Warren-Prescott, a public elementary school in Charlestown, MA is blazing trails with a new program in cooperation with The Quintiliano Sanchez School in Quito, Ecuador. In July, a group of teachers will be traveling to Quito to volunteer and tour; they’re excited about their trip, and we can’t wait to be a part of the experience!
Warren-Prescott received funds through the Boston Public School system to send 4 teachers to lead a 5-day English immersion program for elementary students at Quintiliano Sanchez, a school in Quito, Ecuador. This is the foundation of a sister school relationship between Warren-Prescott and Quintiliano Sanchez which they hope to build upon for years to come.
The teachers are extremely excited about this opportunity, as one of the team of four explained, “this is an experience we’ll talk about for a long time and we’ll certainly share it with our colleagues. I’m excited now. I can only imagine the stories I’ll be sharing with the students, the staff and the parents when I get back.”
The idea behind this sister-school exchange program came after Dr. Amara, the principal of Warren-Prescott school, visited Ecuador last summer. While he was there he discussed the idea of the exchange with members of Quintiliano Sanchez.
Upon returning to the States, he proposed that teachers from his school travel to Ecuador to learn as much as possible about the culture, history, and language of Ecuador in order to share with other faculty members and students.
He explained that the school teachers in Quito “wanted to explore ways to share the voices and ideas of staff and students of different cultures. They wanted to have native English speaking teachers teach their students in English.” Through the process of the exchange, each party hopes to share the voices and ideas of staff and students of different cultures.
The teachers from Warren-Prescott will share with their own students some of the photographs, videos, and artifacts from their trip; offering a glimpse into the foreign culture of Ecuador. One of the teachers remarked, “I’m looking forward to visiting the areas outside the city and the historic areas in the city…My kids will love the pictures of the places we visit. I’ll also wager that the kids in Quito would have an interest in learning about our history and culture.” What a great way to engage students and spark their curiosity about the world.
The well-rounded team of four teachers from Warren-Prescott includes a fourth grade teacher, a kindergarten teacher, an elementary science teacher, as well as a k-8 physical education/ health teacher.
Their goal is to foster a personal, face-to-face relationship with the other teachers and the students at the school in Ecuador. They also feel that by providing instruction in the English language as native English speakers, they will greatly advance the English language program for the teachers and the staff of Quintiliano Sanchez.
In addition to the primary purpose of the trip, the four teachers also have individual goals related to their own backgrounds and passions. For example, the physical education/health teacher says he is interested in finding out what types of games kids play in Ecuador; he’s also excited to share some of the typical games played in America with the Ecuadorian students. As he put it, “I can’t think of a better way to communicate with kids and adults alike than with some friendly challenging game.”
The science teacher in the group is interested in the rich natural science that Ecuador has to offer, explaining, “I’m passionate about everything that has to do with science and I look for every way I can make my students learn it and love it the way I do. I hope they allow me to bring back a little bit of a volcano, a little bit of the rain forest, a little bit of the Galapagos. Hey, I can dream can’t I?” Each of the teacher’s unique backgrounds will undoubtedly make this a well-rounded and multi-faceted experience.
All of the teachers and staff involved are excited about the opportunities which this exchange will bring to both communities.
The teachers at Warren-Prescott school are motivated and excited about the chance to share their own culture, language, and knowledge with the people of Quintiliano Sanchez, and in return, to gain a wealth of information about a different culture, another language, and the joy of community service. We wish both schools the best of luck throughout this unique experience!
United Planet is a non-profit organization with a mission to create a global community, one relationship at a time. Established in 2001, United Planet offers volunteer abroad, virtual internships, internships abroad, gap year volunteering, and global virtual exchange in more than 40 countries.
United Planet is an international non-profit organization with a mission to create a global community, one relationship at a time. We connect people who want to make a difference in communities across the world through overseas volunteer travel programs, global virtual internships & volunteering, and project-based virtual exchange programs. With opportunities in more than 40 countries, you will learn, teach, work, engage and immerse yourself in a culture outside your comfort zone. For many, volunteering abroad is the most fulfilling experience of their lives!
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