Hasta Luego Barcelona
Of all the adventures we had on our trip to Spain, the memories I made with the students were my very favorite. I have enjoyed working with second grade. The age group has been especially fun because they are more independent and are also able to have fun and interesting conversations. One of the most eye opening parts of this trip was how easy it was to connect to my students. These students are continents away from the students I worked with in Kentucky; however, both students truly had very similar needs. Students -whether from Spain, Kentucky or anywhere in between- need teachers to take time out of their schedule to talk to them, listen to them and treat them with respect. I was able to connect with students despite a language and culture barrier because I interacted with them and met their social and emotional needs. I hope to remember these important qualities of educators in my future because it is what makes a difference in kids lives.
My teacher has been a kind and patient role model for me, as well. I enjoyed watching her flexible and relaxed mannerisms while working with her classroom. She had excellent topic (what they call science and social studies) lessons. I plan to use and modify the lessons she taught in my own classroom.
Outside of the school setting, I have grown to appreciate Spain's relaxed interactions, the use of public transport, and the diversity of language the most.
Arriving places on time seemed much more relaxed in Spain than it does in America. Additionally, the dining experiences were even more laid back. The waiters were not as quick to serve or clear tables.
It was also a culture shock to use public transport regularly. It was tricky to figure out at first, but it was very reliable and accessible once we got the hang of it. I am sure public transport helps to elimanate wasting gas. On the down side though, it is nice to have the freedom to leave and arrive at your own pace with your own motor vehicle.
I am proud of America for the diversity we have. In Spain though, it seems to be diverse in differnt ways than us. There are multiple languages spoken in Spain. There are also different regions. For example, we were in the region of Catalonya. There are traditions like dances that we witnessed that originated from this region of Spain. Even though the culture of this region is made known, the people also use multiple languages and have diverse origins here. The differences are obvious, yet they are not ignored. People from outside of Spain make a point to learn both Spanish and Catalan along with their native language. The diversity of cultures seem to be acknowledged and accepted here in differnt ways than i have been exposed to back home.
(When I have more reliable internet access, I will be sure to post photos from the trip with captions in a seperate blog post. I have had some trouble uploading photos.)
My teacher has been a kind and patient role model for me, as well. I enjoyed watching her flexible and relaxed mannerisms while working with her classroom. She had excellent topic (what they call science and social studies) lessons. I plan to use and modify the lessons she taught in my own classroom.
Outside of the school setting, I have grown to appreciate Spain's relaxed interactions, the use of public transport, and the diversity of language the most.
Arriving places on time seemed much more relaxed in Spain than it does in America. Additionally, the dining experiences were even more laid back. The waiters were not as quick to serve or clear tables.
It was also a culture shock to use public transport regularly. It was tricky to figure out at first, but it was very reliable and accessible once we got the hang of it. I am sure public transport helps to elimanate wasting gas. On the down side though, it is nice to have the freedom to leave and arrive at your own pace with your own motor vehicle.
I am proud of America for the diversity we have. In Spain though, it seems to be diverse in differnt ways than us. There are multiple languages spoken in Spain. There are also different regions. For example, we were in the region of Catalonya. There are traditions like dances that we witnessed that originated from this region of Spain. Even though the culture of this region is made known, the people also use multiple languages and have diverse origins here. The differences are obvious, yet they are not ignored. People from outside of Spain make a point to learn both Spanish and Catalan along with their native language. The diversity of cultures seem to be acknowledged and accepted here in differnt ways than i have been exposed to back home.
(When I have more reliable internet access, I will be sure to post photos from the trip with captions in a seperate blog post. I have had some trouble uploading photos.)
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