Program Expectations
My expectations for the program before starting were all over the place. I knew that I would be working in primary school, but I had no idea with what age or in what capacity. I knew that there was an official auxiliar handbook, but also knew that each experience was a unique one. I reached out to former language assistants on Facebook to get and idea of what the program had in store for me. The people I spoke to expressed how important it was to go into the program with an open mind. I might be asked to do test prep, or I might help in Arts or Physical Education classes. In a weird way, this made me feel comfortable because it was the ultimate unknown.
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On top of going into the program with an open mind, I knew there were going to be certain expectations that every language assistant must meet. I knew that I was going to have to support the teacher I would be working with however I could. I knew that i would be placed in the Community of Madrid but didn't know exactly where. I knew that I was expected to be part of the family of teachers at my school, and I knew that above all else, I was only supposed to speak my mother tongue to the students at my school.
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My Placement
I was placed in C.E.I.P. Mario Vargas Llosa in Las Rozas, Madrid. Before coming as a language assistant, I had never left the United States let alone come to Spain. I immediately looked at a map of Spain to find out where Las Rozas was in correlation to Madrid. I saw that it was about 30 minutes northwest Madrid, but that it was easily accessible by train and bus. When I arrived to Spain, I began to ask people what they knew about Las Rozas and was told by most people that it was a really nice suburb of Madrid, and that most people that lived there had really good jobs.
My school is a decently sized school, with three buildings: one for infantil students, one for first and second grade students, and one for third, fourth, fifth and sixth grade students. Most classes have 23-25 students, and most grades have four classes. I work primarily with fourth and fifth grade students. There are currently 5 assistants at my school, each one working with a different grade or grades. All of the teachers meet everyday at 11am for "desayuno" which usually consists of something sweet. Everyday it feels like a big family dinner. People are talking, eating, and laughing. While at desayuno most teachers speak in Spanish, although there are some who use that time to practice their English with myself or another one of the assistants. |
My Experience
My experience at my school has been something that I am never going to forget. In my first year at Mario Vargas Llosa, I worked solely with the fourth graders and helped them prepare for the Trinity speaking exam. My bilingual coordinator explained to me that the previous year the assistants that worked at the school left on bad terms and that they were cautiously optimistic for new assistants. I took that as a personal challenge to be the best language assistant that my school had ever seen. My first year was mostly about getting to know the students and teachers better, and becoming part of their tight knit family.
Year two at Mario Vargas Llosa has me working with both fourth and fifth grade students regularly, while also helping the third grade students prepare for their Trinity exam. Because I am in my second year at the school, most of the students and teachers already know me. This year has been about taking on more responsibility in the classroom, and with the students. I have prepared lessons for whole classes and prepare games and activities for small groups of students. I have also paid closer attention to different teaching styles while also thinking about my own when I am with the students. Year one was about creating a base, while year two has been about building upon that base. |
My Contributions
Most of my contributions at my school in year one were centered around helping the fourth grade students prepare for the Trinity speaking exam. I would work one on one or in small groups of students helping them become more comfortable speaking. I helped create a board game of sorts that I would play with the kids while practicing with them. The game helped the children practice for their exam, but also was an activity that created a lot of competition between them. Every kid wanted to be the best, which led to more of them practicing for the exam. Because of the game and practicing with them every day, 92% of the students who took the Trinity exam passed.
This year I have had a different role with the students because I am not directly involved with Trinity. I have been able to work side by side with the students in the classroom and help them to understand things in not only English class, but Natural and Social science as well. It has allowed me to cultivate a different experience with the students than year one. While practicing for Trinity I learned about families, holidays, favorite food, but I never got to experience it organically. This year I get to see them in a natural classroom environment and help aid in their learning in a different way. |
Highlights
Here are some of the highlights of my time at Mario Vargas Llosa:
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