fundraising
  • Alumni Center
  • Covid-19 Policy
  • News/Media
  • Privacy Policy
  • Agreements
  • Site Map
  • Contact
  • Podcast
  • Volunteer Portal
  • Employment
Global Volunteers
375 East Little Canada Road
St. Paul, MN 55117-1628 USA
(800) 487-1074 | toll-free
(651) 482-0915 | fax
globalvolunteers.org
email@globalvolunteers.org
Federal EIN: 36-3352680

JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST!

Subscribe to receive updates, new blog posts, and inspiring stories from our work around the world.

Global Volunteers - Partners in Development ® | © Copyright 2002 - Present Global Volunteers
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Mail
  • Global Volunteers is a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization. Our tax ID is 36-3352680. All donations are tax deductible to the full extent provided by the law.
  • Send feedback about this web site and its administration.
Tamales slingingLet’s talk about love!
Scroll to top