Friday, August 22, 2008
Sunday, August 17, 2008
A peek into my weekdays!
7:00am: Get up and am greeted by Doodad and Chico. Boil lots of water for at least 20 min., eat breakfast & get ready for the day! Doodad is on the left and Chico is on the right:
8:15am: Take a crazy colored (and very packed) bus to work. It costs 1.5 Bolivianos which is the equivalent of a 17 cents! (Or something very close to that.) Usually I am sandwiched inbetween women with plastic bags full of raw chicken and little kids on their backs (ready to begin their day at the outdoor market called the Cancha) and young kids on their way to school.
8:30 am: Classes begin at CERECO. I sign the teacher log book and begin helping Marisol (in the photo below) tutor kids that have been selected to be a part of Proyecto Inclusion Escolare (PIE). We tutor the kids in reading and math, getting them ready to be mainstreamed into the public school system here in Bolivia. Occasionally, Marisol and I visit the classroom of one of the 6 students who have left CERECO to attend public school, giving them some in-class academic support and guidance to ensure their continued success as special education students in a regular education setting. The kids that we work with all have mild academic disabilities. The range of disabilities at CERECO ranges from mild to severe on both the Intellectual Disability and Physical Disability ends of special education.
Before 12:00 am: There are 2 15 minute "recreos" (recesses) that I pretty much monitor in my own while the rest of the teachers at CERECO have teacher meetings. This is probably my least favorite part of the day even though I like being able to interact with the kids in a less-formal setting. It is a crazy 15 minutes because all the kids (grades kinder through high school are on the "playground " at the same time and many of them don't understand how to properly behave their temperaments and aggressions. There are a coupl of swings and a slide, but other than that the "plaground" is just a concrete slab where everyone runs around. Below are a couple kindergarteners sharing a snack during recreo. CERECO also has a "panderia" or bakery where some of the older students make and sell breads and goodies. After 12:
12:00pm-2:00pm: At noon, I go back to my house near La Laguna and make lunch. Lunch is the biggest meal of the day here and kids and professionals all have a 2 hour lunch break nestled in between their day. Most of the kids actually do not go back to school after lunch, they simply stay at home with their families. (That means that a typical school day lasts from 8:30am to 12:00pm daily.) I used to have a big, ling meal with my host family complete with soup, some sort of salad, a main dish (always meat and either rice or potatoes) and fruit for desert, but now living on my own I usually just make macaroni and cheese (yes, I found that at a "gringo" supermarket....gringo means "foreigner") or something quick like that. I usually have time to wash some clothes (yes, by hand) or make some phone calls too.
2:30pm-5:30pm: At 2:30pm or so I head back to CERECO. In the afternoons a different teacher, Teresa, and I help small groups of kids with homework help and additional support in math, reading and life skills. The kids are grouped by ability and we see each group once a week. Below is Teresa with the Monday group of students:
5:30pm: At this hour the afternoon kids go home and I head back to my house to unwind, make dinner and sometimes watch a movie on my computer. I am usually very tired and don't stay up too late! This is a picture of the house where I am living with a Maryknoll Missioner, Jason Obergfell who is a civil engineer and works on a clean water advocacy project in a rural neighborhood (el campo) further south of his house:
8:15am: Take a crazy colored (and very packed) bus to work. It costs 1.5 Bolivianos which is the equivalent of a 17 cents! (Or something very close to that.) Usually I am sandwiched inbetween women with plastic bags full of raw chicken and little kids on their backs (ready to begin their day at the outdoor market called the Cancha) and young kids on their way to school.
8:30 am: Classes begin at CERECO. I sign the teacher log book and begin helping Marisol (in the photo below) tutor kids that have been selected to be a part of Proyecto Inclusion Escolare (PIE). We tutor the kids in reading and math, getting them ready to be mainstreamed into the public school system here in Bolivia. Occasionally, Marisol and I visit the classroom of one of the 6 students who have left CERECO to attend public school, giving them some in-class academic support and guidance to ensure their continued success as special education students in a regular education setting. The kids that we work with all have mild academic disabilities. The range of disabilities at CERECO ranges from mild to severe on both the Intellectual Disability and Physical Disability ends of special education.
Before 12:00 am: There are 2 15 minute "recreos" (recesses) that I pretty much monitor in my own while the rest of the teachers at CERECO have teacher meetings. This is probably my least favorite part of the day even though I like being able to interact with the kids in a less-formal setting. It is a crazy 15 minutes because all the kids (grades kinder through high school are on the "playground " at the same time and many of them don't understand how to properly behave their temperaments and aggressions. There are a coupl of swings and a slide, but other than that the "plaground" is just a concrete slab where everyone runs around. Below are a couple kindergarteners sharing a snack during recreo. CERECO also has a "panderia" or bakery where some of the older students make and sell breads and goodies. After 12:
12:00pm-2:00pm: At noon, I go back to my house near La Laguna and make lunch. Lunch is the biggest meal of the day here and kids and professionals all have a 2 hour lunch break nestled in between their day. Most of the kids actually do not go back to school after lunch, they simply stay at home with their families. (That means that a typical school day lasts from 8:30am to 12:00pm daily.) I used to have a big, ling meal with my host family complete with soup, some sort of salad, a main dish (always meat and either rice or potatoes) and fruit for desert, but now living on my own I usually just make macaroni and cheese (yes, I found that at a "gringo" supermarket....gringo means "foreigner") or something quick like that. I usually have time to wash some clothes (yes, by hand) or make some phone calls too.
