New Friends and Lesson Plans

It’s been a week of planning and learning! Last Friday was AMA’s (Atitlán Multicultural Academy) open house. I was fortunate enough to meet a number of parents and students. It is truly a tight knit, family community. Thus far my class is only 6 students. There were many who were either held back, or their English level is keeping them in 1^st grade. I am so grateful to have met some of my students at the open house because their English level is a bit below what I’d anticipated and now I am more confident in modifying and planning my lessons to meet their needs. The school is beautiful. I have included a “before” photo of my classroom but am not ready yet to post my “after.” It is a super small, intimate space, with a whole lot of decorating and community building potential! I look forward to having the students contribute their goals, art and successes to spice things up! Stay tuned for more classroom photos.

Library (Biblioteca)

Staff Room / Kitchen (Cocina)

Yard 

That's my room straight ahead

Before shots of my room....lots of work left to do

This Saturday my roommate and I took a boat across Lake Atitlán to another town, San Pedro. It felt so good to take a little water excursion! I definitely feel more at home where there is water in sight. San Pedro is a town on the southwest shore of the lake, inhabited by mostly Mayans. It is the rainy season here….ya Seattle was having one of the most beautiful summers of all time and I run away to the…RAIN!!!! So it was dumping the entire boat ride, but truly, rain pouring over a vast body of water….what else could feel like home!? By the time we got across the lake, we only had time for a quick lunch and walk around town. It was an adventure in itself, a tourist meditating with a rain stick on the boat, all 9 of us having to all adjust our seating arrangement every 3 minutes to ensure the boat stayed balanced, and children attempting to translate seasickness to the captain….but all in all, a successful trip! The restaurant we found was a cute, locally run, kitchen equipped with a house cat (Simon) helping to serve our food and all! See pictures of Simon below.

San Pedro

Emily and Simon

This week consists of planning and organizing. It’s teachers week at AMA and boy are we all in full gear! There’s poster making, lesson planning, curriculum translating and of course…dance breaks! The staff here is incredible and all super supportive of one another as we are essentially creating our curriculum and plans. I am truly looking forward to working with such a qualified, inspiring group of teachers!