Good morning! It is 6:37 a.m. on Monday, March 21st and our first day of teaching in the schools here in San Pedro, Belize. I am filled will lots of emotions this morning. I am excited to meet my teacher at the Roman Catholic Academy along with all of my 3rd graders. I am also nervous seeing as it is our first day and I also miss my class of 5th graders back home at Eaton Elementary.
Class sizes here at this particular school look to range between 35 and 45 students. This is one difference I immediately observed when at the schools last week. My school starts at 8:00 in the morning and goes until 3:30 in the afternoon. Younger grades get out at 2:30. There are three 15 minute break times from 10:00 am until 10:45 divided by grade level. This seems to be similar to that of our recess back in the states. At 11:30 the school disperses for lunch and classes do not resume until 1:00 pm in the afternoon. Students AND teachers are allowed to leave school grounds, go home for lunch, go to the beach, or eat in the school courtyard during this time. From what I observed on Friday this time during the day is a time for the students to see family and release bottle up energy. I saw students on the beach playing, being picked up on golf carts by parents or by parents on foot, some students playing in the courtyard and others doing various activities. When I walked in to the public library, which is directly across the street from my school, I noticed some children taking this opportunity to read books and be tutored by volunteers and parents. This dedication and desire to learn is something that intrigued me and I am looking forward to finding out more about.
Last week RC Academy was taking exams and the students were very focused on their tests when we visited. I noticed in a younger grade that not all students knew English yet and, therefore, the teacher was reading/giving directions in both Spanish and English. Grades here are not called by the names we use back in the states. There is not a Kindergarten in the schools we have visited and Kindergarten does not seem to be a common thing here in Belize. The grades start at Infant I (first grade), then Infant II (second grade), then switches to Standard I (third grade), Standard II (fourth grade), Standard III (fifth grade), Standard IV (sixth grade), Standard V (seventh grade) and Standard VI (eighth grade). Together these make up the elementary school grades here in Belize. The high school here is called San Pedro High. I have also learned that while Elementary School seems to be mandatory here in San Pedro, high school is much easier to get out of compared to dropping out of high school back in the states.
I am off to go back across the street to put away my computer and get my things for school. I look forward to sharing all the exciting and interesting details about my day later this afternoon. We have a meeting with Dr. K and Dr. C at 5:00 pm. Hope everyone back in the states is doing well. Miss you all!
