I am mostly helping out in four classes, two are math classes with students that are 13/14, one with students 12/13 and lastly the science lab with the class of 13/14 year olds. In the math classes, I help the primary teacher when a student raises their hand I go over and try to answer their questions and explain the concepts better.
It is interesting because all of their worksheets are in Catalan so when I go over to help them I need their help first to translate the worksheet into Spanish for me. I think this excites the students because they get to teach me something too.
The class is usually taught in Catalan but since I am there the teacher speaks in Spanish so I can understand. I also tend to chime in when there is a little hint to remembering certain things which I think the students really like and also the teacher. In the Science lab the class is taught in English so I am a big help when it comes to pronunciation, it is so comical to hear the students trying to imitate my accent.
There are so many differences in this school and the schools I am used to back home and when I went to school. One of them is that the students call all of the teachers by their first name, even the principal! They are very friendly and close to their students which I am sure helps with trust. Another difference is the dress code, many teachers wear jeans or casual pants and even sandals! Also the students raise their hands by holding up one finger not the whole hand. It’s just small things that you notice but it makes a big difference.
I am really loving my placement here and just solidifies the fact that I want to be a teacher in the very near future. I am looking forward to the week before Halloween because I am collaborating with the English teacher to teach the kids all about Halloween in the United States and then the students will have the chance to teach me about what they do for Halloween.