Going the distance

The teaching portion of our trip was spent in two schools, Santa Rosa and Carmello. The students and teachers taught me so much about Peru, the education system, and working in a classroom in the two weeks I spent teaching there.

After our two week "English Camp" the group prepared to visit other more rural schools in the small towns of Chinchero and Huillacapata. I personally had no idea what to expect being that we were only there to observe instead of teach. I speak for the whole group when I say the rural schools surpassed our expectations and left each and every one of us humbled by the experience. The differences in the schools were astronomical. The principals were involved in everything the students did as opposed to the city schools where I'm not even sure I ever met the principal. We were greeted with songs and dances as well as memorized poetry by the students. In Chinchero the girls taught me games and songs during their recess and we observed a typical classroom in which multiple grades are taught and multiple languages are spoken. As a group we took school supplies to donate but upon arrival I realized some kids needed shoes and other basic necessities more than pencil sharpeners and notebooks. Despite the demanding circumstances, the classroom management was admirable in comparison to the larger city schools, and the students' willingness to learn and participate in each and every activity was heart warming. The students told us stories of their routines, getting up and tending to their families animals before walking an hour to school each day, all without complaint. Our time spent there was appreciated by all and I am so very grateful we had the chance to experience a different world inside of Peru.

At the second school we visited we were able to help paint the cafeteria and enjoy some more quality time with the students. We were able to see the green house the school had for plants and vegetables and we were even served fresh potatoes and cheese after an intense soccer game with the kids. The volunteer work we did at that school was very rewarding and I know it is an experience I will never forget.

The respect I have for the teachers and principals of rural Peruvian schools has flourished with my growing knowledge of all that their job encompasses. Most teachers travel great distances every day without the use of cars or public transportation. They take on the strenuous task of teaching not one grade but two or three all at the same time in the same class room. They manage diverse classrooms with excellence and handle language barriers with acceptance instead of pressuring conformity.  To say I was impressed by the students and teachers at these schools is an understatement. I am happy to have observed teachers that devotedly go the distance.