2:30pm-5:30pm: At 2:30pm or so I head back to CERECO. In the afternoons a different teacher, Teresa, and I help small groups of kids with homework help and additional support in math, reading and life skills. The kids are grouped by ability and we see each group once a week. Below is Teresa with the Monday group of students:
5:30pm: At this hour the afternoon kids go home and I head back to my house to unwind, make dinner and sometimes watch a movie on my computer. I am usually very tired and don't stay up too late! This is a picture of the house where I am living with a Maryknoll Missioner, Jason Obergfell who is a civil engineer and works on a clean water advocacy project in a rural neighborhood (el campo) further south of his house:
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Monday, August 4, 2008
CERECO
When it came time to begin my volunteer work here in Cochabamba I had expected to be placed at an orphanage or after-school setting, something not too "difficult" and not too demanding on my recently acquired Spanish skills. Then the idea was presented to me to work with the founder in Bolivian Special Education (CERECO)... one of only 3 special education facilities in Cochabamba. Since I have a degree in education, and am working on my Reading Specialist masters, the Maryknoll Volunteer Program thought that it would be a place that I could offer my expertise to and in turn, I could also learn a lot from. I visited CERECO a few weeks ago and have been working there for the last week and half. The school will continue to fill my time here in Bolivia throughout the month of August.
The CEnter for REhabilitation COchabamba (CERECO) opened a little over 30 years ago to serve the needs of people with disabilities in Cochabamba. CERECO offers services in physical therapy, psychology, audiology, speech pathology and special education services. Since special education and special education services are not widely understood in Bolivia, many of the children and young adults at CERECO have been turned away from the public schools. CERECO is working to alleviate the discrimination and disregard for people with disabilities through a relatively new program Proyecto Inclusion Escolar (PIE). The aim of the program is to provide ongoing support services to school-aged children with mild intellectual disabilities (and their families) allowing them to be successfully mainstreamed in the public school system. The project also works on creating community-wide awareness and appreciation for special education and people with disabilities through community meetings, radio programming and events which highlight the capabilities of people with disabilities.
I am working with 2 other teachers, offering scaffolded support in the areas of reading, writing, mathematics and life skills to a cohort of 7 students who have recently been mainstreamed in the public school system, as well as preparing another group of 7 or so prepare to leave CERECO and enter into the public school system. Twice a week we visit the public schools that CERECO students are attending, meet with the teachers and parents and as a team, make sure that the needs of each student are being met. For those of you who know something about education, it is similar to an IEP (Individualized Educational Plan) support team, however in Bolivia, this kind of support is not mandated by the state or federal governement, which means that it is very rare that it happens at all. I am really impressed by the initiative and success to which CERECO is promoting awareness of and advocating for people with disabilities and happy to be a part of the success story for a few weeks while here in Bolivia. I'll post more stories from CERECO soon!
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Sad to say Goodbye
My Bolivian family has been very welcoming and I'm sad to have to move from them for these last 4 weeks. The move will make it easier for me to get to and from CERECO, the special education school where I'll be working. I'll be coming back for the weekends so I can keep seeing everyone!
Pablo, Mateo and Teddy
Lilian making crepes for dinner
Looks like Sadie!
Pablo, Mateo and Teddy
Lilian making crepes for dinner
Looks like Sadie!Sunday, July 20, 2008
La Paz and Lake Titicaca
This weekend I went with Olivia to visit friends of hers who lived and worked in La Paz for 3 years. Maggie, Tim and their 2 kids Mary and Danny were back visiting La Paz for a few weeks and were very fun hosts--showing us around the rural community on the outskirts of town where they used to live and work, hosting a dinner party in La Paz, taking us to Lake Titicaca and finishing with a visit to the Maryknoll House in La Paz where I met up with Sr. Joan again (she's the one who helped me get through the airport quickly a month and a half ago!) It was a fun-filled weekend filled with breathtaking sites and quality visits with local Bolivian people...and now I am ready to begin another week of language school (this upcoming mixed with volunteer work at CERECO in the afternoons...more on that later!)
La Paz
Mary (showing off the guinea pigs at the house where she used to live in Ayachuma)...Mary reminded me so much of the little girl "Fern" in E.B. White's Charlotte's Web, and looks a little like Dakota Fanning!
A snapshot of Ayachuma
"The Lookout" on the edge of Ayachuma
Young Aymaryn Girl's support/discussion group
The girls performed a puppet show for us
La Paz
Mary (showing off the guinea pigs at the house where she used to live in Ayachuma)...Mary reminded me so much of the little girl "Fern" in E.B. White's Charlotte's Web, and looks a little like Dakota Fanning!
A snapshot of Ayachuma
"The Lookout" on the edge of Ayachuma
Young Aymaryn Girl's support/discussion group
The girls performed a puppet show for us
Fishermen on Lake Titicaca
(Left) Me looking out over the crystal clear Titicaca waters
(Right) Cover of Lonely Planet's 2008 Tour Bolivia Guide Book...seriously, this picture looks just like the cover of my guide book!
Olivia (in Mary's shall) in Puerto Perez
Maggie, Mary & Megan in Puerto Perez
(Right) Cover of Lonely Planet's 2008 Tour Bolivia Guide Book...seriously, this picture looks just like the cover of my guide book!
Olivia (in Mary's shall) in Puerto Perez
Maggie, Mary & Megan in Puerto Perez
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